You’ll be glad to know that the Kia Picanto can assist you if you occasionally need to transport a specific type of cargo. The trunk clearly has enough room to fit even the largest things. Additionally, it’s noteworthy to note that front passenger seats may be readily moved around to create additional space as needed.
No matter how large the cargo is, it can be loaded into the car. Additionally, despite having four passenger seats, three persons can easily fit behind. It can be used as a family vehicle in addition to having a lot of freight. Therefore, it is a useful vehicle.
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What is it like to drive?
On paper, the single engine option for the Picanto might seem a little sparse, but in actuality, it’s a wonderful small engine that fits the Picanto’s vivacious personality. Of course, the higher powerful turbo version of the engine in the GT-Line and GT-Line S standards is your only choice if you’re in anything resembling a hurry. In manual mode, the 66 horsepower motor can only reach 060 mph in 14.1 seconds, and in automated mode, it takes a frigid 16.6 seconds. You’ll arrive in 9.9 seconds if you unleash the 99 horsepower beast. Phew.
Realistically, it doesn’t feel quite that slow.
It’s not like everyone is drag racing outside, and the Picanto does its city car job admirably. It has enough of vigor for zipping around town, and its 3-cylinder engine is happy to crank if you don’t mind the noise. The engine has been expertly balanced by Kia, and there is little indication of the type of vibration that early downsizing three-pots experienced. Keep your right foot pinned and warm up your arm that changes gears; that usually works.
The Picanto is ideal as a first car for people building up their hours on the road or for someone who just wants to jump in and go because it’s simple to feel comfortable behind the wheel and the driving controls are all clearly laid out. The Picanto fulfills its purpose admirably, although similar vehicles occasionally go above and beyond thatthe Volkswagen Up and Hyundai i10 are surprisingly pleasant traveling companionsthe Kia’s abilities largely end there. The weedier 66bhp Picanto loses steam above city speeds and begins to regress. Driving on highways and A-roads is all about maintaining momentum, and at any rate, the slightly increased cabin noise does encourage you to keep a slower pace. The domain of more expensive rivals is noise reduction.
The GT-Line and GT-Line S cars are the only ones that can be equipped with the more potent T-GDi, which also has the same set of five-speed gearboxes. However, the faster 9.9 seconds at 060 mph is much faster, and the car benefits from the greater power. On a particularly long section of the highway, you might even think about doing an occasional overtake. The other versions of the car all tip the scales at around the 980kg level, making this version the only one to squeak over the tonne threshold at 1,030kg.
These days, there are so many bloated and overweight cars.
Regardless of the model, the Picanto’s little weight contributes significantly to how much fun it is to drive. City driving is a delight thanks to the car’s outstanding chuckability and quick steering.
Problem:
The crankshaft of the Picanto is known to have problems. Crankshaft pulley bolt failure, crankshaft position sensor failure, and the crankshaft breaking directly behind the crank timing gear have all been reported as issues. Any one of these difficulties may result in difficult starting, a lack of power, or poor engine idling. Is the idleness in the video similar to your current issue?
The reliability of the Kia Picanto.
The manufacturer placed second out of 30 companies in our 2020 Driver Power study, with comments highlighting how Kia offers safe, dependable, high-quality vehicles. A list of the top 75 vehicles to own placed the Picanto in number 29.
Is the Kia Picanto road legal?
The Picanto achieved an average fuel efficiency of 8.0L/100km while being kept hot and driving largely in cities.
That is significantly more than the S auto’s combined rating of 5.8L/100km, while it is comparable to its rating of 7.9L/100km for urban driving. For comparison, the highway figure is 4.6L/100km. However, more cautious drivers will undoubtedly be able to get more gas out of the Picanto.
Although there isn’t much of a difference between the auto and manual Picanto S’s fuel efficiency on the highway, there is a considerable gap between the two in the city. The manual is only rated for 6.3L/100km in the city, thus the three-pedal option is preferable given that it costs $1600 less.
How much does the Kia Picanto S cost to run?
With capped price servicing and a full year of free roadside support, the Kia Picanto offers a seven-year, unlimited-mile warranty. You will pay $240, $435, $294, $493, and $271 for the first five services, correspondingly.
CarExperts take on the 2020 Kia Picanto S
There are currently only three vehicles in the Micro Car segment: the Picanto, the Mitsubishi Mirage, and the Fiat 500. Holden and Suzuki withdrew from the market. The Picanto fare well when measured against these.
The Mirage is priced roughly identically to the Picanto, starting at $14,990 before on-road expenses, despite the Fiat occupying a higher price range.
The Picanto replaced the outdated Mitsubishi and gathered more than 70% of the segment’s market dominance.
It has been redesigned this year with additional power and a modernized interior. The Picanto now faces some more formidable rivals.
A new, affordable vehicle is the Kia Picanto S. It will transport you from point A to point B without any surprises and performs everything you would expect from an inexpensive, new car. You can’t go wrong if that’s all you need, especially with the seven-year warranty.
But the Picantos transmission will fall short for those of us who want more from a transmission than just mechanical proficiency.
Save up the $1600 and purchase the manual if you’re an enthusiast or just looking for the cheapest new car with the longest warranty.
Is driving a Picanto simple?
The five-door hatchback Kia Picanto has enough of room for you and your passengers, and even the trunk is sizable for a vehicle of this size. It boasts effective engines that are enjoyable to drive and have cheap running costs like insurance and taxes. It is also quite trustworthy.
There are three different petrol engines available, and Kia’s trim levels are clearly described. The trims range from the Picanto 1 entry-level model to the more expensive 2 and 3, which come with more features. Be on the lookout for special editions, such as the fast GT-Line, the X-Line with an off-road theme, the Wave, and Titanium. These may very well be the finest deals because of the numerous bonuses. Although the current Picanto model lineup debuted in 2017, if you’re looking at earlier vehicles, the Mk2 Picanto from the prior generation offers many of the same benefits. It’s an affordable, roomy, and useful city car that’s simple and enjoyable to drive around town. While later automobiles only had five doors, it also offers the option of three or five doors.
Are Kia vehicles durable?
Maintaining the factory-recommended maintenance plan and taking care of problems as soon as they appear are the best ways to maintain your Kia in good working order. Any material or workmanship flaws should be covered by the Kia guarantee that comes with new and certified pre-owned cars, but these protections ultimately run out.
If your car needs repairs after the first warranty period has passed, an extended warranty might assist cover the cost of such unforeseen expenses. Kia has an extended warranty that may be purchased directly from the company, but you can also acquire coverage from third parties.
Independent extended warranty providers frequently provide more options for coverage, older vehicle coverage, a larger network of repair facilities, and more comprehensive benefits. Endurance and CarShield are two companies that we suggest.
Endurance: Best Coverage
Up to 8 years or 200,000+ miles of additional warranty coverage are possible with Endurance. Additionally, Endurance offers some of the market’s most comprehensive contracts. There are five different coverage options available, ranging from straightforward powertrain coverage to complete bumper-to-bumper warranty protection.
CarShield: Best Value
Additionally, CarShield provides extended warranty protection for cars with up to 300,000 miles on the odometer, potentially doubling the Kia factory warranty’s scope of coverage. CarShield offers a solid reputation in the market, a wide range of coverage options, and some of the most affordable contracts available.
For more information, see our comprehensive CarShield review. To get a free, no-risk CarShield quote, click the button below.
Frequently Asked Questions
Kia is a dependable automaker. Overall, Kia receives a reliability rating of 4.0 out of 5.0 on RepairPal, placing it third overall (out of 32 brands).
Both Kia and Toyota are well-known for their dependability, and both have a 4.0 out of 5.0 RepairPal reliability rating. Kias may be marginally more reliable, while RepairPal puts Toyota seventh overall and Kia third.
Kias require an average of 0.2 unforeseen repair shop visits year, according to RepairPal. This is half of the 0.4 visits per year average for all brands. You have a one in five risk of needing an unforeseen repair each year, according to this statistic.
Previously, the Kia name was associated with low-cost, subpar vehicles. This is partly because the brand’s automobiles had a lot of issues when it first appeared in the United States. Since then, Kia has made fleet improvements and has earned a reputation for having great reliability.
Yes, Kias have a reputation for lasting just as long as other trustworthy cars like Hyundai, Honda, and Toyota. Although the powertrain is covered by the manufacturer’s warranty for up to 100,000 miles, many owners keep their Kias for much longer.
Can the Picanto handle a highway?
The Sandero, the Hyundai i10, and the Up all offer smoother rides than the Picanto. It throws you about more on curvy city streets and makes you fidget more throughout bumpy stretches of highway.
Everything is relative, though. Actually, it’s not at all unpleasant, particularly if you stay away from the larger 16-inch alloy wheels that are included with top versions. The good news is that it doesn’t bounce around on crooked rural roads because it has slightly firmer springs than its competitors.
Picanto’s fuel economy is good.
We struggled to stay under 8.2L/100km despite the Kia Picanto’s average fuel usage of 5.8L/100km.
The simplest approach to reduce your fuel expenses is to purchase the cheapest gasoline and diesel, but there are other things you can do to maximize your tank’s mileage.
Fuel usage rises due to wind resistance. When driving quickly, try to keep the windows closed, and when not in use, take the roof racks and boxes off. Over the course of a year, removing a roof-top cargo box can result in fuel savings of up to 20%.
The AA claims that slowing down from 80 mph to 70 mph can help you save up to 25% on petrol. On smaller roads, reducing your speed from 70 to 60 mph could result in an additional 10% in fuel savings.
Make sure you use the proper engine oil and have regular maintenance performed on your vehicle to ensure engine performance (check the handbook).
Read the road in front of you, taking into account potential hazards and other drivers’ moves. Fuel use decreases as braking and acceleration are reduced.
For instance, avoid driving quickly to catch up to the car in front and then having to brake in congested traffic.
Some drivers don’t shift into a different gear until the revs (revolutions per minute, or RPM) reach 3,000 for a gasoline vehicle and 2,500 for a diesel.
Moving up a gear at 2,500 (petrol) and 2,000 is more effective (diesel). Use fifth and sixth gears, or other high gears, as quickly as possible.
Tyres that are in good condition are necessary for safe and affordable driving. routinely check tire pressure (especially before a motorway journey). According to the RAC, properly inflated tires can save fuel consumption by up to 2%.
Avoid driving around with superfluous stuff in your boot, and unless you’re on a long trip, think about keeping your gasoline tank half full or less because a lighter car will use less fuel.
It is inefficient and wasteful to brake hard, accelerate, and then brake again to avoid the next speed bump. Instead, make an effort to maintain a consistent 15-20 mph.
Fuel usage is increased by air conditioning, especially at low speeds. On a hot day, open the windows in populated areas but utilize the air conditioning while driving at fast speeds.
The AA claims that automatics use between 10% and 15% more fuel than manuals. The difference is narrowing, though, as newer, effective semi-automatics gain in popularity.
We struggled to stay under 8.2L/100km despite the Picanto auto’s claimed combined-cycle number being 5.8L/100km. It’s not a bad number, but the Kia’s small 35-liter fuel tank necessitates many stops for gas, and the economy figure was probably that high since we ran almost entirely in cities.
Is the 2010 Kia Picanto a reliable car?
On open roads, the Picanto is highly capable. Although body control could be kept under better control, the narrow tires’ decent traction makes it feel capable when pushed hard. Although there can be some obtrusive wind noise, it is stable at highway speeds as well. Less successfully, the ride shows that it is a little underdamped. Over bumps in the road and rough terrain, the Kia frequently skips and bounces. The steering offers little feedback, but the Picanto is simple to maneuver in confined situations. The 64bhp 1.1-litre engine, though, hardly qualifies it as a performance vehicle. Although in-gear performance is better, acceleration is not particularly impressive, and the unit is unrefined and difficult to operate at high revs. Additionally, the throttle is very sensitive. Both while idling and while moving, it is quieter.
In the UK, the Picanto is Kia’s top-selling vehicle. It received a facelift in 2007, however the modifications weren’t really substantial. The revised front look with its rounded headlights, softer bumpers, and altered grille was the most noticeable change. The rear light clusters were also changed, although every panel from the windscreen back was left alone. The six-strong model lineup comprises of a five-door bodystyle with two engines (1.0 liter and 1.1 liter), four trim levels (basic, 2, Ice, and 3), and a choice of four colors. Competitors include the Hyundai i10, Ford Ka, Fiat Panda, Smart Fortwo, and Citroen C1 (with Peugeot and Toyota versions).
The interior modifications to the Picanto were the most significant. It has a sporty steering wheel, an all-black dashboard, and dials with orange backlighting. With a height-adjustable seat and a steering wheel with rake adjustment, the driving position is very comfortable. The 157-liter boot is good, there is sufficient back passenger capacity, and there is also good interior storage space. However, the interior does feel a touch cramped, especially in the rear shoulder area. The Picanto’s greatest asset is how well it is priced. Prices are inexpensive and the amount of equipment is abundant. Just keep in mind that the Korean only has two airbags and received a three-star rating from Euro NCAP in crash tests. However, economy appears respectable (the 1.1-liter we tested averaged 44 mpg), and retained values are impressive, averaging about 46%.