The Kia Picanto is tougher than ever! At least visually

Half of the Netherlands once drove an A-Segmenter. Almost every volume brand had one, for less than 10,000 euros. How different is the situation now that this new Kia Picanto is the last of the Mohicans.

There are a number of reasons why the A segment has almost disappeared. Also due to the ever stricter safety requirements, it is no longer lucrative for manufacturers to bring a cheap car onto the market. Citroën, Peugeot, Skoda and Volkswagen, among others, stopped their Benjamins.

The new Kia Picanto

Kia and Toyota are holding out, but have had to raise the price to keep their models profitable. An Aygo cost around 9,000 euros ten years ago. The starting price is now over 18,000 euros. The Kia Picanto is no longer cheap either, but it keeps the A segment alive.

In recent years, the little Korean has always been at the top of the sales rankings. Kia is calling this Picanto new, but strictly speaking this is a thorough facelift. Under the skin there are small changes compared to the model launched in 2017.

Another powertrain available

However, only one engine is still available in the Netherlands: a 1.0-litre three-cylinder with 68 hp. The T-GDi with turbo and 100 hp is gone. When the updated Picanto appeared, one would expect more performance, because even as a GT-Line, the city car looks sharp and sporty, with an aggressive nose and a more angular rear end with light bar.

The Kia Picanto comes standard with 14-inch steel wheels. The 16-inch alloy looks more robust. In the interior, Kia now installs a digital clock panel and an 8-inch infotainment screen.