MOTORING NEWS - The Kia Picanto, which could be credited with driving Kia’s recent success, has been redesigned from the ground up.

It is now longer, larger and bolder than before. It also offers a choice of a larger four-cylinder, 1 248 cc engine that generates 65 kW and 120 Nm.

The three-cylinder, 998 cc unit produces 51 kW and 94 Nm of torque.

Made in Korea, the Kappa family of engines share many common characteristics, including DOHC, dual CVVT (continuously variable valve timing), a cast aluminium block, off-set crankshaft, maintenance-free long-life timing chain and low-friction "beehive" valve springs.

The new Picanto line-up will have a carbon rating of 117 to 144 g/km - depending on model and transmission.
Fuel economy is said to range from 4.9 to 6.0l/100 km.

Top gear
The new Picanto’s front wheels are driven via a five-speed manual with a high top gear ratio (0.719:1) to optimise fuel economy.
A four-speed automatic gearbox will also be available on each engine.
The ECO indicator system informs you have to drive more economically.

The green ECO indicator will turn on when you are driving fuel efficiently in ECO ON mode.
The gearshift indicator, which suggests which gear to select when, effectively does the same job.

Space
The new Picanto is 60mm longer than the previous model, with the wheelbase extended by 15 mm.
It would seem that these dimensions have translated well into useable space as the new vehicle felt both more spacious and also had the ride of a bigger car.
The boot is said to be 27% larger than before.
A choice of 14" steel (with full wheel covers on 1.0 and 1.0 LX) or 14" alloy wheels (1.2 EX) adds extra sophistication to the exterior appearance.
All three models feature a black cloth interior trim.
Features available on all mo-dels include manual air-conditioning, an under-floor trunk storage box, retractable dual cup holders and sun visors with vanity mirrors.

Creature comforts
Other features that are standard include AUX/iPod/USB connections for the radio CD player with full MP3 compatibility.
A passenger seat storage tray is standard on both the 1.0 LX/ 1.2 EX for extra convenience. The 1.0 LX and 1.2 EX also have automatic light control with "welcome home" and "escort" modes.

Unique to the 1.2 EX are steering wheel mounted controls and hands-free Bluetooth.
NVH counter-measures include larger hydraulic mountings for the engine and transmission, a triple-layer dashboard bulkhead sound-deadening panel, dual door sealing strips, and two measures to reduce wind noise.
These are sound blockers within the door mirror mounts and moving the radio antenna towards the rear end of the roof.
The electric power steering, as is usually the case, destroys a lot of the genuine feedback, but does make for a light, easy to turn setup which will probably suit most drivers.

All models are equipped with Kia’s "High" suspension set-up.
This raises the ground clearance by 10mm to 152mm to ensure a comfortable ride over rough or heavily cambered roads.
Overall height is also raised by 10 mm to 1 490mm.

Safety
For greater side-impact protection, the B-pillar and side sills are reinforced with high-tensile steel plates, the anti-intrusion door-beams are extended to overlap the B-pillar and polyurethane pads are fitted within the front door trims.
Available safety equipment will include a driver airbag (1.0 Picanto) and an additional passenger airbag for the 1.0 LX and 1.2 EX. ABS anti-lock braking is standard on the 1.2 EX only.

Given that the on cost of this vital safety feature is nowadays only about R1 500 at the factory door. As the little Kia is likely to be driven by inexperienced drivers, who are least likely to understand the benefits of this life saving technology,
Kia could have taken the lead and made it a standard feature at the expense of a luxury, or even the more expensive, but less important airbag.

There is also a new ESS (Emergency Stop Signal) system standard on the 1.2 EX. Sensors detect when the driver is braking suddenly and hard and then flash the brake lights three times to alert motorists behind you that the car is slowing rapidly.

Small children are more vulnerable to severe impacts. A new feature of the Picanto is the ISOFix child seat anchors securing baby seats quickly and safely without the need for seat belts.
Kia have brought a fine little car to market with the only real impe-diment being the lack of ABS in the cheaper models. If you can, spend the extra money.

Pricing:
1.0 - R99 995; 1.0 LX - R107 995; 1.0 Auto - R109 995; 1.2 EX - R114 995; 1.0 LX Auto - R117; 995; 1.2 EX Auto - R124 995.