Kia Picanto 2018 Review: More polished & practical than ever before

The third-generation Kia Picanto 2018 officially entered the Philippine market on the 8th of August, about 6 months after its global debut at 2017 Geneva International Motor Show. With a bolder exterior, refined cabin and especially the addition of a new top-of-the-range GT Line variant, the next-gen Picanto has drawn significant attention of Filipino car enthusiasts since it arrival in our country.

The new Picanto officially entered the Philippine market on the 8th of August this year

Look through our Kia Picanto Philippines review on Philkotse.com to figure out what this hot hatch has to offer.

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The 2018 Kia Picanto exterior is commented to resemble its Rio sibling. In detail, it is hard not to notice that the 3rd-gen Picanto now comes with a more aggressive look thanks to a more prominent “tiger nose” grille, new sleek headlights, bigger side air-vents, new rear bumpers and new LED tail lights in C-shape.

In terms of dimension, the new Kia Picanto model’s wheelbase is made 2400 mm longer while the overall length stays unchanged at 3595 mm and the girth measures at 1595 mm.

The Picanto 2018 overall appearance is commented to resemble its Rio sibling

Particularly, for the high-end Kia Picanto 2018 GT Line, the Korean carmaker highlights it with red accents on the front air vents, grille, rear bumper and side skirts. The top-spec variant also comes equipped with with unique bumper, projector-type headlights with LED daytime running lights, LED brake lights, front fog lights, a rear wiper and a set of 15-in alloy wheels.

The top-spec GT Line variant comes equipped with a set of 15-in alloy wheels

The 3rd-gen Kia Picanto exterior comes with a more aggressive look thanks to a more prominent “tiger nose” grille

Stepping inside, the 2018 Kia Picanto interior surprises us with a premium feel which is brought by due to modern and sophisticated cabin with new materials. Front passengers can feel a sense of comfort thanks to the widened cabin and a new seat construction while rear occupants can also fully enjoy the ride as the new split-folding rear seats allow more relaxing posture. Worth mentioning is the redesigned dashboard, which has helped free up more leg- and knee-room for passengers.

The next-gen Picanto surprises us with a premium feel which is brought by due to modern interior and sophisticated cabin

With regards for cargo capacity, the new hatchback offers the spacious room for luggage compared to other vehicles in its segment with a total of 255 liters. The figure can even extend to 1,010 liters, which is four times larger, when the rear seats are folded flat.

The new Kia Picanto interior offers spacious room for luggage

The Kia Picanto 2018 has a new luxurious three-spoke steering wheel with leather cover and vertically-designed vents at both two ends of the dashboard. A new dual-pod display is also noticed with a multi-info function. The city hatchback is also loaded with digital radio with Bluetooth, manual climate control, USB, Aux support, AM/FM radio and cloth-covered seats.

Kia Picanto 2018 has a new luxurious three-spoke steering wheel with leather cover

Engine

The Kia Picanto 2018 is available with two Kappa gasoline engine options which are made smaller and more advanced than the outgoing model’s for better efficiency and durability.

The 3rd-generation Picanto is available with two Kappa gasoline engine options

As for the top-spec GT Line and the mid SL variant, the Korean auto manufacturer offers the 1.2-liter 4-cylinder MPI engine, married to a 4-speed automatic transmission, which is capable of dishing out 84 hp at 6,000 rpm and 122 Nm of torque at 4,000 rpm. The base variant is empowered by a 1.0-liter 3-cylinder MPI engine, mated to a 5-speed manual, producing 67 hp at 5,500 rpm and 96 Nm of torque at 3,570 rpm. Both engines are compliant with Euro 4 emission standards.

Handling

The new version has been made with optimized overall dimensions

When it comes to riding comfort, the 2018 Picanto has successfully maintained the reputation of its predecessor as a super mini with impressive handling and immediate responses. The new version has been made with optimized overall dimensions so as to move the pitch center of the car a little back, which helps lessen “node dive” under braking without the suspension to be firmed up. The new steering wheel is redesigned with quicker rack and fewer turns, enabling sharper responses as well as easier navigation at low speeds

​The Picanto is known as a super mini with impressive handling and immediate responses

Another significant improvement of the next-gen Picanto is noticed while driving as the vehicle offers the quietest cabin compared to other cars in its segment. External interference such as noise and vibrations from the engine, wind and road has been minimized to an impressive figure of 39 dB while idling and 68 dB while at a steady cruise.

The new Picanto features a kit of safety features including: dual SRS airbags, keyless entry with alarm, anti-lock brakes and ISOFIX anchors for child seats (at the rear). Specifically, the anti-lock brakes, a steering wheel with leather wrap, rear ISOFIX child seat anchors, and split-folding rear seats are only equipped for the GL Line variant.

Since its launch, the supermini has been known as the smallest model of Kia yet it offers a grown-up drive and is ready to challenge the class’s best. With all these aforementioned refinement, the 3rd-generation supermini will surely continue to further enhance its firm position in it segment. If you are looking for a small city car which can be had at an affordable price yet still offers beautiful ride, then the Kia Picanto 2018 is highly recommended to be taken into account.

According to car review, it is still unsure if the newly-introduced GT Line will become a regular part of the Kia Picanto lineup. Take a look at the table below for updated price and available variants of the Picanto in our country:

>>> Kia Picanto for sale at cheaper prices on Philkotse