This is the new Kia Picanto

The refreshed Kia Picanto for the 2024 model year has debuted for the first time ever. It comes six years after the last full model change back in 2017, and it also confirms the Picanto leaks that were shared on the internet a month ago.

The 2024 Kia Picanto

Present on the new Picanto is a bold new look, a better safety kit, and a whole host of other improvements. Let’s get into the details of the refreshed hatchback and get to know it a little bit better. 

Exterior

Just like in the leaked photos, the updated Picanto sports a front end that is reminiscent of the Kia EV6 and EV9. A chrome bar spans the width of its front fascia, while the grille is positioned lower creating a closed-off appearance. Likewise present is a pair of vertical headlamps, and a pair of sharp-looking LED daytime running lamps. 

Updated Picanto from the front

The side of the refreshed model gets the same silhouette as the third-gen version but Kia added a small side skirt to give it more character. Its rear end meanwhile, comes with a faux rear diffuser, an LED light bar, and a flatter-looking tailgate. 

Completing the look of the 2024 Picanto is a set of new wheels. The GT Line trim has 16-inch diamond-cut wheels, while other variants have smaller wheel options.

The new Picanto from the rear

Interior

Step inside the new Picanto and you’ll be greeted with a familiar dashboard layout with several new features. The oval-shaped side and the chrome strip running across the dash makes a return but added is a new flat-bottom steering wheel and a digital gauge cluster. 

Inside the 2024 Picanto

Some variants will also get a small sunroof and a heated function for the steering wheel. Kia likewise kept the same physical control scheme for the car’s air-conditioning system.

Tech & Safety

New inside the 2024 Picanto is an eight-inch touchscreen. The said head unit gets Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, and Bluetooth connectivity. It likewise boasts over-the-air software updates, and users can use it in tandem with the Kia Connect App. This app offers parking information, traffic updates, etc. 

A closer look at the 2024 Picanto's new touchscreen

Keeping everyone safe aboard the new Kia hatch is an array of standard safety features including a total of seven airbags, anti-lock braking, hill-start assist, stability control, and cornering brake control.

Further reinforcing its standard safety features are several advanced driver-assistive technologies. Chief among these is a forward collision avoidance assist system that can detect pedestrians, other cars, and cyclists. Likewise available on the hatch is blind spot collision avoidance, lane keep assist, driver attention warning, lead vehicle departure warning, and lane follow assist, among others. 

2024 Picanto's front seats

Engine

There are two powertrain options for Kia’s updated city car. There’s a smaller 1.0-liter engine and a larger 1.2-liter mill. Both engines are naturally aspirated and are paired to a five-speed manual gearbox, or an automated manual transmission (AMT). 

Check out the Picanto's rear end

For now, Kia is yet to share the output figures for these engines, though the brand promises that the engines maximize fuel efficiency and lower carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions. 

Price

The Korean car brand also didn’t share any pricing details for the updated Picanto. Kia Philippines in turn, is yet to say officially if it is bringing in the latest version of the brand’s hatchback city car. So for more updates, keep it here on Philkotse.