The All-New Kia Picanto 2024: Bold Design, Advanced Tech, and Compact Practicality.

The Kia Picanto has long been a favourite in the compact car market, and with the latest 2024 iteration, Kia has once again shown why they dominate the A-segment. The refreshed third-generation Picanto takes everything that drivers loved about the previous model and enhances it with a bold new design, improved technology, and a focus on both practicality and fun driving dynamics.

 

As the smallest model in the Kia lineup, the new Picanto is an ideal entry-point for those who want a stylish, affordable, and tech-savvy car without sacrificing convenience. With its Opposites United design philosophy, the Picanto delivers modern, sporty aesthetics while offering exceptional value for UK buyers. Whether you're a first-time car owner, city dweller, or someone looking for an efficient and easy-to-drive car, the new Kia Picanto 2024 ticks all the boxes.

 

Bold Exterior Design: A Compact Car with Big Presence

Kia has dramatically redesigned the Picanto with its Opposites United design philosophy, a concept that brings together the contrasting ideas of nature and technology to create something futuristic yet familiar. This gives the 2024 Picanto a bolder, more sophisticated look that rivals larger and more expensive cars.

 

Front-End Design: Modernity Meets Functionality

The most noticeable change in the new Picanto is its completely redesigned front end. The new model features a wider, more confident stance, with a tiger-nose grille that is larger and more pronounced than in previous models. Flanked by vertical LED headlights (available on higher trims), the front lightbar connects seamlessly into the air intakes, giving the Picanto a sleek, cohesive design that feels more premium than its price tag suggests.

 

The front bumper has also been updated, enhancing the car’s road presence and giving it a sporty edge. Whether you're zipping through city traffic or parked on the high street, the new Picanto looks more assertive and modern than ever before.

 

Rear-End Design: Planted and Confident

The rear of the Kia Picanto also sees significant updates, with a wide rear lightbar stretching across the tailgate. This horizontal emphasis makes the car look wider and more stable, giving it a planted feel on the road. The redesigned rear bumper complements the lightbar, adding a touch of aggression to the otherwise compact city car.

• LED taillights and daytime running lights (standard on ‘GT-Line’ and ‘GT-Line S’) add modernity and improve visibility, while the rear spoiler gives the car a sporty touch.

 

Trim Levels and Exterior Features

The Kia Picanto comes in four different trims: ‘2’, ‘GT-Line’, ‘3’, and ‘GT-Line S’, each offering a distinct set of features tailored to different buyer preferences.

• Picanto ‘2’: The entry-level trim features 14-inch alloy wheels, body-coloured bumpers, and electrically adjustable heated door mirrors. Despite being the most affordable option, the design is still sharp and modern.

 

• Picanto ‘GT-Line’ and ‘GT-Line S’: These trims boast a more aggressive stance with 16-inch diamond-cut alloy wheels, a sporty rear diffuser, and dedicated GT-Line exterior styling. The tiger-nose grille is also more pronounced, emphasizing performance cues that resonate with younger, style-conscious drivers.

Colour Choices

 

For 2024, Kia offers a range of seven vibrant paint colours, with four new options: Blaze Red, Smokey Blue, Azure Blue, and Adventurous Green. Whether you prefer a subtle shade or a bright, eye-catching hue, there’s a colour for everyone.

 

Compact Yet Spacious: Ideal for City Living

The Kia Picanto is designed to be a perfect city car, compact enough to navigate narrow streets and tight parking spaces, but still offering impressive interior space and practicality.

• Length: 3,605 mm

• Width: 1,595 mm (excluding mirrors)

• Height: 1,485 mm

• Wheelbase: 2,400 mm

 

These compact dimensions make the Picanto a breeze to park and manoeuvre, especially in crowded urban areas where space is at a premium. Its short overhangs (685 mm at the front, 520 mm at the rear) and high seating position ensure that visibility is excellent, adding to the ease of driving and parking in tight spots.

 

Despite being a compact car, the interior space is cleverly designed to make the most of every inch. The Picanto can comfortably seat up to five people, and the 60:40 split-folding rear seats allow for flexibility when it comes to cargo. The boot offers 255 litres of storage space with the seats up, expanding to an impressive 1,010 litres when folded down, making it ideal for both everyday commutes and weekend trips.

 

Interior Quality and Technology: Where Comfort Meets Convenience

Step inside the new Kia Picanto, and you’ll be greeted by a cabin that feels more upscale than you might expect in an A-segment car. Kia has put an emphasis on quality materials and modern design, ensuring that the Picanto doesn’t just look good on the outside but feels comfortable and well-equipped on the inside too.

 

Standard Features

Across all trims, the Kia Picanto comes with a 8.0-inch touchscreen infotainment system, complete with Apple CarPlay™ and Android Auto™ integration. This system is intuitive to use and allows for seamless smartphone connectivity, whether you want to use navigation apps, stream music, or make hands-free calls.

• 4.2-inch driver display: Positioned behind the steering wheel, this provides essential driving information such as speed, fuel levels, and navigation prompts.

• Bluetooth® connectivity allows for wireless audio streaming and hands-free calling.

• USB ports in both the front and rear provide plenty of charging options for passengers.

 

Interior Trims

The Picanto ‘2’ comes standard with black cloth upholstery, while the GT-Line and GT-Line S trims feature black and grey artificial leather seats that add a touch of sportiness to the cabin. Kia has also introduced artificial leather steering wheels as standard, aligning with their commitment to sustainability as they phase out the use of real leather in their vehicles.

 

Comfort is assured with seats based on those found in Kia models two or three classes up, which provide a higher level of comfort than typically found in city cars. The rear seats are spacious enough to accommodate adult passengers comfortably for shorter journeys, and the front seats feature fully adjustable active headrests, adding an extra layer of comfort and safety.

 

Practicality

The Picanto excels in terms of interior practicality. The 60:40 split-folding rear seats expand the boot space from 255 litres to 1,010 litres, making it versatile enough to handle everything from groceries to larger items like folding bicycles or e-scooters. The inclusion of multiple storage compartments, including a centre console with a storage box, glovebox, and door pockets, adds to its functionality as a daily driver.

 

Driving Dynamics: Fun, Nimble, and Comfortable

One of the defining characteristics of the Kia Picanto is its nimble, fun-to-drive nature. Despite being a small car, the Picanto delivers a lively driving experience, making it perfect for urban environments, but also capable of longer journeys on motorways.

 

Suspension and Handling

Kia engineers have ensured that the Picanto maintains its sharp handling and smooth ride, even with the refreshed model. The car’s suspension setup includes independent MacPherson strut suspension at the front and a torsion beam rear axle, which provides a good balance between comfort and agility.

The Picanto’s long wheelbase (for a car of its size) and short overhangs help to keep the car stable on the road, reducing body roll in corners and ensuring a comfortable ride even on rougher roads.

 

Steering

A key improvement in the new Picanto is its quick steering rack, which reduces the number of turns from lock to lock (2.47 turns). This results in precise and responsive handling, making the car incredibly easy to manoeuvre in city traffic and tight parking spaces.

• Torque Vectoring by Braking: This system, part of the Electronic Stability Control (ESC) system, helps to reduce understeer during cornering, adding to the car’s agile handling.

 

Powertrain Options: Efficiency and Fun in Equal Measure

The Kia Picanto is available with two petrol engines, designed to offer the best balance between efficiency, performance, and emissions. Whether you prioritize fuel economy or need a bit more power for longer journeys, there’s an option for everyone.

1.0-Litre, 62bhp Engine

 

The base engine is a 1.0-litre, three-cylinder unit that develops 62bhp and 93Nm of torque. This engine is perfect for urban drivers who prioritize efficiency and low running costs.

• 0-62mph: 15.4 seconds (manual) / 18.2 seconds (AMT)

• Top speed: 90mph

• Fuel economy: Up to 54.3mpg (WLTP combined)

• CO2 emissions: From 116g/km (manual) / 119g/km (AMT)

This engine is available on the ‘2’, ‘GT-Line’, and ‘3’ trims and is paired with either a 5-speed manual transmission or an Automated Manual Transmission (AMT) for those who prefer the convenience of an automatic.

1.2-Litre, 77bhp Engine

For those who need a bit more grunt, the GT-Line S trim comes with a more powerful 1.2-litre, four-cylinder engine, which develops 77bhp and 113Nm of torque. This engine offers more power and refinement for longer, faster drives.

• 0-62mph: 13.1 seconds (manual) / 16.5 seconds (AMT)

• Top speed: 98mph

• Fuel economy: 51.4mpg (manual) / 50.4mpg (AMT)

• CO2 emissions: 124g/km (manual) / 128g/km (AMT)

 

Safety: Kia’s Comprehensive Suite of Driver Assistance Features

Kia has equipped the Picanto with a comprehensive range of active and passive safety systems, making it one of the safest cars in the A-segment. Standard features include:

• Forward Collision-Avoidance Assist (FCA): Detects potential collisions with vehicles, pedestrians, and cyclists, applying the brakes if necessary to prevent an accident.

• Lane Keep Assist & Lane Follow Assist: Helps the driver stay in their lane and provides steering support when needed.

• Rear Parking Sensors & Reversing Camera: Make parking in tight city spaces a breeze with visual and audio guidance.

• Hill-Start Assist Control (HAC): Prevents the car from rolling backward on hills, ensuring smooth starts on inclines.

• Six Airbags: Including front, side, and curtain airbags for maximum protection.

The GT-Line S trim adds Blind-Spot Collision-Avoidance Assist for even more protection in busy traffic.

 

Technology and Connectivity: Stay Connected on the Go

All Picanto models come equipped with the latest in-car technology, ensuring that drivers stay connected and informed while on the go.

• 8.0-inch touchscreen infotainment system: Standard across all trims, with Apple CarPlay™, Android Auto™, and Bluetooth® connectivity.

• Kia Connect: Offers a suite of connected services, including live traffic updates, weather forecasts, and parking information.

• Wireless charging: Available on the GT-Line S for added convenience.

The Online Navigation system uses cloud-based real-time data to predict traffic levels and suggest more efficient routes, ensuring that you always reach your destination on time.

 

Pricing and Warranty: Affordable and Backed by Kia’s Renowned Warranty

The Kia Picanto continues to offer incredible value for money, starting from just £15,595 for the base ‘2’ model. Even the fully-loaded GT-Line S automatic is priced competitively at £19,145, making the Picanto one of the best-value city cars on the market.

 

As with all Kia models, the Picanto comes with an industry-leading 7-year/100,000-mile warranty, giving drivers peace of mind and underscoring Kia’s commitment to quality and reliability.

 

Conclusion: The 2024 Kia Picanto – Small Car, Big Impact

The 2024 Kia Picanto delivers on all fronts—design, practicality, technology, and safety. Whether you’re looking for an affordable city car, a stylish daily driver, or an entry-level vehicle with all the modern conveniences, the Picanto is a strong contender in the A-segment.

With its bold new design, enhanced driver assistance features, and competitive pricing, the Picanto remains one of the best choices for UK buyers who want a reliable and efficient small car without compromising on style or tech.

 

 

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