The new 2023 Kia Picanto has been officially revealed, sporting a radical redesign inside and out in a bid to sustain its appeal and strong sales figures.
Redesigned with a particular focus on young professionals and short, urban commutes, the new Picanto promises to be easier to drive than before, with more standard equipment, over-the-air update functionality and new technology that's said to make it "one of the safest cars in its class".
Its bold exterior redesign is inspired by Kia's new Opposites United design philosophy, which has driven the design language of models such as the EV9 and EV6.
Kia's signature Tiger Nose front grille features on the city car for the first time, along with optional LED headlights and a rear light bar to give it a wider stance - enhanced by a 12mm-wider track width at both ends.
Two trim levels are available. The standard car has either 14in or 15in alloys as standard and gains a new optional 16in design. The GT-Line car is marked out by a hot-hatch-inspired styling makeover, recessed bumpers and more equipment.
Four new paint colours have been added to the palette for 2023, too.
The current Picanto starts at £13,665, but it's highly likely the upgrades will nudge the facelifted model past the £15,000 threshold, as is the case for its closely related Hyundai i10 sibling - itself recently recipient of similar upgrades.
If confirmed, that will leave just four cars on sale in the UK for less than £15,000: the Citroën C3, Dacia Sandero, Fiat Panda and MG 3.
Both trim levels are available with either a 1.0-litre three-cylinder or 1.2-litre four-cylinder petrol engine. Both are naturally aspirated and have been updated to improve exhaust-gas recirculation and reduce emissions.
Both engines are available with a five-speed automatic gearbox or a five-speed automated manual – a conventional manual transmission equipped with automatic actuation of the clutch and gears.
Inside, the Picanto's infotainment system has been thoroughly overhauled, with an optional 8.0in 'floating' touchscreen or a 4.2in LCD display fitted as standard.
The larger system brings Bluetooth compatibility that can pair two devices at the same time, as well as Kia Connect, which provides services such as live traffic updates, weather forecast and details of potential on- and off-street parking spots.
The system also allows owners to use an app to pre-load their sat-nav with route directions before getting into the car and can receive over-the-air updates for the infotainment and sat-nav system.
The new interior design was "inspired by nature" and offers a choice of two colour packs: Adventurous Green and Rich Brown.
Both specifications are available with faux-leather upholstery as part of Kia's drive to become more sustainable. Starting with the EV9, Kia will begin to phase out leather in all of its models.
Cargo space remains the same at 255 litres with the seats in place, making the boot larger than that of the Volkswagen Up and Mini hatch. With the seats folded, it stretches to 1010 litres, still larger than in the equivalent Volkswagen or Mini.
As far as safety is concerned, the Picanto gets the same torque vectoring by braking system as before, said to make it easier to control in both normal and high-demand situations.
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