Kia Picanto test drive since 2011 hatchback

Confetti

We celebrate the beginning of summer with the new Kia Picanto

The pilots of the helicopters scurrying over Moscow by the Moscow Region were probably very surprised. It seemed to them from his top that someone had fallen asleep the entire confetti area. Otherwise, how to explain that in their square suddenly became full of small multi -colored dots?


In fact, confetti scattered the Russian representative office of Kia, which decided to conduct a test drive of its smallest Picanto model in the Moscow Region. For half a day, journalists rode in nearby surroundings, imposing pilots.

But let Picanto really the smallest and most affordable car in the KIA line, in terms of the number of configurations and motors, everything is like in adults. The basic unit is a three -cylinder gasoline motor, which, with a volume of 1. 0 liters, develops 69 horsepower and 95 nm of torque. But there were no such cars on a test drive. Accordingly, there was no mechanical transmission. All test cars were equipped with four-speed automatic gearboxes and 85-horsepower 1.2 engines.


Both engines of the KAPPA family are equipped with two camshafts and a double system for adjusting the gas distribution phase. Good, modern, economical and environmentally friendly motors.

In your opinion, 85 forces and the machine is not the best combination in terms of dynamics? Nothing like this. This is quite enough for little confetti. Yes, and no one expects from a modest city machine of explosive dynamics or powerful acceleration. The high maximum speed is not needed. The goals are different! The main of them is comfortable (in relation to the dynamics) movement at speeds up to 100 kilometers per hour in the city. And with this task, 85 horses of the modern Kappa double -grinding motor cope without problems.

Of course, you can try to properly and disperse Picanto to maximum 163 kilometers per hour. It turns out. Although this is not his element, but at high speed a small hatchback is in perfect order. And for that, thanks to a well -minded suspension. She practices irregularities well, she is almost unknown to build up. Only sometimes on our potholes there is not enough stroke on the hunger. But still, for such a compact car, the suspension is very good.


Live! Already for supercompact and inexpensive urban machines, rear LED lights are offered. But beautiful and improves safety.

The electric power capture echoes her, which is traditionally tuned for Kia cars so that it has some void in the near -Zone, but when turning to a larger corner, it informs the steering wheel with a pleasant and understandable force. Picanto reacts to the driver's teams very adequately. Eh, there would still be not so highly profile tires, otherwise their constant departures in corners force them to slow down. But what am I all about power and controllability? Is it primarily valuable to this is the supermini class car? Indeed, the main advantage of this kind is hidden in the name of the segment: compact sizes.

Interior


For a car of the smallest class A, Kia Picanto has a very worthy interior. Of course, he has such charms of small -caliber machines as planting with a straight back and finishing with inexpensive plastic, but from a design point of view it is very good.


I (183 centimeters) was able to sit in the back seat behind a man of 185 centimeters. You sit asleep, the knees rest slightly on the back of the front chair. Nevertheless, with such modest external sizes, it is almost royal scope.


Even the minimum volume of the Kia Picanto trunk is considerable for its class 292 liters. Two to the proportion of two to three, the rear seat does not form a flat floor, but then increases the volume to impressive 918 liters (and this when loading to the window sill).

Although the new Picanto has grown compared to its predecessor, its length still remained less than a 3, 6 meter mark, and the width is only 1, 6 meters. Great help in a close metropolis! Moreover, due to the longest wheelbase (2385 millimeters) of the KIA Picanto, the longest in the segment of the wheelbase is by no means crowded inside. Four people feel in the cabin very conveniently, provided, of course, that their growth does not go beyond 175-178 centimeters. You can travel even with Picanto's things a fairly roomy trunk.


The designer of the new Kia Picanto Karsten Thoms, telling about his brainchild, more often than others pronounced the word Attractive. And it is difficult to argue with him: Picanto really turned out to be very pretty!

Vice President of Marketing and Planning of Kia Motors Europe products Benny Oyen says Picanto offers premium quality at an affordable price. This, of course, is said loudly. But still, the smallest Kia can be equipped with an impressive set of options, presented in four trim levels, and its salon, although it is not called rich in decoration, is really highlighted.


It can be seen that the designers tried from the heart. The new Picanto is just a cutie! At the same time, he matured and began to look much more solid than his predecessor. A new level for small city cars of the Supermini class.

And given that the main part of the potential buyers of such small machines of the girl, it will be important that the new Picanto is a real fashionista! He is pretty sweet, he is emotional, he is recognizable, he has his own style. The designer Karsten Toms managed to create, perhaps, the most attractive car in the segment. For those who have already wanted to sprinkle their boring confetti life a little, I inform you that sales will start on June 20 this year. And we will talk more about the new Picanto in a month, when the car appears on our long test.


Alternative


The newest of all competitors is the five -door Chevrolet Spark. But its initial price is slightly higher than Kia - 379,000 rubles. For this money, you can buy a Spark with a 3-cylinder engine (68 hp) and 5-speed mechanics, on steel 13-inch discs. Spark LS with the same engine, but with a gun and on the 14th disks costs 441,000 rubles. The most expensive version of LT (motor 4 cylinders, 1.2 liters, 81 horsepower, five -speed mechanics and cast discs) is estimated at 481,600 rubles.


These kids are French twins-brothers. They differ only in external and interior design, but are available, unlike Spark and Picanto, also in a three -door version. It is these Citroen and Peugeot will be the cheapest: respectively, 336,000 and 350,000 rubles per car with a 1.0-liter engine (68 horsepower) and a five-speed mechanical transmission. For a five -door on the mechanic, Peugeot asks at least 383,000, and Citroen - 369,000 rubles. The equipment with a 2Tronic robot increases their price to 406,000 rubles.


The most stylish in A-class is the Italian Fiat 500. It is the most expensive. Prices only start from the mark of 552,000 rubles for a car with a 1.2 engine (69 horsepower), steel 14-inch discs and a mechanical five-speed KP. The robot will raise the price by another 40,000 rubles. In the most expensive configuration, 1.4 Sport with a full set of options (alloyable 15 disks, panoramic roof, tinting, chrome mirrors, sports seats, rear spoiler, chrome elements of the body) Fiat 500 costs 685,000 rubles.

Source: Motor magazine [June 2011]