Test Drive Kia Picanto since 2011 Hatchback

Kia Picanto.

At first there was a sun, under the rays of which the nature of central Italy began to play with summer paints: orange mixed with bright green under the fabulously blue sky of Tuscany. Then, cars left for black asphalt stripes with small flocks, the same in summer bright - red, red, green. Kia Picanto did his first steps in Europe for which he was created.

Europe is closely

It's no secret that small European states have recently in the size of the surprise of road overcrowding in cities. Catastrophically lacks parking places, narrow streets are often unable to digest a huge amount of cars. Europeans parcel bumper in the bumper, violate strict parking rules, risking to get a huge fine, but the situation just aggravates.

Apparently, so Kia introduced his car next to the city of Siena, where two small trap on the narrow streets of the tourist center are barely drove. In Korea, such problems, apparently, no, so the country of morning freshness decided to stretch the hand to help the old world. To this step, the leadership Kia pushed not only the stable demand for city cars, but also the fact that there are already compatriots in this sector - models from Hyundai and Daewoo. Therefore, KIA marketers needed a unique advertising move for promotion of new products. And they found him, abandoning the thought of painting cars in ordinary colors. No, of course, in the range of colors offered for Picanto, there are gray metallic, wet asphalt and others, but the focus is made on bright lemon, orange, bright red and gentle green. The color of the car must create a certain mood, and Kia Picanto is, if you want, the summer car. Accordingly, the target audience is Picanto - young people with an average wealth that follow the fashion and non-dulling on trifles. Such, for example, as Italians or Russians. Yes, we are with you! After all, Koreans consider our market as one of the strategic. And not the last role in the formation of such a position played the success of the same Hyundai Getz on the Russian market.

Picanto really looks funny: almost a 5-door two-block with a large, painted in the body color of the radiator grille and large headlights, like Ford Fiesta. The windows line on the back door is playfully rises, adding a typical design for class not aggressiveness, but, on the contrary, funny notch. Koreans say that the design of the front part is drawn from cats from children's cartoons: large, widespread eyes and small spout. True, we present cats somewhat differently, and we have no other suitable association from the animal world. Just a pleasant outdoor car with quite understandable destination.

Opening the door, we fall into the plastic and fabric cabin, the ergonomics of which is not as original as the colors of the body. Everything is clear, everything is at hand: three dials on the dashboard, block indicators, on the center console four large keys and someone else's alpine radio tape recorder. The climatic setting is controlled by three rotating regulators, there are still passages of recirculation mode. Since we got a car in a rich configuration of the EX, a small three-span steering wheel is covered with skin and has adjustable height.

If the wheel of the middle growth is driving, then the back with comfort can accommodate two adults. The ceiling is true, low. In addition to the 5-seater version in Europe, a 4-seater with two separate seats behind the back - for urban families with two children will be offered. The trunk is quite suitable for the role of a large shopping bag: it is wide, but small - only 157 liters. However, if you fold the rear seat, its volume increases to 882 liters.

Spicy details

Koreans were in a hurry to submit to European journalists a novelty, so pre-insulating copies were brought to the test drive - they are equipped with gasoline liter engines with a capacity of 61 hp. and mechanical 5-speed gearboxes. For Picanto, another gasoline engine is offered - 1.1 liter and with a capacity of 65 hp, which can be aggregated with a 4-range automaton. A diesel version will appear, which promises to become the most powerful in the Picanto model range, but it will be only next year.

The character of the Korean typewriter was under the appearance and colors of the body - cheerful and slightly frivolous. Under the growing engine buzzing, the car is quite cheerfully accelerated. Electronics allows the tachometer arrow to reach up to 6500 rpm, but there is practically no need for such experiments. Motor, though small, but has enviable elasticity, and the maximum of torque reaches at 2800 rpm. The only thing that is given a car with difficulty is to accelerate on top gears: the driver has to decline on one, and sometimes two programs. Routine when traveling to Picanto remains only manipulating the gearbox lever, the informativeness and operation of the clutch and gas pedals do not cause complaints.

And the frivity Picanto manifested itself in the work of his suspension. It was not possible to optimally choose the characteristics of stiffness and damping by Korean engineers on a pilot batch of cars. The driver and passengers felt all the slightest irregularities, and a strong vertical squabble arises on the waves of asphalt. But do not rush to put minus in the suspension count. The company's engineers assured us that conveyor cars will be configured differently. There will be a complete set for countries with complex road conditions, among which Russia belongs.

Managed Picanto is easily and understandable, as is like in city car. In this we were convinced of this day, when a natural cataclysm happened in Italy - snow fell. Italian drivers fought to the sidelines, and only some particularly hot guys allowed themselves to go fast. With a catastrophe for the Italian, then the norm for Russian, "we judged, paraphrasing the well-known expression, and went to conquer the snow-covered roads. In this situation, Picanto led himself as a brought up triggered sedan: he did not require a friend, while maintaining good course stability, quickly reacted to the desire to change the traffic strip. Still leaving the parking lots, we noticed at the not a kindergarten nature of the steering: moderate elasticity and informativeness and the absence of almost dry lightness. This certainly helps when Picanto, having grown in turn, begins to show a tendency to drift and requires the correction of the trajectory.

The stabilization process is obtained rapid and intelligible. Still a second ago it seemed that the amplifier would not cope with a serious burden, but nothing criminal was happening and the Korean car continues to delight his behavior, even despite the born.
But the best possible consumer qualities of Picanto are revealed in the crust of the city: a small yurch car not only attracts attention to its color, but also allows you to park in the most seemingly not adapted for this. Here I left with anything Alfa Romeo, the owner of which could not squeeze into a small legitimate piece of asphalt, and our bright green Picanto easily moored, glowing like an apple, in the breaking rays of the sun. Yes, and in traffic jams on such a car it is easier to ride.

The final

The manufacturer's plans to sell 43 thousand Picanto in Europe at this year. On the old light market, the initial price of this colorful car will be about 8,000 euros. With optimism, Koreans are watching and towards Russia, promising that the car will cost approximately 11 thousand dollars. The situation is developing in such a way that small cars ceased to be in Russia the object of ridicule, because we also stand in traffic jams and with difficulty find a parking lot. This means that soon we can expect the appearance on our roads a large number of diverse babies. And Bright Picanto Paints Among the Gray Winter Surely raise the mood to others.

Some specific characteristics of Kia Picanto
(manufacturer data)
Dimensions, mm: 3495x1595x1480
Base, mm: 2370
Pitch in front / rear, mm: 1400/1385
Diameter of reversal, M: 9,2
Engine type: gasoline 4-cylinder 12-valve
Working volume, cube. CM: 999.
Max. Power, hp / rpm: 61/5600
Max. Moment, nm / rpm: 86/2800
Transmission: Mechanical 5-speed
Tires: 165/60 R1
Max. Speed, km / h: 154
Access time is 0-100 km, s: 15.1
Fuel consumption (medium), l / 100 km: 4.8
Tank volume, l: 35

Maxim Rakitin
 

 

A source: Magazine "Autopanoram"