Up front the tiger-nose’ grille features a new textured surround and open-link appearance, along with redesigned headlamps, and updated front bumper which houses revised fog-lamps. At the back you’ll find a new rear-bumper, new tail-lamps, and some funky exhaust tips. The updated Picanto also receives two new aluminium alloy wheel designs: a 16-spoke, 14-inch design, or a two-tone diamond-cut 16-inch wheel.
Inside, the Picanto features a series of visual and technological upgrades, centred around a larger 8.0-inch ‘floating’ widescreen audio visual navigation system, and a high-resolution 4.2-inch digital display in the driver’s instrument cluster.
From a safety perspective, the upgraded Picanto features several of KIA’s latest Advanced Driver Assistance Systems (ADAS). Depending on specification, the Picanto’s new ADAS range includes Forward Collision-Avoidance Assist (FCA) with vehicle and pedestrian detection. Additionally, the Picanto is available with Blind-Spot Collision-Avoidance Assist (BCA), Lane Keeping Assist (LKA), Driver Attention Warning (DAW), and Lane Following Assist (LFA)
The upgraded Picanto is available in Europe with three new ‘Smartstream’ petrol engines, each maximising efficiency and lowering CO2 emissions compared to their predecessors. The engine line-up features a 1.0-litre T-GDi (turbocharged gasoline direct injection) engine producing 74 kW, or a pair of naturally-aspirated 1.0-litre or 1.2-litre DPFI (dual-port fuel injection) engines, producing 49 kW and 62 kW, respectively.
The upgraded KIA Picanto is expected to make its South African debut in Q4 2020. Both the Picanto X-Line and the Picanto GT Line are under consideration for South African introduction.
Images: Motorpress
