Facelifted Kia Picanto: the lowdown
Kia is a company on the up and it knows not to mess with a successful formula. So when its best-selling car needs replacing, they don’t mess around much. The result? This gently massaged Picanto, due to be shown at next week’s Barcelona Motor Show. New styling front and rear has extended the city car’s length by 40mm, thanks to a new bonnet, wings and deeper bumpers front and rear. The overall theme is designed to look rounder, and the grille you see here will spread across the Kia range. Not so much change in the cabin or engine department, though; Kia talks of new stereos and power steering, but we’ve always liked the Picanto’s fun personality. The Picanto has been a success for Kia, selling 250,000 units across Europe in a segment new to Kia. European vice president Jean-Charles Lievens said Kia planned to expand sales to 90,000 units annually over the next few years.