FIRSTDRIVE KIA PICANTO:The small city car segment traditionally doesn't interest the Irish market, but Kia's revamped Picanto demands attention, writes PADDY COMYN
IT IS ONLY WHEN you look at car sales from a global context that you really start to understand how small our market is in Ireland.
Toyota, like in our own market, is number one, with almost eight million cars.
But in fourth place are Hyundai and Kia, who at their press conferences tend to conveniently combine when it comes to adding up their sales figures, but nowhere else. Hyundai lie in ninth place in Ireland, Kia in 12th. Combined, they would still only be in seventh place.
Kia has doubled its sales in Europe between 2004 and 2010. And the reason, according to their European bosses, is down to product. It doesn’t seem that long ago that Kia were a bargain basement brand with some pretty low-rent product, but these days they have a top designer in the form of Peter Schreyer. The Bavarian has the Audi TT on his résumé. And not only do their cars looks brilliant, but also they are well built and come with clever engine technology too.
It was hard to imagine what they were going to do with the Kia Picanto though, a car that was an honest little A-segment city car that you were more likely to come across at any European car rental outlet than on a private driveway. It’s been a success for Kia, having sold one million units since it went on sale.
The new Picanto goes on sale in the summer and traditionally it would have been a small seller, because this small city car segment doesn’t tend to interest Irish buyers.
But this new Picanto deserves a real look. For a start it is bigger than before. It is 60mm longer with a wheelbase that stretches 15mm further and that is welcome news to any rear seat passengers. Also, you can have a three-door as well as a five-door. Furthermore, this time around Mr Schreyer has been let at the styling and it shows. The front-end styling is chunky and does the most you could possibly do with a small city car. It looks great. And the rear looks good too. No longer does it look like a cartoon car, but it has grown up.
Inside, the quality of the plastics are better, there is more room up front for taller drivers, with 36mm more legroom. Kia Ireland aren’t telling us the final spec list yet, but we know all will get air conditioning and probably alloy wheels. And this is all in a car that will cost around €11,500.
Under the bonnet is a three-cylinder 69bhp petrol engine, which will be the only option available in Ireland. It will have emissions of 99g/km – making it one of the cleanest petrol cars you can buy – and it will manage 4.1 l/100km which is outstanding fuel economy. Unlike some three-cylinder engines, which sound like sewing machines, this one, be it down to the engine or the sound proofing, sounds quiet. Handling isn’t bad either.
It actually felt surprisingly well sorted, which isn’t really that surprising given the fact that the car sits on a longer wheelbase and there has been considerable work carried out to make the car more agile.
The front suspension features an increased castor angle and 12 per cent softer springs and shorter bump stops. At the rear, the torsion beam axle is 60 per cent stiffer, with 20 per cent softer springs.
This car comes to Ireland in the summer, probably in June and if you are in the market for a small five-door then you really need to pay some attention to the Picanto, because it is a little gem. Expect there to be two specification grades, costing from €11,500 to €12,500.
FACTFILE
Engine 998cc three-cylinder petrol putting out 69bhp and 95Nm of torque
Max speed 153km/h
0-100km/h 14.4 secs
Fuel economy 4.1 l/100km
CO2 emissions 99g/km
Motor tax band A
Annual road tax €102
On sale June
Price around €11,500