- Doors and Seats
5 doors, 5 seats
- Engine
1.0T, 3 cyl.
- Engine Power
74kW, 172Nm
- Fuel
Petrol (91) 5.2L/100KM
- Manufacturer
FWD
- Transmission
5 Spd Manual
- Warranty
7 Yr, Unltd KMs
- Ancap Safety
4/5 star (2017)
2022 Kia Picanto GT review: Long-term update two
This month we’ll answer your questions and take a look at cabin practicality and storage.
- Space efficiency in the design both inside and out
- Excellent engine is fuel efficient and engaging
- Exceptional warranty and running costs
- Four-star ANCAP rating
- We’re being greedy, but a little bit more power please
- Ride gets firm with four adults on board
If you missed our first instalment of the 2022 Kia Picanto GT long-term review, check the Introduction out here!
SRK asked whether the engine has the right sensors to make the most of running on 98 RON premium unleaded? And does the leatherette trim feel sweaty like a 120Y?
Let’s answer your second question first SRK. It’s not like a 120Y on a hot summer’s day, no. Remember those good old days. It is a little warmer than leather or material would be, but with the AC cranking, it’s not uncomfortable. I do notice that it’s warmer than leather would be. But, I’m someone who gets hot in a car, and likes ventilated seats for example. So, take that into account.
The fuel question is an interesting one. I tend to run all our test vehicles on 98 regardless of whether they need it or not. After the first month or so of testing, we were averaging 6.0L/100km, against a claim of 5.2L/100km. With 98 in the tank. The question of whether it’s ‘worth’ using 98 or not is difficult to answer. I don’t use E10 in anything, not even cars that accept it. I do use 98 for everything I own. Including the two-stroke I mix for my whipper snipper and 1960s Vespas. So I’m probably wasting money I don’t need to spend. I’ve had plenty of engine tuners, engine builders and mechanics tell me over the years to always use the best fuel you can afford. So that’s the advice I’ve taken.
Fuel Consumption - brought to you by bp
Fuel Usage | Fuel Stats |
Fuel cons. (claimed) | 5.2L/100km |
Fuel type | 91-octane regular unleaded |
Fuel tank size | 35L |
1andrewbris99 asked if the PIcanto is comfy for a six-footer? And mentioned that it’s a pity Picanto doesn’t come with a torque converter automatic.
I’m just over six foot myself, and I have no issue with the Picante’s cabin. I’ve got enough room and movement in the seat base to get comfortable and I have no problems even on longer drives. So it definitely works for the taller readers among us.
I get your point on an auto, but I love driving the Picanto with the manual that it has. An auto would be more tolerable in stop/start traffic, and you’re right a DCT or CVT wouldn’t be my pick for this engine either. I do think the manual allows you to make the most of the engine’s power though. You can hold the revs as long as you like, and it’s greta fun to drive.
Greg Fox reckons it could certainly make more power and that we’re not being greedy wanting a bit more.
Fair point Greg, and you’re probably right. Another 11kW as you say in such a small car would make a big difference. Still, in Kia’s defence, it’s powerful enough to do exactly what they think the intended buyer wants.
Matthew Tyers asked, if I am willing to give up some boot space, can the Picanto GT fit a full size spare?
Good point, especially if you’re a one-car house, or you need to take the Picanto on longer trips out of the city. I’d always have a full-size spare for that reason. You’d lose some boot space and possibly the flat floor, but you could fit a full size spare back there for occasions when you needed/wanted one.
Alasdair is right when he suggests that you can’t fit a six footer behind a six footer. Absolutely sport on. The second row is not spacious enough for that.
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Onto cabin storage and flexibility, then. First up, occupants. As a couple of you have noted, you can fit tall occupants comfortably in the front row. No problem there. And if you do have two tall occupants up front, you can also fit shorter people in the second row. But not four people who are all around six foot tall.
Further, the second row is not the place for three adults across. Even for shorter drives, it’s not ideal. You can also see in one of our photos that we were able to set up a baby seat in the second row with enough room to work around.
I tend to think of the Picanto as a small panel van, with the ability to fold the second row down. But then I don’t have kids in the second row either. So usually I’m two-up at most. Keep that in mind if you do need the second row regularly.
With the second row in play, you get a useful 255 litres storage, but there is a lip you have to lift items over and down to get to the floor. As you can see from our photos, we fitted a medium to large suitcase and a decent-sized backpack in there quite easily. When you do fold the 60:40 second row down, it expands out to 1010 litres, but it’s not fully flat. As Alasdair wrote, you can fit a full size mountain bike into the Picanto. If the front wheel is off, and the passenger front seat is a fair way forward.
There’s enough clever storage in the front part of the cabin, to make the daily grind as practical as it can be. You get a single USB port, and a 12V power socket as well. The two cupholders have a flat base, and adjustable rings to suit different sized cups and bottles. Ahead of them, there’s another small cubby for keys, wallets, small items like that.
The central storage bin is a small one, but it does get a decent, padded armrest so you’re not whacking your elbows on it constantly. There’s also a storage space alongside and under the handbrake, which is also handy for small items. The front door pockets are useful for bottles, but not the big two-litre ones if that’s what you prefer to carry in the car.
Like other cleverly-designed small cars - think Suzuki Ignis or Swift and Fiat 500 - the Kia Picanto makes the most of the limited space it has. There’s not a huge amount for the designers to work with, but the storage space they have provided is practical, and daily-driver centric, which is the important thing the way I see it.
Lastly, after a solid month of city driving, we’ve had no issues with the infotainment. The 8.0-inch screen has been faultless, and while not as big as the majority now, it’s worked like a charm for us on test. The radio and audio system in general is clear without being a concert stage, but no DAB+ is a niggle.
Bluetooth streaming - which we don’t use but did test - was reliable and clear, and the wireless smartphone mirroring has also been excellent. The system is quick to crank into life when you start the engine, and we’ve had no disconnection, lack of signal or issues reported from anyone at the other end of a phone call. Next, we’ll hit the highway with the the Kia Picanto, to see how it handles a long run simulating an Aussie road trip.
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