2012 KIA Picanto Performance Review

Driving should be an extension of yourself. Say hello to the new 2012 KIA Picanto. Sporty and stylish, it also delivers on the other essentials: advanced features, eco-friendly technology, and of course, the now legendary KIA Picanto individuality. The city is alive outside your window. With its distinctive shape and wide rear stance, the new Picanto fits right into your world modern, intelligent, outgoing.

You want sportiness, but you also want to fit in your sports gear. Small is beautiful, but you also want your friends along for the ride. Job done. The new 2012 KIA Picanto gives you that other urban must have flexibility. Up close, the new KIA Picanto is harmony in full flow. The headlamps are an extension of the body shape’s flowing lines. The radiator grille and air dam blend with the bold, well-balanced proportions. Form and function all in one. You feel you belong in the new Picanto’s fresh, welcoming interior. Styled around beauty, structured around ergonomics, it’s been given a clever graphic twist through the use of high quality materials and trim.

2012 KIA Picanto

Think an entry-level car’s specification would be lacking? Prepare to be surprised. An array of high-tech features means the unexpected is as much a part of the new Picanto as everything else. Call up your friends and make the rendezvous. Play the tunes you downloaded this morning. And settle in for the ride getting there is as much fun as arriving. Convenient thumb rests on the innovative steering wheel are ergonomically positioned for optimum grip to provide a comfortable hand position that makes every journey a pleasure.

Turn it up, turn it down, switch channels, skip tracks. And do it all while keeping your hands on
the wheel. Remote control has never been so useful. Staying connected is vital. So plug in your mobile music storage device and enjoy your tunes on the move. When you get to where you’re going, electric folding mirrors fold up and in to save space once you’ve parked. Using the handily-positioned controls with illuminated call, end call and volume buttons, you can use a Bluetooth-enabled mobile without taking your hands from the wheel. A class-leading car needs a high performance audio system. This one comes with radio, CD and MP3 player, and 6 speakers.

The interior space raises the bar when it comes to stylish design, attention to detail and bold finishing touches. Sit back in an ergonomically-designed seat and find out how. The KIA Picanto GL package comes in woven cloth, in combination with Ebony Black or Alpine Grey interior key colours. (The centre garnish colours shown are optional). The KIA Picanto GLS package comes in woven/tricot cloth, in combination with Ebony Black or Alpine Grey interior key colours. The Orange package comes in full artificial leather, in combination with Ebony Black interior key colour. The KIA Picanto Gold package comes in woven cloth and artificial leather, in combination with Ebony Black interior key colour. The KIA Picanto Special package comes in woven/tricot cloth and artificial leather, in combination with Ebony Black or Alpine Grey interior key colours.

2012 KIA Picanto

Five striking interior packages are available, each with embossed trim and each blending beautifully with the background finishes of Ebony Black or Alpine Grey. And it’s not just the seats and trim you can customise. With various finishes for the centre garnish, including gearstick knob and steering wheel bezel, you’re free to be your own interior designer.

Get the blend of power and economy right and you’re on your way to optimum driving. The new KIA Picanto does just that, with engines that meet or exceed every existing emissions standard. Delivering a maximum 87 ps at 6,000 rpm, this engine ups the power but still delivers reduced
fuel consumption and a smooth, quiet drive. A powerful unit that delivers a maximum 69 ps at 6,200 rpm, this engine is also light weight to enhance fuel economy while delivering reduced vibration and noise. Producing a maximum 80 ps at 6,200 rpm, this engine, like all the others, is
packed with innovative engineering to provide great performance.

Oil spills, wet weather, poor road surfaces. The new 2012 Picanto incorporates the latest active safety features to ensure you can head off where you want without worrying about the driving conditions. VSM stands for Vehicle Stability Management, and works in conjunction with Motor Driven Power Steering to ensure the car stays stable when simultaneously braking and cornering. ESS (Emergency Stop Signal) detects when you apply the brakes in an emergency, immediately activating the brake lights and flashing them three times to warn other drivers. With Electronic Stability Control (ESC), sensors detect wheel speed and steering angle when you apply the brakes, delivering the appropriate braking force to each individual wheel to maintain steering control and slow you down safely.

With Electronic Stability Control (ESC), sensors detect wheel speed and steering angle when you apply the brakes, delivering the appropriate braking force to each individual wheel to maintain steering control and slow you down safely. For the safety of pedestrians, the all new KIA Picanto adopted various anti-injury designs during the development stage. The vehicle's frontal structures are specially optimised to reduce potential head and leg injuries to pedestrians. A bumper lower stiffener is an important additional component that protects a pedestrian’s lower leg. It's reassuring to know that your seatbelts can sense deceleration. Pretensioners on the front seatbelts limit the body's movement, while load limiters reduce the pressure against your body to protect you from the seatbelt itself. We know what it’s like when you have to pull away from a standing start when you’re on a steep upward incline. HAC stops you from rolling backwards.

Posted in: KIA