Now in its third generation, Kia’s pint-sized car has a lot of competition to face coming from the likes of VW Group’s Up/Citigo/Mii trio and PSA’s C1/108 twins. The Picanto does have the edge over its rivals when it comes to its boot capacity: a best-in-class 255 litres, prompting Kia to say no other car in the A-segment can match it, let alone surpass it.

Lots of improvements have been made compared to the previous generation, starting with the more youthful exterior design enhanced by the new range-topping GT Line version currently under the glamorous spotlight of the 2017 Geneva Motor Show. Not only that, but the South Koreans have also boosted refinement on the inside by lowering the noise, vibration, and harshness (NVH) levels thanks to the use of 100% more high-strength steel than its predecessor. As a matter of fact, Kia says the new Picanto is the quietest model (at 39 dB) in its class at idle.

Kia is proud to point out the 2017 Picanto is the first car in its class to come with an autonomous emergency braking system, which as the name implies will automatically apply the brakes in case of an imminent collision in order to lower the risks of injuries.

2017 Kia Picanto
2017 Kia Picanto

At the heart of the Picanto’s interior is the new seven-inch touchscreen for the infotainment system featuring support for both Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. The city car is roomier than before thanks to a generous 15mm stretch of the wheelbase even though the overall length has not increased over its predecessor. This was possible by pushing the wheels further out to the corners and by shortening the front overhang.

2017 Kia Picanto
2017 Kia Picanto
2017 Kia Picanto

As for the oily bits, the naturally aspirated 1.0- and 1.25-litre petrol engines have been carried over from the old model. Beginning with the fourth quarter of the year, buyers will be able to order the new Picanto with a turbocharged three-cylinder 1.0-litre engine developing 100hp and 127lb ft of torque. All three engines are hooked up to a five-speed manual gearbox sending power to the front wheels, while the 1.25-litre can be optionally linked to a four-speed automatic.

Kia will kick off sales of the new Picanto in Europe from the second quarter of the year.

Source: Kia

Gallery: 2017 Kia Picanto

2017 Kia Picanto
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All-new Kia Picanto city car majors on quality, technology and versatility
The all-new Kia Picanto makes its global premiere at the Geneva Motor Show, bringing a new, more youthful and energetic character to the A-segment.
 
Created in collaboration by Kia’s design centers in Namyang, Korea and Frankfurt, Germany, the new Picanto boasts a youthful, energetic look, using its new dimensions and bold body lines for a more assertive stance. A performance-inspired GT-Line model is available for the first time.
 
Inside, the new model’s high-quality, high-tech cabin features a ‘floating’ 7-inch touchscreen infotainment system. New in-car technologies and connectivity features including Android Auto™, Apple CarPlay™ and a wireless smartphone charger. The new model also offers buyers greater potential for customization than ever before, with 11 exterior paint colors and a range of interior color packs for buyers to choose from.
 
The new Picanto has a larger cabin than many of its rivals, and the largest cargo capacity of any A-segment car (255 litres). New measures to address noise, vibration and harshness will make it one of the most refined in its class. Safety is also improved, with a strong new bodyshell featuring twice the proportion of Advanced High Strength Steel compared to the outgoing model. The Picanto is the first car in its class to offer Autonomous Emergency Braking.
From launch at the start of Q2 2017, the new Picanto will be available with 1.0- and 1.25-liter gasoline engines, with CO2 emissions from just 89 g/km. In Q4 2017, Kia will also offer the new model with the company’s new 1.0-liter turbocharged gasoline direct injection (T-GDI) power unit, producing 100 ps.