When the new Kia Picanto is going on sale in South Africa

The new Kia Picanto is scheduled to go on sale in South Africa before the end of June, just under one year after it was initially revealed.

Kia South Africa confirmed to TopAuto that the “updated version of the evergreen Picanto can be expected in the first half of this year.”

The subsidiary noted that the introduction window is subject to change due to a number of factors beyond its control, including shipping and port delays, however, should no unforeseen incidents arise, the Picanto will be in local showrooms within the next six months.

“The model line-up and pricing will be announced closer to the time of launch, or even at launch,” said the company.

Everything new

The facelifted Picanto underwent a thorough cosmetic overhaul, adopting the modern design language of the rest of the Kia family such as the new Sorento.

The new front apron incorporates a revised “tiger nose” grille, front fender, and bonnet; as well as angular LED light clusters connected with a chrome strip, lending the hatchback a more masculine presence and the appearance of a wider stance than before.

A similar treatment was afforded to the rear which sees a restyled tailgate, a sporty diffuser-look insert in the bumper, and new LED taillights in the same squared-off fashion as those at the front connected by an edge-to-edge lightbar.

Buyers now also have the option to equip alloy wheels up to 16 inches in diameter, with 14-inch rims being standard, and four new exterior hues namely Adventurous Green, Signal Red, Smoke Blue, and Sporty Blue afford additional customisation options.

According to Kia, the new Picanto’s cabin was “inspired by nature” and receives a variety of finishes depending on the trim level.

The base model comes with black cloth seats and is available with optional Glossy Black finishes as well as two new colour packs – Adventurous Green and Rich Brown – that feature unique artificial leather seats and door armrests, along with coloured surrounds for the aircon vents and gear selector.

All variants of the Picanto now also get a 4.2-inch digital driver’s display; an 8-inch infotainment system with built-in navigation, voice recognition, Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, Bluetooth support for two devices at the same time, over-the-air software updates; hill-start assist control; and up to six airbags.

Kia Connect App compatibility is standard, too, providing on-board services including live traffic information, weather forecasts, points of interest info, and details of potential on- and off-street parking.

The flagship GT-Line then comes with the Glossy Black pack as standard, with Adventurous Green being an option, and brings additional fittings such as keyless start, a sunroof, a leather multifunction steering wheel, automatic airconditioning, and heated front seats.

At last filtering down to Kia’s affordable models, the new Picanto will also be available with a selection of advanced driver assistance systems including lane-keeping and following assist, driver-attention warnings, leading-vehicle departure warning, intelligent speed-limit assist, and forward, rear, and blind-spot collision-avoidance assist, depending on the model.

Like the current model, the new Picanto will be powered by either a 1.0-litre or 1.2-litre petrol engine paired with a five-speed manual or automated manual transmission (AMT).

The powerplants have been slightly tweaked with improved internals, said Kia, but it has yet to confirm whether they will be more powerful or efficient as a result.

For reference, the current 1.0-litre units deliver 49kW and 95Nm at 5.0l/100km, whereas the 1.2-litre blocks do 61kW and 122Nm also at 5.0l/100km.

“The 1.0-litre engine is a good choice for customers who value efficiency above all, while the 1.2-litre engine is better for customers who want more power, especially for driving at high speeds or uphill,” said Kia.

The complete South African specifications and details of the new Kia Picanto will be announced at launch.