Kia Australia says the pint-sized Picanto metropolis automobile is not going wherever, with the model’s native product boss committing to the price range hatchback for years to come back.
Talking with CarExpert, basic supervisor for product planning at Kia Australia, Roland Rivero, mentioned the native arm will not observe its New Zealand colleagues in ditching the model’s smallest mannequin, reiterating its very important function within the Australian lineup.
“Picanto might be with us for a few years but. That is as a lot as I can say,” Mr Rivero mentioned. “We love Picanto. It is nice for our model, it is an awesome entry level into Kia right here in Australia.”
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“Are we going to do issues below NVES? I feel each powertrain, each automobile we’re taking a look at from an NVES perspective, and that is all the time going to be an ongoing scenario. If we have to have a look at how we are able to decrease our carbon footprint, we’ll have a look at methods to do this along with [Kia Global].
“However in the meanwhile, Picanto is doing extraordinarily effectively, and we’re by no means going to need to delete that product, as a result of there is a sturdy, sturdy demand for it right here in Australia,” Mr Rivero added.
Kia mainly owns the Australian micro automobile phase in Australia, commanding a 94.6 per cent market share of the phase in 2025, with the Abarth/Fiat 500 accounting for the remainder.
Lengthen that to incorporate VFACTS’ gentle passenger automobile phase as effectively, and the Picanto was solely second to the MG 3 (7166 v 8350 models) final 12 months. The Picanto additionally posted 23.1 per cent development for the calendar 12 months.
The Kia Picanto stays certainly one of Australia’s least expensive new automobiles, priced from $19,190 plus on-road prices or $22,140 drive-away. Solely the bottom MG 3 is cheaper, at present marketed from $21,888 drive-away on the time of writing.
It retains each guide and computerized transmission choices, and in Australia the Picanto is obtainable in base Sport in addition to premium GT-Line trim ranges – taking the full variant depend to 4.
Mr Rivero’s feedback round NVES and emissions are additionally attention-grabbing, given the Picanto’s restricted powertrain choices in different markets. Over in Europe and the UK, the Picanto has migrated to a Euro 6d-certified 1.0-litre naturally aspirated petrol engine with direct injection, quoting outputs of 68bhp (50kW) and 96Nm – in comparison with the 62kW/122Nm 1.25-litre atmo four-cylinder engine with multi-point gas injection in Australian fashions.
The four-cylinder Picanto in Australia manages a claimed 4.6-5.1L/100km in ADR testing, with CO2 emissions rated at 125-140g/km on the mixed cycle. UK specs present the 1.0 GDi achieves 52.3-48.7mpg (5.4L-5.8L/100km) on the stricter WLTP cycle.
Emissions, in the meantime, are quoted at a extra beneficial 122-132g/km relying on variant, once more in opposition to the extra stringent WLTP regime – the metric extra related to NVES. Kia can be prepping an much more environment friendly 1.0 DPi powertrain with 62bhp (46kW) in preparation for brand spanking new Euro 7 laws.
In July final 12 months, Kia Motors president and CEO Ho Sung Track instructed Britain’s Autocar the Korean carmaker is at present “finding out and creating” an inexpensive city-sized ‘EV1’ electrical automobile, given the Picanto’s ongoing reputation throughout the globe. Kia technically already affords a city-sized EV – the Picanto-based Ray – however this tall, boxy mannequin is unique to Korea.
Nonetheless it could possibly be various years earlier than Kia launches such a product, and shifts in electrification and emissions laws abroad might imply combustion energy could possibly be round in automobiles just like the Picanto for some time longer.