Third-Gen Kia Picanto Officially Launched – RM49,888

Naza Kia Malaysia has officially launched the new Kia Picanto at Malaysia International Trade & Exhibition Centre (MITEC) earlier today.

Now in its third generation, the Picanto is the only new model offered by a non-national brand in the local A-segment. It is offered only in 1.2 EX form with a price of RM49,888 (OTR without insurance).

The Picanto dons a dynamic design with new projection bi-functional headlamps that project both high and low beams, LED indicators and LED daytime running lights. The bumper is also retained from its predecessor with added detail to enhance overall aesthetics.

The cabin has been refined with new materials and layout, adding a greater sense of quality. There is a ‘floating’ 7.0-inch touchscreen at the centre of the dashboard with a navigation system with 3D map, Apple CarPlay as well as Android Auto with voice recognition features.

For added comfort, the seating height of the first row seats are reduced by 10 mm and moved backwards by 5 mm to improve headroom by 3 mm and legroom by 15 mm. The optimised door trim also increases shoulder room by 10 mm for the first row seats.

Additionally, the crash pad is now slimmer with its steering wheel moved 10 mm upwards to increase knee and foot room. The hatchback also boasts 60:40 folding rear seats and 1,010 litres of maximum boot space.

Other value added features include keyless entry, push start button, one touch triple turn signal, auto light control, RPAS (Rear Parking Assist System), electric folding side mirrors and safety power window on the driver’s side.

The Picanto is powered by a 1.2-litre Kappa MPI engine that makes 84 PS at 6,000 rpm and 121.6 Nm of torque at 4,000 rpm. A four-speed automatic transmission sends the output to the front axle.

As for safety, the Picanto is packed with six airbags, ISOFIX baby seat mounts, rear seatbelt pretensioners and active safety systems like ABS and ESC.

The car is available in five different colours namely Pop Orange, Lime Light, Honey Bee, Clear White and Titanium Silver. Additionally, Naza Kia Malaysia is also offering two Novus accessory packages for the Picanto; the Novus X (RM5,618) and the Novus S (RM3,498). For the money, buyers get Novus emblems, solar tint, bodykit, leather seats as well as a digital video recorder.