Kia Picanto mans up..............but not too much

Eye catching and demanding to be looked at, the new generation Kia Picanto dares you to open the door and get inside.

My test car is liveried in what Kia describes as Lemon Grass, to my slightly fading eyesight it looked almost neon yellow, a bit like a highlighter pen.

The external differences from the previous generation Picanto is nothing short of extreme. Gone are the smooth almost cute and feminine curves replaced with a flaring flank and almost bonnet mounted slanted headlamps and indicator cluster.

In a definite attempt to broaden both the gender and age appeal of the Picanto, Kia have gone all out to impress. Surprisingly for me somewhat, it really works. The Picanto manages to retain its cuteness but in a more bull terrier type of way.

The 1 litre version of the Picanto I was supplied with is in a 5-door format with a 4-speed automatic gearbox. The automatic gearbox is perhaps my only gripe; it just seemed so superfluous in such a small car. If Kia’s marketing plan with the new Picanto was to attract a younger driver, the automatic gearbox is rarely what young drivers are looking for; they can of course opt for the manual 5-speed gearbox.

The Picanto was a fun car to drive; very peppy and eager even on the highway, though because of its size, it did dance a little in the wind.

Keenly priced at R110,000 for the base model, the new Picanto is definitely set to grace the driveways and garages of many a South African home.