Many years ago, Naza brought in the cute little Kia Picanto, then continued to rename it to Naza Suria, and back to Picanto. Back in Korea, this little car is called Kia Morning. Now with the latest generation, Naza Kia's salesperson called their car "The European Korean", effectively telling other that Kia is now "mixed-blood" beauty, penned by the famous Peter Schreyer. And indeed, all current generation of Kia cars are beautiful. I love the Kia Soul, which somehow does not make it to Malaysia, and this Picanto is really a beauty with everything you could ask for.
In the safety department, it has 6-airbag, Vehicle Stability Management, Hill Start Assist, all round disc brake system, front and rear fog lamps, Auto Headlight and follow-me-home light, which you can't even get in a bigger Vios or City or the similar range Mirage, Alto or its sibling i10. The speed sensing door lock feature is complimented by impact sensing auto door unlock, which will pass the insurance industry requirement. The Picanto deserves a real Euro NCAP 4-star, unlike others manufacturers which use the European test result in their adverts, yet selling cars with much lesser safety features in Malaysia. Just take a look at the below summary table, unless you wanted a Japanese made, Picanto is a clear choice if you value your life!
| Kia Picanto | Hyundai i10 | Suzuki Alto | Mitsubishi Mirage | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Engine Type | 1.2-L 4-Cyl | 1.2-L 4-Cyl | 1.0-L 3-Cyl | 1.2-L 3-Cyl |
| Engine Power | 87HP/119.6Nm | 87HP/119.6Nm | 67HP/90Nm | 78HP/100Nm |
| Transmission | 4-speed | 4-speed | 4-speed | CVT |
| Airbags | 6 | 2 | 2 | 2 |
| Traction Control | Yes | No | No | No |
| Warranty (Yrs) | 5 | 5 | 5 | 3 |
| Price (RM) | 60,000 | 56,988 | 51,383 | 65,962 |
The Interior dashboard is nicely layout, and the asymmetrical center console is slightly angled toward the driver, making those buttons conveniently accessible. A well integrated CD player with bluetooth connectivity for your mobile. The USB and AUX-IN port is located at the bottom, so you will not have wire dangling from top to bottom. If the Picanto could be equipped with the auto aircon control instead of the manual dials, then it will be a fully loaded car. In the brochure, it actually uses the digital-controlled aircon unit. Well, a manual unit could proof to save cost and for ease of maintenance.
The meter cluster contains a supervision display, that not just embed the trip computer of the car, but the rear parking assist as well. Push Start button and keyless entry included. The VSM button is rare in this class of car.
With the push of a button, the cup holder swing out, and when not in use, could be kept to make a bigger space for your other items. Smart idea!
The trunk is small, at only 292-litre, and the designer has included a multi-compartment tray for the lose items, another detailed-design. The Picanto is not for the family trip anyway, it is designed for city dwellers and the occasional short trip with your spouse.
If you were to ask whether would I consider the "European Korean", I would happily say Yes! With 5-year unlimited mileage warranty, and the funky lemon grass and alice blue colours, it could be a hit among the ladies. Its sibling, Hyundai i10 Colourz should be worrying now, similar to the Suzuki Alto and Mitsubishi Mirage.
Now, let's wait till its launching, which is happening soon, Naza has made 1000 ready units. The first batch is all Semi-Knocked-Down units, and I believe in no time, some parts will be localized if this sell well. Manual gearbox version will have some features such as foglight, bluetooth, sunvisor illumination and supervision cluster taken off, and fitted with simpler smaller wheels! Still a good choice on safety!
