Kia Picanto (2011-2017) Buyer’s Guide

Are you thinking about buying a 2nd-generation Kia Picanto? Let’s take a look at the South African line-up of the South Korean brand’s popular city car; the model’s strengths and weaknesses; and what you can expect to pay for a used example…

2011 was a particularly significant year for Kia – both globally and in South Africa. In the space of a few months, the South Korean firm introduced fresh versions of its most compact cars – the Picanto and Rio – which ultimately helped set the foundation for the mainstream success the company enjoys today.

Just like its big brother – the Rio (which entered its 3rd gen around the same time) – the TA-generation Kia Picanto represented a considerable leap forward in areas such as exterior styling and cabin quality. Indeed, the 2nd-gen version of Kia’s A-segment city car was far removed from the generically styled and generally underwhelming original; it demonstrated just how far the automaker had come in a short time.

Penned by Kia’s European design team under the direction of the influential Peter Schreyer, the Mk2 Picanto – which wore the “Morning” badge in its domestic market – gained a fresh identity courtesy of a striking exterior design that included a new interpretation of the brand’s trademark “tiger nose” grille.

Though a 3-door version was offered in some European markets, South Africa received only the 5-door body style. Measuring 3 595 mm from nose to tail, the 2nd-gen Kia Picanto was 60 mm longer than its forebear, with an additional 15 mm between its axles (the exact length of the wheelbase was 2 385 mm).

Of course, this version of the Picanto has since been superseded by the JA-generation model, but it remains a tempting option on the used market today. Let’s take a closer look at what you need to know.

Kia Picanto model line-up

Although the first images of the TA-generation Picanto were revealed online at the beginning of 2011, the model made its official debut at that year’s Geneva International Motor Show. It didn’t take long for the newcomer to hit the local market – the fresh-faced Picanto touched down in Mzansi a mere 4 months after rolling onto the stage in Switzerland. The SA version was built at Kia’s Seosan plant in South Korea.

With 2 naturally aspirated petrol engine options (Kia’s 3- and 4-cylinder Kappa units), the choice of 2 gearboxes (a 5-speed manual and a 4-speed automatic) and 3 trim levels (base, LX and EX), the initial line-up was much narrower than today’s range. At launch, 6 front-driven derivatives were available:

• 1.0 (51 kW/94 Nm) 5-speed manual
• 1.0 (51 kW/94 Nm) 4-speed automatic
• 1.0 LX (51 kW/94 Nm) 5-speed manual
• 1.0 LX (51 kW/94 Nm) 4-speed automatic
• 1.2 EX (65 kW/120 Nm) 5-speed manual
• 1.2 EX (65 kW/120 Nm) 4-speed automatic

Over the following 6 years, Kia South Africa made only a handful of small changes to its Picanto range, including quietly dropping the base derivatives around mid-2013. The mid-cycle facelift arrived in September 2014, when the model scored (what even Kia admitted was) a “mild” exterior update. The engine line-up was unchanged, with the upgrade comprising little more than minor front-end revisions.

In October 2015, Kia reintroduced a base derivative, this time handing it the “LS” specification. Just like the LX, the new entry-level offering was powered by the familiar 1.0-litre triple (in manual guise only), but it did without features such as daytime running lights and an audio system. By June 2016, the budget-friendly LS trim level was extended to the 1.2-litre powerplant, available in manual and automatic guises.

What are the advantages of a Kia Picanto?

High-quality cabin (for the segment): During the 2nd-gen Picanto’s tenure in the local market, there was perhaps only a single vehicle in its segment – the Volkswagen Up, which arrived in South Africa only in 2015 – that boasted a higher perceived quality in terms of cabin materials. The majority of the little Kia’s controls operated with a pleasing level of solidity, the finishes were mostly appealing and the interior design was far more sophisticated than the average in this part of the market (rake adjustment on the steering column was also welcome). Note, however, only the 1.2 EX derivatives sported Bluetooth.

Impressive fuel economy: Of course, city cars tend to excel in the fuel-economy department and the TA-generation Picanto, which tipped the scales at well under 1 000 kg, was no exception. The 1.0-litre engine was said to sip a claimed 4.9 L/100 km in manual guise (or 5.6 L/100 km when mated with the 4-speed auto). Even with its slightly larger displacement, the 1.2-litre powerplant had the potential to be almost as fuel efficient, bearing claimed figures of 5.0- (in manual guise) and 6.0 L/100 km (in auto form).

Fine low-speed ride quality: Despite the fact the Mk2 Picanto’s running gear and suspension merely evolved from those of the original model, the city car boasted the low-speed ride quality of a larger, more expensive vehicle. The springs (front and rear) were softer than before, while larger trailing-arm bushes were fitted to the rear end’s torsion-beam arrangement. SA-spec derivatives also featured the “high” suspension set-up, which raised ground clearance by 10 mm (to 152 mm) compared with the European spec. It’s a pity that the steering tended to display an annoying vagueness, particularly around centre.

What are the disadvantages of a Kia Picanto?

Meagre safety spec – on most variants: The relatively low level of safety kit on most derivatives of the Mk2 Picanto was surely the most glaring chink in the model’s armour. All variants bar the flagship 1.2 EX lacked an anti-lock braking system (ABS) – a basic safety feature that was arguably a “non-negotiable” even in 2011 – while electronic stability control was simply not available on SA-spec examples. In addition, the base version (and the LS that later replaced it) shipped with only a driver’s airbag, while the LX and EX trim levels added a front-passenger airbag (all, though, came with ISOfix child-seat anchors at the rear). Interestingly, the up-specced version offered in Europe scored 4 stars from Euro NCAP.

A service plan was optional: Throughout the TA-gen Picanto’s time on the local market, a service plan was optional. So, what does that have to do with buyers shopping for a 2nd-hand version today? Well, without such cover included in the model’s purchase price, some owners of the South Korean city car may not have been quite as fastidious about servicing their vehicles at regular intervals (mileage and time), which could result in more instances of patchy maintenance history. Keep your eyes open for this.

Compromised luggage space: While none of its A-segment rivals boasted capacious load bays, the Picanto’s boot was particularly cramped and a little way below the class average at the time. Kia claimed a capacity of 200 litres (saying the length, width and height of the cargo space had increased compared with that of the original), but believe us: the Kia’s load bay was tiny. However, the rear bench split 60:40, adding a degree of versatility when the back seats were not in full use, while a luggage floor box allowed owners to safely stash away smaller items. A space-saver spare wheel was also included as standard.

What is the Kia Picanto’s price on the used market?

To reiterate, a service plan was optional across the range, so pay particularly close attention to the maintenance history of any potential purchase. The Picanto came with a 5-year/100 000 km warranty.

Of the used 2nd-gen Kia Picanto stock listed on Cars.co.za at the time of writing, 54% featured the 1.0-litre engine, with the remaining 46% employing the 1.2-litre lump. Predictably, the manual gearbox was the most popular transmission choice, accounting for 78% of all listings.

Mileage varied from 27 000 km (on a 2013 model’s odometer) to the 180 000 km achieved by a 2015 1.2 EX (considering the Picanto’s typical role of an urban runabout, it’s not really a surprise there were no instances of listed units with mileages in excess of 200 000 km). As is so often the case, white (31%) was the most common paint colour, followed by silver (28%) and red (12%).

• Below R100 000: This bottom-most pricing bracket contained nearly a 3rd of all listings, most featuring the smaller engine (and just a single example with a self-shifting transmission). Should you be in the market for a base-spec unit, you’re likely to be shopping at this end of the spectrum.

• From R100 000 to R125 000: The most densely packed pricing segment (by a small margin) fell between R100 000 and R125 000, and interestingly, included examples from all 7 model years and a fairly even split of trim levels. However, the 3-cylinder motor was again prominent here, accounting for nearly 70% of listings.

• From R125 000 to R150 000: Keen on the 1.2-litre engine? Expect to pay somewhere between these 2 pricing bookends, with 68% of the Picanto units here featuring the larger-capacity engine. The auto was the dominant transmission, accounting for 56% of listings. 

• R150 000 and up: Only a small number of TA-generation derivatives were priced above R150 000 (most of them were 1.2 EX units). The neatest example we found was a 1-owner 2015 1.2 EX with an automatic gearbox, a full service history, 53 000 km on the clock and an asking price of R159 900.

Pick of the range?

So, which of the derivatives should be at the top of your shopping list? Well, there’s no doubt in our minds that the 1.2 EX is the pick of the Mk2 Picanto range, chiefly because it was the only version that shipped with ABS (and EBD). We’d go for the manual gearbox, though the relatively unsophisticated 4-speed auto would admittedly be a boon for those who spend much of their commute in dense traffic.

The 1.2 EX also sported far more kit than its more modestly equipped siblings… It came standard with nice-to-have items such as 14-inch alloy rims (as opposed to steel wheels), chrome-effect exterior detailing, body-coloured side-sill mouldings, a leather-wrapped steering wheel, a multifunction steering wheel, electric windows at the rear, electrically adjustable (and heated) side mirrors, Bluetooth, as well as silver accents dotted around the cabin. It was also available with an optional tilt-and-slide sunroof.

In addition, the 4-pot powerplant (G4LA) offered a little extra oomph than the 3-cylinder unit (G3LA), without much of a fuel-consumption penalty. The 1.2-litre motor was also inherently better balanced than the 1.0-litre unit, resulting in less vibration making its way into the cabin and a more refined driving experience overall. Generally speaking, though, both atmospheric Kappa engines are reliable when maintained properly (and both are chain-, rather than belt-driven, powerplants).

Is the Kia Picanto a good first car?

While today’s A-segment features a raft of pseudo-crossovers (we’re looking at you, Suzuki S-Presso, Renault Kwid and company), the TA-gen Kia Picanto’s era was dominated by the traditional hatchback body style. Mainstream alternatives thus include the closely related Hyundai i10 and Grand i10, as well as the Toyota Aygo plus its platform cousin, the Citroën C1. Though the Peugeot 108 arrived in South Africa only in 2018 to replace the 107, it’s certainly worth considering as it boasted the most comprehensive list of standard safety kit in the segment by quite some margin.

The locally-built Chevrolet Spark is another budget-friendly option, as are Indian-produced alternatives such as the Suzuki Celerio (or even the Suzuki Alto before it) and the Honda Brio. The Renault Twingo is a left-field choice (though you’re unlikely to find many on the used market), while we’d suggest steering clear of the rather disappointing Mitsubishi Mirage.

In our view, the Kia Picanto’s closest rival is the 5-door version of the Volkswagen Up – the only vehicle to edge the Korean city car in terms of cabin quality. However, the little VW still enjoys generally stronger resale values in Mzansi, which means you’re likely to pay considerably more for one in a similar condition.

But that’s exactly what makes the 2nd-gen Kia Picanto – particularly in 1.2 EX guise – such a compelling option on the used market: it offers great value for money, making it an attractive choice as a first car or when downsizing from a larger vehicle. Not only is it sharply styled and light on fuel, but it boasts one of the highest-quality and best-designed cabins in its segment. What more could you want from a city car?

Looking for a Kia Picanto to buy?

Find one on Cars.co.za here.

Looking to sell your car? You can sell it for free to our dealer network here.