Kia Picanto GT launched in Australia

After recently adding the AO Edition to the lineup, Kia Motors Australia has further added to its Picanto small car range with the Picanto GT. Powered by a 1.0-litre turbocharged three-cylinder petrol engine and matched solely to a five-speed manual transmission, the Picanto GT sits atop the local Picanto range for now.

Producing 74kW of power and 172Nm of torque, the turbo triple is also found in the larger Rio with unchanged outputs. Kia doesn’t quote a 0-100km/h sprint time, though it will likely be quicker than the regular 1.25-litre Picanto. The Picanto GT is on sale now.

“We were warned that trying to launch a micro car into Australia was a fruitless exercise and doomed to failure,” Kia Motors Australia Chief Operating Officer Damien Meredith said. “The segment was shrinking fast with only a handful of cars being sold.

“Three years on and we are very happy with the way the Picanto has found a comfortable niche at the entry-level of the market.

“With that in mind it seemed like the right time to give an opportunity to a sporty version of the car, a version for which there has been a constant undercurrent of demand.”

Centrepiece of the Kia Picanto GT transformation is a new 1.0-litre turbocharged three-cylinder petrol engine that develops 74kW of power and 172Nm of torque, matched solely to a five-speed manual gearbox. According to Kia, the engine itself is quite advanced and features laser-drilled injectors, while the air intake ends in a sharp intake throat, which supposedly reduces air resistance at all stages of combustion.

Kia Australia has also tuned the Picanto GT’s suspension, which includes a retuned suspension calibration with firmer dampers, as well as a recalibrated steering tune for greater stability and a quicker response.

Standard equipment with the Kia Picanto GT is strong, building on the long equipment list from the standard Picanto range. Standard features include autonomous emergency braking with forward collision warning, automatic projector beam headlights with LED daytime running lights, a 7.0-inch touchscreen with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, 16-inch alloy wheels, faux leather seats with red highlights, GT badging and sportier exterior styling with red highlights.

2019 Kia Picanto Australian pricing (drive away):
S manual: $14,690
S automatic: $15,990
GT-Line automatic: $17,590
AO Edition manual: $16,990
AO Edition automatic: $17,990
GT manual: $17,990

Metallic paint: $520