Budget hatchback Kia Picanto: the second in a row and quite a large-scale restyling

Kia decided to update its junior passenger car for the second time — official hatchback images in a new design, but the official premiere, leaked to the Web not yet.

The current third generation Kia Picanto debuted in early 2017, in 2020 it went through the first planned restyling, and the Korean and European versions of the model began to differ markedly (in the homeland of Picanto, recall, known as Morning). Photos of a much more radically updated Picanto surfaced yesterday on the Web, and it is not yet known if it will have alternative appearance options.

As can be seen from the photographs, Kia designers have redrawn the entire front of the hatchback — it does not literally quote any other model of the Korean brand, but ideologically it is closest to the restyled Kia Seltos crossover. The headlights are now vertically oriented, with three main sections reminiscent of a traffic light. Due to the new shape of the headlights, the front fenders and hood have been redesigned. Longitudinal ribs appeared on the hood. The plastic of the front bumper has become more complicated, it has become visually larger and taller.

The stern has not changed as radically as the front: the shape of the lights is the same, but they have a new LED filling. A luminous jumper with an integrated tailgate handle appeared between the lanterns. The new rear bumper on the GT-line version has a diffuser at the bottom for a sportier look, but the tailpipe is shyly lowered.

The main innovation in the cabin, as can be judged from a single photo, is a fully digital instrument panel, while previously a combination of dials and an on-board computer window was used between them.

There is no information about the technology yet, foreign colleagues expect an easy hybridization of power plants. In Europe, Kia Picanto is now offered with small-capacity atmospheric gasoline engines — 1.0 l (67 hp) and 1.2 l (84 hp), gearbox — 5-speed manual gearbox or its robotic version for two-pedal versions . In a number of European countries, the Picanto is still available with a 1.0-liter petrol turbo engine with 100 hp. paired with a manual gearbox, it's a sporty version.

In South Korea, only 1 is currently equipped with the Kia Morning, 0-liter gasoline «aspirated» with a capacity of 76 hp and a 4-speed hydromechanical «automatic», the version on the «mechanics» has disappeared from sale.

With the new design, the Kia Picanto can stay in service for another 2-3 years. Whether he will have a direct successor, that is, a fourth-generation hatchback, is unknown — perhaps the model will be replaced with an inexpensive crossover and/or an electric car.