Picanto – Australian Car.Reviews

Item: 2017 Kia JA Picanto
Rating: 2.5

Review: Kia JA Picanto (2017-on)

Stephen Tomlinson — Sun, 07 Mar 2021 22:51:55 +0000

Accomplished ride/handling balance
Direct steering
Quiet, well-insulated interior
Affordable retail pricing, lots of features and seven year warranty
1.25-litre petrol engine is economical…

… but coarse above 4000 rpm and limited by four-speed auto
Autonomous Emergency Braking (AEB) not available and three star Euro NCAP safety rating
Steering wheel lacks reach adjustment
Poor illumination from halogen headlights
For manual models, clutch pedal is close to footrest and reports of difficulty engaging reverse
Hard interior plastics
For Picanto GT-Line, suspension lacks compliance

Overview

Released in Australia in May 2017, the Kia JA Picanto was a light, five-door hatchback. Manufactured in Seosan, South Korea, the front-wheel drive Kia JA Picanto was initially powered by a 1.25-litre four-cylinder petrol engine that was mated to either a five-speed manual or four-speed automatic transmission. In April 2018, the JA Picanto range was expanded with the release of the Picanto GT-Line.

In January 2019, the Kia Picanto 1.0 Turbo GDi was released in Australia; it was available in Australian Open and GT editions.

G4LA Kappa engine

The 1248 cc G4LA four-cylinder petrol engine was a member of Hyundai-Kia’s ‘Kappa’ engine family. As such, the G4LA engine had a die-cast aluminium block with an integrated ladder-frame for stiffness, 71.0 mm bores and a 78.8 mm stroke, cast-iron cylinder liners, an offset crankshaft, an aluminium alloy cylinder head, double overhead camshafts (chain-driven), four valves per cylinder with beehive valve springs and actuated by roller cam followers, variable intake and exhaust valve timing (Kia’s D-CVVT), multi-point injection and a compression ratio of 10.5:1.

Kia JA Picanto Specifications
	Edition	Engine	Trans.	Peak power	Peak torque
1.25 MPI	S, GT-Line	1248 cc G4LA petrol I4	5sp man., 4sp auto	63 kW at 6000 rpm	120 Nm at 4000 rpm
1.0 Turbo GDi	AO Edition, GT	998 cc G3LC turbo petrol I3	5sp man.	74 kW at 4500 rpm	172 Nm at 1500-4000 rpm

Dimensions and body

Compared to the Kia TA Picanto which it replaced, the JA Picanto had the same length (3595 mm) and width (1595 mm), but was 5 mm taller (1485 mm) and had a 15 mm longer wheelbase (2400 mm). The JA Picanto had a luggage capacity of 255 litres (VDA method) with the rear seats in position, though this increased to 1010 litres when the rear seats were folded down and luggage was stored to the roofline.

For a stronger body, 44 per cent of the Kia JA Picanto’s bodyshell was cast in advanced high strength steels (AHSS, previously 22 per cent); this also contributed to a 12 per cent increased in tensile strength, 32 per cent increase in static torsional stiffness and a 23 kg reduction in the mass of the body-in-white. Specifically, the high strength steels were used to reinforce the floor pan, roof rails, engine bay, A- and B-pillars, and ‘core structure’. Furthermore, the JA Picanto used eight times more structural adhesive (67 metres) than the TA Picanto to reinforce joins.

The Kia JA Picanto had a tare mass of 976 kg and 995 kg with the manual and automatic transmissions, respectively.

Noise reduction measures

To reduce interior noise, the Kia JA Picanto had:

A new soundproofing panel beneath the dashboard and in the floor of the cabin;
Expandable sound-absorbent foam in the lower sections of the A- and B-pillars;
A new sound-absorbent engine cover and reshaped air intake to isolate engine noise;
A revised ‘structure’ for the engine mounts; and,
6 mm lower windscreen wipers to reduce wind noise.

According to Kia, the JA Picanto achieved a quietest-in-class rating of 39 dB at idle and 68 dB at ‘a steady cruise’.

Suspension

The Kia JA Picanto had MacPherson strut front suspension and a torsion beam rear axle (both with coil springs, gas-filled shock absorbers and anti-roll bars). Compared to the TA Picanto, the front anti-roll bars were 2 per cent stiffer and mounted slightly lower, while the rear anti-roll bars were 5 per cent stiffer and mounted slightly higher. Furthermore, the torsion beam rear axle was ‘reshaped’ and featured ‘newly-designed trailing arms’.

Steering

The Kia JA Picanto had rack-and-pinion steering with electric power assistance; the steering had a ratio of 14.3:1 (previously 16.5:1) and the wheel required 2.8 turns from lock to lock (down from 3.4). Furthermore, the JA Picanto had a turning circle of 9.4 metres.

Safety equipment

Standard safety equipment for the Kia Picanto included dual front airbags, front side airbags, full-length curtain airbags, ABS, electronic brake force distribution, brake assist, electronic stability control, traction control and front seatbelts with pre-tensioners and load limiters.

Euro NCAP testing

In Euro NCAP testing , the Kia JA Picanto – without fitment of the Advanced Driving Assistance Pack which included Autonomous Emergency Braking (AEB) – received a three star safety rating which included a 79 per cent adult occupant protection rating and a 64 per cent child occupant protection rating; the ‘safety assist’ rating, however, was 25 per cent. In the frontal offset test, protection of the driver’s head, neck, thighs and feet were rated as good, but lower leg protection was rated as adequate (i.e. a slight risk of serious injury) and chest protection as marginal (i.e. a moderate risk of serious injury). In the side impact and pole tests, driver protection was rated as good for all body areas.

Brakes

The Kia JA Picanto had 256 mm by 20 mm ventilated front brake discs and 234 mm by 10 mm solid rear discs.

Features: Kia JA Picanto

Standard features for the Kia JA Picanto included 14-inch steel wheels with 175/65 R14 tyres, a four speaker sound system with a seven-inch touch screen, MP3 compatibility, USB and auxiliary (3.5 mm) inputs, Bluetooth mobile phone connectivity with Android Auto and Apple CarPlay smartphone integration, air conditioning, black cloth upholstery, a six-way manually adjustable driver’s seat (including height adjustment), cruise control, halogen daytime running lights, a rear fog light, rear parking sensors, a rear view camera with parking guidelines, dusk-sensing headlights, a leather-wrapped steering wheel and gearshift lever, 60:40 split fold rear seats, remote central locking, power adjustable and heated door mirrors, power windows, tilt and telescopic steering wheel adjustment, vanity mirrors, a 12 volt power outlet, trip computer, an alarm and immobiliser.

As standard, the Kia Picanto had a space-saver spare wheel.

2018 Kia Picanto Australian Open Edition

The Kia Picanto Australian Open Edition was released in Australia in January 2018. Compared to the standard Kia Picanto, the Picanto Australian Open Edition could be identified by its 16-inch alloy wheels, LED position lamps and daytime running lights (DRLs), body kit, dual exhaust tips, contrasting body accents and ‘GT-Line’ badging. Inside, the Picanto Australian Open Edition featured a six speaker sound system, ‘premium’ seats with red accents, a ‘premium’ steering wheel and gearshift knob, and alloy sports pedals. Australian deliveries of the Kia Picanto Australian Open Edition were limited to 150 vehicles, each of which was sold with an Australian Open pack which included a Babolat racquet, a backpack and a can of Wilson tennis balls. The Kia Picanto Australian Open Edition had a drive-away price of $16,777.

Kia Picanto GT-Line

Released in Australia in April 2018, the Kia Picanto GT-Line had the same distinguishing features as the Picanto Australian Open Edition. As such, the Kia Picanto GT-Line could be identified by its 16-inch alloy wheels, LED position lamps and daytime running lights, body kit, dual exhaust tips, contrasting body accents and ‘GT-Line’ badging. Inside, the Picanto GT-Line featured a six speaker sound system, ‘premium’ seats with red accents and alloy sports pedals. Solely available with a four-speed automatic transmission, the Kia Picanto GT-Line had a drive-away price of $17,490 upon its release.

Kia Picanto X-Line Australian Open Edition

The Kia Picanto X-Line Australian Open Edition was released in Australia in November 2018. Visually, the Kia Picanto X-Line Australian Open Edition could be identified by its 16-inch alloy wheels, 15 mm raised suspension, LED position lamps with daytime running lights, LED rear combination lamps, body kit (shared with the Picanto GT-Line and consisting of front and rear diffusers, mouldings and side skirts), ‘X-Line’ and ‘AO Edition’ badging, dual exhaust tips and ‘X-Line’ body accents. Furthermore, features for the Kia Picanto X-Line Australian Open Edition were extended to include ‘premium’ seats with red accents, a ‘premium’ steering wheel and gear shift knob, alloy sports pedals and power folding door mirrors.

Kia Picanto GT

Released in January 2019, the Kia Picanto GT was similarly equipped to the Picanto GT-Line.

Specifications

Review: Kia TA Picanto (2016-17)

Stephen Tomlinson — Sun, 07 Mar 2021 22:51:55 +0000

Comfortable ride on 14-inch wheels
Good driving position
High standard of interior fit and finish
Seven year, unlimited kilometre warranty

Light, overly-assisted steering bereft of feel
Body roll when cornering
Flat rear seats lack support
Four star safety rating in Euro NCAP testing

Overview

Officially released in Australia in April 2016, the Kia TA Picanto was a light, five-door hatchback. Manufactured in Seosan, South Korea, the front-wheel drive Kia Picanto was powered by a 1.2-litre petrol engine that was mated to a four-speed automatic transmission. Upon its release, the Kia Picanto had a recommended retail price of $14,990 (excluded on-road costs such as stamp duty, dealer delivery, registration and, where required, CTP insurance).

Kappa engine

The 1248 cc G4LA four-cylinder petrol engine was a member of Hyundai-Kia’s ‘Kappa’ engine family. The engine had a die-cast aluminium block with an integrated ladder-frame for stiffness, 71.0 mm bores and a 78.8 mm stroke, cast-iron cylinder liners, an offset crankshaft, an aluminium alloy cylinder head, double overhead camshafts (chain-driven), four valves per cylinder with beehive valve springs and actuated by roller cam followers, dual continuously variable valve timing (i.e. for intake and exhaust valves) and a compression ratio of 10.5:1.

Kia TA Picanto Specifications
	Engine	Trans.	Peak power	Peak torque
Kia Picanto Si	1.25-litre petrol I4	4sp auto	63 kW at 6000 rpm	120 Nm at 4000 rpm

Dimensions

The Kia Picanto was 3595 mm long, 1595 mm wide (excluding door mirrors), 1480 mm tall and had a 2385 mm long wheelbase, while its drag coefficient was 0.31 Cd. With the automatic transmission, the Kia Picanto had a kerb weight of 994 kg.

Inside, the Kia Picanto had sliding and reclining front seats, and 60/40 split and folding second row seats. Cargo capacity was 200 litres with the rear seats in position, though this increased to 870 litres when the rear seats are folded.

Suspension and steering

The Kia Picanto had MacPherson strut front suspension with coil springs, gas-filled dampers and an anti-roll bar. At the rear, the Picanto had a semi-independent coupled torsion beam rear axle (CTBA) with separate coil springs and gas-filled shock abosrbers.

The Kia Picanto had rack-and-pinion steering with hydraulic power assistance (Kia’s ‘Motor-Driven Power Steering or MDPS’) and a turning circle of 9.8 metres.

Safety equipment

Euro NCAP crash testing

In Euro NCAP crash testing , the 2011 Kia TA Picanto received a four star safety rating which included an 86 per cent adult occupant protection rating and an 83 per cent child occupant protection rating. In the offset crash test, protection of the driver’s head and thighs were rated as good, though chest, lower leg and foot protection was rated as adequate (i.e. a slight risk of serious injury).

Based on the Euro NCAP testing, ANCAP conferred a five star adult occupant protection rating on the Kia Picanto with a score of 34.26 out of 37.

Features: Kia Picanto Si

Standard features for the Kia Picanto Si included 14-inch wheels with 165/60 R14 tyres, a four speaker sound system, CD player with MP3 compatibility, auxiliary inputs (3.5 mm) and USB inputs, Bluetooth with voice recognition and audio streaming, air conditioning, black cloth upholstery, a six-way manually adjustable driver’s seat (including height adjustment), daytime running lights, rear parking sensors, a leather-wrapped steering wheel and gearshift lever, 60:40 split fold rear seats, remote central locking, power windows, power adjustable and heated door mirrors, tilt and telescopic steering wheel adjustment, vanity mirrors, a 12 volt power outlet (front console), trip computer, an alarm and immobiliser.

For Australia, the Kia Picanto was sold with a seven year, unlimited kilometre warranty.

Specifications and links

Recalls & faults: Kia JA Picanto (2017-on)

Stephen Tomlinson — Sun, 27 Dec 2020 23:21:10 +0000

Recalls: Kia JA Picanto

Overview

Manufacturers, or importers, issue recalls for defects or faults which have the potential to cause injury. Generally, manufacturers will inform the original buyers if their vehicle is subject to a recall and of the steps required to remedy the defect or fault. Please note that the recalls below (if any) are for Australian-delivered vehicles only. Furthermore, the number of recalls should not be taken as an indication of a model’s reliability or its safety more generally.

Recalls: Kia JA Picanto

2020-22 Kia JA PE Picanto: warning tone would not sound

In June 2022, recall campaign 221041 was issued for 20-22 Kia JA PE Picanto vehicles. If the rear fog lamp was switched ‘ON’ after the ignition had been switched ‘OFF’ and the driver’s door opened, an audible warning would not sound. As a result of this condition, the vehicle did not comply with Australian Design Rule 13/00. To fix, the instrument cluster software was to be updated. For the VINs of the recalled vehicles, please see REC-005464.

Problems and faults: Kia JA Picanto

Overview

This section identifies potential problems, causes and fixes based on the experiences of owners and repairers, online sources and technical service bulletins. This information is provided solely for reference purposes and AustralianCar.Reviews recommends that only properly qualified persons carry out repairs or modifications. Furthermore, the number of items below should not be taken as an indicator of a model’s reliability or the frequency with which they may occur.

To report a problem or fault to the AustralianCar.Reviews team, please use the Contact Us form. Note that AustralianCar.Reviews does not offer advice on automotive problems or disputes; such enquiries will not receive a reply. For vehicles purchased from dealers after 1 January 2011, please see our Australian Consumer Law fact sheet.

Problems and faults: Kia JA Picanto

No troubleshooting information is currently available for the Kia JA Picanto.

Recalls & faults: Kia TA Picanto (2016-17)

Stephen Tomlinson — Sun, 27 Dec 2020 23:21:10 +0000

Recalls: Kia TA Picanto

Overview

Recalls: Kia TA Picanto

No recall information is available for the Kia TA Picanto. To search for recalls of Kia models, please visit Product Safety Recalls Australia: Kia.

Problems and faults: Kia TA Picanto

Overview

Problems and faults: Kia TA Picanto

No troubleshooting information is currently available for the Kia TA Picanto.

Images: Kia JA Picanto (2017-on)

Stephen Tomlinson — Wed, 04 Nov 2020 09:35:05 +0000

Images: Kia JA Picanto (2017-on)

Released in Australia in May 2017, the Kia JA Picanto was a light, five-door hatchback. Manufactured in Seosan, South Korea, the front-wheel drive Kia JA Picanto was powered by a 1.25-litre four-cylinder petrol engine that was mated to either a five-speed manual or four-speed automatic transmission… Read full 2017 Kia JA Picanto review

Images: Kia TA Picanto (2016-17)

Stephen Tomlinson — Wed, 04 Nov 2020 09:35:05 +0000

Images: Kia TA Picanto (2016-17)

Officially released in Australia in April 2016, the Kia Picanto was a light, five-door hatchback. Manufactured in Seosan, South Korea, the front-wheel drive Kia Picanto was powered by a 1.2-litre petrol engine that was mated to a four-speed automatic transmission. Upon its release, the Kia Picanto had a recommended retail price of $14,990 (excluded on-road costs such as stamp duty, dealer delivery, registration and, where required, CTP insurance)…Read full Kia TA Picanto review

Videos: Kia JA Picanto (2017-on)

Stephen Tomlinson — Thu, 08 Oct 2020 02:18:56 +0000

Euro NCAP: Kia JA Picanto testing

In Euro NCAP testing, the Kia JA Picanto – without fitment of the Advanced Driving Assistance Pack which included Autonomous Emergency Braking (AEB) – received a three star safety rating which included a 79 per cent adult occupant protection rating and a 64 per cent child occupant protection rating; the ‘safety assist’ rating, however, was 25 per cent. In the frontal offset test, protection of the driver’s head, neck, thighs and feet were rated as good, but lower leg protection was rated as adequate (i.e. a slight risk of serious injury) and chest protection as marginal (i.e. a moderate risk of serious injury). In the side impact and pole tests, driver protection was rated as good for all body areas.

Carbuyer: 2017 Kia Picanto review

Please note that these videos are applicable to vehicles as they are supplied to their respective markets. As such, the features, prices and performance of the vehicles in these videos may differ from those which are supplied in Australia.