Kia Looks for Big Things From Picanto A-Segment Car

Kia releases official photographs of its third-generation Picanto A-segment city car, which makes its world debut at the 87th Geneva auto show March 9-19.

Shown in its sporty GL trim, the clone of Hyundai’s popular i10 differs from that model by the distinctive Kia tiger grille, a massive front bumper, halogen lighting effects and badging.

It is expected to offer the same 65-hp 1.0L 3-cyl. mill and 85-hp 1.25L 4-cyl. gasoline engines as those offered on the i10.

Called the Morning in South Korea, the new model has the same 141.5-in. (3,595-mm) length as its predecessor, but the wheelbase is extended 0.6 ins. (15 mm) to 94.5 ins. (2,400 mm), giving it a slightly shorter front and longer rear overhangs.

Subtle sculping of the new Picanto/Morning’s body lines are a little bolder, and it is available in 11 colors.

The passenger compartment is designed around a large central touchscreen. Apple CarPlay and Bluetooth connectivity are available.

The new Picanto/Morning was designed and developed in part at Kia’s Frankfurt studios, but mainly at the jointly operated Hyundai-Kia vehicle-development center in Namyang, Korea, under the watch of Peter Schreyer, one of three Kia presidents and Hyundai Motor Group’s chief designer.

Popular in the U.K. and many markets in Europe, as well as South America and Asia, the third-generation A-segment car makes a delayed entry into the market after being announced in October 2014.

In Korea Kia predicts the new Morning version of the Picanto will win back the city-car crown from GM Korea’s Chevrolet Spark, which ranks fifth among the country’s 10 best-selling passenger vehicles. The other nine all are Kia or Hyundai models; the current-generation Morning holds down seventh place.

The Picanto/Morning figures big in Kia’s domestic and export operations. In 2016 the Morning outsold all other Kias offered in South Korea except for the Sorento CUV.

Kia says as of December, domestic sales of the Morning totaled 67,000 to the Sorento’s 73,000.The automaker says another 67,000 units of the Picanto were sold in export markets.

In Korea the Morning will be offered in a Lady edition. This variant will feature autonomous emergency braking, a first for a Korean city car.

The Lady also will have larger illuminated sun-visor mirrors and a heated steering wheel.

Pricing in Korea will range from 10.8 million won ($9,000) in the basic trim level, 13.5 million won ($11,300) for the Lady variant and 14 million won ($11,700) for the Luxury edition model.

Produced only at Kia’s Seosan plant in Korea, the automaker hopes the Morning will give domestic sales a much-needed boost while the Picanto does likewise in export markets.