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Johannesburg - Wheels24 reader Georgina Petersen has been enjoying her new Picanto and shares why she loves her little car so much.
The Kia Picanto is one of the 10 finalists for the 2018 SA Car of the Year competition.
Earlier in November we asked Wheels24 readers which car should win the coveted title. So far, the Audi Q5 is leading the pack with the Alfa Romeo Giulia not too far behind as the favrourites.
'Picanto gets my vote'
Georgina Petersen shares her views on one of the finalists.
She says: "I bought my Kia Picanto in July 2017, this after my ex-husband crashed my Honda HRV.
"In my desperation for a vehicle I stepped into a Kia dealership one Saturday with the view to explore the new Kia Rio, which I immediately fell in love with.
READ: SA Car of the Year - Which model do you think should grab the title?
"I then, as a matter of interest, enquired about the Picanto. The salesman then introduced me to the new Kia Picanto.
"I am now officially the owner of a new model and I love my car. Though much smaller than the Honda but she has all the "bells and whistles" I believe of a high-end vehicle.
"I have day light running lights, touch screen and a reversing camera. I would've loved a CD player and the boot a little bigger. Other than that I can't complain.
"As much as she is red, she packs a punch and economical in terms of fuel consumption. The Kia Picanto gets my vote for car of the year."
Image: Georgina Petersen
Wheels24's Janine Van der Post recently had the Picanto on test and shares her views.
Whenever anyone asks me about buying a new car - whether it's empty-nesters or first-time car owners - my go-to choice is always Kia's Picanto.
This cute little run-about can hold its own in more ways than one. It's agile, easy to park and has enough boot space than you would imagine. And, it won't break the bank when it comes to fuel consumption.
I had the 1.2-litre version with an in-line 4-cylinder 16-valve DOHC engine on test which delivers 61kW/122Nm. It has a claimed top speed of 170km/h and the 35-litre fuel tank gave me an average consumption of 5.4-litres/100km and 5.1-litres/100km on a good day.
But what makes this a fan favourite is that it has been truly evolved with the times from its cute button-faced persona and has been upgraded with the times. Although the new generation model and its predecessor might need a serious look to tell the difference from the two, the differences are quite distinctive.
There are new headlights, new front bumper and the rear headlights and bumper sport a redesign too. I also fancy the interior which is even more minimalistic than before. There are fewer buttons and the subtle upgrade in the interior cleans the car up even more, making it look more spacious.
The boot, at first glance, makes you think that it's actually smaller than before, however there's a removable luggage 'lid' which can be lifted and provides more space or to keep valuable goods such as handbags or laptops out of sight.
But my absolute favourite thing about the Pincato is its vibrant body colour range. It's available in 10 bright colours such Alice Blue, Honey Bee Yellow, Pop Orange, Shiny Red and Lime Light to name a few.
It's the kind of car I would buy my mother, or even my daughter as a first car if she was old enough to drive. And, I'd still recommend it to anyone.
