Kia’s popular A-segment offering, the petite Picanto, has been given a significant mid-cycle update in the form of the all-new Picanto X-Line.

The company calls the more rugged Picanto a more “adventurous” offering, featuring significant design additions such as a redesigned rear bumper, cosmetic skid plates, and a slightly sportier front-end.

The adventure look is rounded off by chunky mud guards, 15-inch alloys, and what Kia calls “crossover-inspired cladding”. “It’s the perfect car for here, there and anywhere,” says Stephen Crosse, Sales Director for Kia South Africa.

On the inside, the Picanto X-Line hasn’t compromised on comfort, boasting two-tone artificial leather upholstery and an 8-inch infotainment system that includes reverse camera functionality.

The Picanto X-Line is still as safe as ever, with Kia claiming that it’s one of the safest A-segment vehicles on sale today. Safety features include ABS, dual front airbags, and ISOFIX car seat attachment points.

Kia has also refreshed the rest of the Picanto lineup, with all variants benefitting from changes to specification, ranging from Bluetooth connectivity in the entry-level START model to automatic headlamps in the STYLE model.

The Picanto is still available with both the 1.0 MPI and 1.25 MPI engine variants, although the X-Line is only available with the more powerful latter option, producing 61kW of power and 122Nm of torque. Both engines can be mated to either a 5-speed manual or 4-speed auto ‘box.

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