Kia Picanto GT 2020 review - hilarious (hot?) hatch
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- Опубликовано: 1 авг 2024
- What’s the Kia Picanto GT really like? Is this a hot hatch? Is it a throwback to the eighties? Yes to both! The 1.0-litre turbocharged 2020 Kia Picanto GT is hilariously fun to drive, and given it costs less than $20,000 here in Australia, it’s also very cheap and cheerful. Should you consider a Picanto GT if you want a new car with some zest and verve? Is it up there with a Ford Fiesta ST? Or a Volkswagen Polo GTI? Maybe not quite, but that doesn’t make it bad. In today’s video, Tom reviews the 2020 Kia Picanto GT in red.
What do you think of the Kia Picanto GT? Let me know your thoughts below. Would you consider it? Is it too small? Comment below!
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Video review of the Kia Picanto GT. 
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I am 51 years old and love manual cars. 95% of my driving is by myself, so I bought a Picanto GT. I love it, its like a go-cart with windows. Not real world fast, but cheeky enough to make others put the boot in when they realize I am off like a rat on a hot tin roof. Yes I get caught every time but duck and dive and whiz out of corners and a Picanto is a bucket of smiles. Cheap to buy, cheap to run, looks alright and absolutely bags of giggles to whiz around in. I know there are plenty of better cars, but not for this price and that makes a lot of difference to me.
Love it Jean-Paul. I could buy two Picanto GT's for the price of my Mazda MX-5 (which has half the practicality of the Picanto, and is not twice the fun) Great choice, you rock!
@@MrBenHaynes you could, but your MX5 will be worth more in 5 years no matter how well cared for mine is, and that is one of the set backs. Other than that I am still smiling nearly a year in
It is way more fun to drive a small car fast than driving a fast car slow, same with motorcycles. Zapping small vehicles fast through roundabouts and tight corners etc is a lot of fun. I have owned both huge cars and small cars.
At 95, you must be very healthy. 💪
@@GummyRiches read it again, I am healthy but not 95. I am 51 years old and love manual cars. 95% of my driving is by myself
"I'm Tom Bakerrrr, this is Chasing Carrrrs." Love it
It is I!
DOK-TORRRR!!
Bought one a month ago, GT 100hp turbocharged. Really happy with the performace and quality. Feels premium. Can't belive KIA lets go this car for such low price.
What country are you in?
We bought my grandma one of these a couple of weeks ago. It’s such a riot!
Love your enthusiasm Tom. Charming. My first hot hatch was a 1990 Mazda 323 Astina SP which at nearly $30,000 back in the day would be the equivalent of over $50,000 today! It had less equipment than this Picanto but actually very similar performance with a 0 - 100 km time of about 9.8 seconds. However it's short gearing, wide C pillar and jiggly ride amongst other things drove me insane and I sold it. I can't believe the beautiful interior of this Picanto. It reminds me of the surprise quality of Japanese cars in the 60's and 70's which other manufacturers couldn't match. If I was in the market I would definitely look at the Picanto and probably buy one!
I have just ordered the 2022 model which is even better. Very good value and looking forwards to getting it next May. A nice review. Thanks for confirming my choice.
Owning one since 2019, Stage 1 136hp/212nm, so much fun! 45,000km and no issues at all.
How much was the tune? How tall are you also? I really like these but am afraid I'm too tall. Thanks
Which tuning firm/chip did you use? I know of only Blue Spark in the UK..
@@TheHayabusa09 Onpowerbox the official Picanto GT Cup tuner
Really great review mate. Keep doing what your doing. 👍
Love my GT. Great review.
What a fun video to watch, and that background is hard to top!
Nice review as always. I ordered one. Just seems time. Lets face it no one tests drives a car anymore anyway!! Thanks Tom.
One of the few fun cars left at the 20k price point in Australia.
I think that the Kia is one of the best looking hatches across the board these days.
Great review, glad you picked up some negatives too but overall I'm looking forward to buying one of these soon, I think it'll be perfect and fun for around the city and inner west
I was literally checking this out on line today as I saw one in the car park at the shops. Looked really nice in white
What a coincidence! With the white you can see the red exterior trim accents better.
MrRez make sure it’s the Gt though not the gt line, the gt line is a 1.4 non turbo with a 4 speed auto
Yes looks good in white! That what I have. Scraped my 520D for a 3 spec auto.
My daughter has the same in black but a 2 spec.
I have done 20k miles in two years with 100% reliability.
It has the same 0-60 as the 520D, 8.5 secs. And the same MPG which is 34 MPG.
All the 16" variants are stupid with vinyl seats (no real leather) and gaudi trim.
Get one with the 4spd torque converter as the new ones are having a DCT automated manual gearbox which are to be avoided. Manual is so yesterday!
@@chasingcars Bought one in white two days ago. Good fun, but can't get over how long the gearing is.
It reminds me my Holden Barina xc, small manual cars can be a lot of fun!
I just bought the MY21 Kia Picanto GT Line (top trim auto not the turbo) and I absolutely love it!
Looking into one of these 2020 models here in Scotland. I'll be coming from a 1.6 Vauxhall Mokka that I've had nothing but problems with. Kids don't live with me full time anymore either so that's why I'm going down in size too. Great video. It reminds me a lot of the old Fiat Puntos.
Great review Tom... as always... all aspects covered...
Thanks Pranav!
From your review Tom, looks like this is a fun first car for someone on a $20K budget, with the proviso that he or she can handle manual transmission. Nice interior and looks great in red!
Perfectly summed up, Michael - with the additional remark that this’d be great to learn manual on. Very easy with all the torque on song at 1,500rpm!
The auto in the GT Line is $19,500 Drive away and is a lot of fun!
Source: bought one last week!
Well said, great review.
Great review Tom be looking forward to seeing a lot more
More to come!
*Great review, love this car. Glad Kia is still making lower priced cars as well as more premium offerings :)* 👍
Agreed.
Hey Tom, great review. I totally agree as i just had one of these today for a loaner while the Sorento was in the service department. Was so much fun to drive around. Great engine sound coming inside the cabin. Found myself giving it a boot in 2nd and then changing straight into 5th. I will need a runaround car next year and would definitely consider one.
Things i didn't like, no digital speedo readout, limited room in backseat for passengers.
Things i did like, very broad torque band as you mentioned, light and easy to throw around, great on fuel.
8 out of 10.
What is it with digital speedo readouts? Everyone thinks a car must have one only since journo's started banging on about them a couple of years ago.
I find them distracting, plus the dials in Picanto/Rio/Cerato are very clear and linear. If you need rear passenger space, it starts with Cerato. Rio has naff all as well as Picanto.
Digital speedo? Analogue is better.
@@MrBenHaynes its easier to check the speed before to put on cruise control.
I own one of these cars, and this is a really good review of it.
I own two Picantos and his review is ridiculous. No car is cheap! Even a Picanto is a lot of money. I scrapped a 520D for my Picato 3 automatic.
Love the look of these!
Tiny but a bit of attitude. Don’t mind it at all.
Good review ... I was thinking about an MG or Hyundai i30 ...but it's pushed me to go buy a picanto GT
Such a cute car. I wish they had that here in the states. I bought a Aurora black Kia Rio s with the technology package. I am happy with it.
Love it - such a great package and great value and GT great first car for a manual driver - wish it had some company in this sector :)
Yeah, in Australia Kia is playing out here alone! The Up GTI would make for good competition... or the Twingo!
Great review! I hope you'll be reviewing the Suzuki Swift Sport in the near future. Keen to hear your thoughts on the car.
Let me see what I can do.
in Malaysia, we get a 1.25L N/A Picanto GT with 4at torque converter gearbox. other than that we get sunroof, spoiler. the other things would be the same like Australian version Picanto GT. it would be lovely if we also can get the 1.0L turbo version in our country. with a cheaper roadtax, we could get a great performance in this small car.
Yes a great little ripper! But waiting for that AWD turbo yaris😁🏆
Good review mate, did you film the segments in-car talking to camera on a DJI Osmo Pocket?
Hey Tom (or anyone). How does this compare to the Suzuki Swifts range. Was trying to see how it feels and compares to the Nav with safety pack or GLX Turbo. Love the idea of the manual and the fun drive for the Kia GT but love the extra features the Suzuki brings (push start, adaptive cruise).
What a fun little car! Glad Kia is still making lower priced cars as well as more premium offerings :)
Yep, Kia still have a good split across various segments!
The picanto is the best car for the price. I have two, a 2 and a 3 spec, both automatic.
Great review, love this car. How are the clutch & shifter weighting?
Not the best shifter/clutch you've ever seen but far from the worst. Mid-length throw, light clutch, intuitive take up point.
Reminded me of my first car Nissan Pulsar ET Turbo.....came in at only 820Kg!
Picanto GT --young people's first "manual hot hatch" :) It would be interesting to compare Picanto with Swift Sport thought the later has an unreasonable price
Great idea. Agree the Picanto GT is a great point of entry to performance hatch motoring. Teaches you a lot about driving without hitting really high speeds…
No comparison the Swift Sport has a lot omph about 100kw 0 100 around 7.5 sec Swift is nearly getting into hot hatch territory .were the picanto isn't even a warm hatch 0 100 doesn't excite .Kia should have dropped the 1.6 turbo used in the gt Cerato or the old 1.6na eng used in the Rio a few years ago which punched out 100kw
Hot hatches really aren’t about 0-100kmh times - or at least they shouldn’t be. They’ll be creamed by most other performance cars on that metric. They’re about fun, light, on-edge FWD handling characteristics.
@@robertceroli3512 I mean both Picanto GT and Swift Sport are 'sporty' model in their series, both of them are manual and small size. It.is worth to see what you can get if you spend 12K AUD. For example, it maybe not worth to upgrade to Swift Sport if Picanto GT can offer 70-80% of Swift Spory performance.
Kia Picanto Gt is about $aud20,000. The Swift is closer to $aud 30,000. Not really in the same class.
Hey Tom what is the headlights technology in GT? LEDs or xenons or halogens? And any extra features like auto high beams or Corner lighting etc?
It has halogen projectors, LED DRL’s, no auto high beams of corner lighting. Does come equipped with see me home lighting
I wish Kia optioned a manual in the Rio GT-line or Cerato GT. I can get a Hyundai I30 N-line in manual, but not a "full fruit" Premium model.
I think Kia would be surprised at how many manual Cerato GT's they'd sell.
Will they do the more powerful Picanto in Automatic?
OK I have owned the kia picanto gt for just over 12 months and its quick and cheap for the class but there has been some warranty issues. The a/c has stopped cooling twice, the car some times wont accurate i have to take my foot of the pedal and then it will accurate, I have had all the yellow aeb and abs lights come on and the brake lights stay on I have to put my foot under the pedal and bring it forward to turn them off. Other then that its a great car what can you expect for the car its cheap and fast I am sort of happy with the car. The car has done 11000km's.
I’ve owned the car and with that being said, I never liked the comfort of it, never liked how slow it is. But it drives okay
The Daihatsu Charade G11 Turbo, 37 years on. 1.0Lt 3 cylinder turbo goodness.
Nothing wrong with that!
I had one, charades were bags of fun, my Picanto GT makes me think of my old banger Charade a lot, only my Kia is new and not a thrashed old tub of you know what. But hey I was young once too. Waaaay back then I ditched the Charade for a Mitsy Cordia turbo, ahhh the memories
It's 2024. I'm not a car dragster enthusiast I recently bought a new current Picanto Sport/base model to get a shopping trolley with a small wheel fat tyres for a comfortable ride. It's a shame the top model doesn't have fat tyres as an option.
When you spoke about the stability control "taking control", this car is I believe one of, if not the only vehicle in the city car segment with torque vectoring (which Kia doesn't even seem to advertise). Another sneaky thing is Kia use the same engine in this as the Rio but detuned it... Kia probably didn't want this car to be seen as a hot hatch (Even if in Aus our GT model gets stiffer suspension than overseas models).
Can you please elaborate on this?
@@kriputyub7566 The picanto has the ability to brake the inside wheels slightly when cornering to improve handling. Not sure if this was also used for traction control under hard acceleration to balance torque between the two front wheels.
Regarding the Rio and Picanto engines, both the same but Kia reduced power of the Picanto (and weirdly, new Rio) for some reason.
I have a 2020 Kia Rio sport auto and I’m seriously thinking of getting the Picanto. I drove a manual for 20 years and miss it so much 😝
I couldn’t get a manual.
The Picanto GT manual is awesome!
Sounds delightful. We don't get the 1.0l triple here in NZ - real pity :-(
That's a shame as it's a nice little motor
We have one of these (uk model GT line s) and it's a really nicely made car. As for performance, if you allow the turbo engine to reach full operating temperature it'll reward you with some good pulling power. As for the instruments, what's old-fashioned about them? I've never felt the need for G-force measurement or altitude display...
They are old fashioned because new clusters have digital gauges and screens etc. Doesn't matter that you personally don't feel the need for it ;-)
Personally I don't like the aesthetic design of the cheapy rectangle screen in the middle of a circle ring, but it is a cheap car afterall XD But does give me Nissan Micra cluster vibes
There’s actually also the Kia Rio GT. Not just the Picanto and Cerato
i want one!
Is it noisy on the road. The Suzuki swift sport is a great car , but terrible road noise. How do you think Kia compares. ? PS does it need 98 octane ? Comparisons please .
Look, it isn’t quiet, not is it hugely unrefined. As I mentioned, revs are surprisingly low at highway speed, so at least you aren’t also putting up with engine drone. Both Picanto engines are rated as E10 compatible.
Would be a great unit for those CBD parcel courier companies.
Totally agree! Blank out the rear side windows and tailgate window and you've got a van…
I own the 2019 Gt turbo. I drive the hell out of it. Punchy through the corners handles great and Definitely fun to drive.
A little more power would be nice. After market tune chip options available.
I have actually just purchased the 2021 Gt turbo in the new metallic grey but waiting for it to arrive. Change over price was good.
Love this little car
OZ model or overseas? We don't get the sunroof or heated/cooling seat option..instead 3 large blank pieces ahead of the gearshift..
I have my kia picanto gt for over 12 months now and I drive it hard great off the line and handling is great. Thing is the a/c has stopped cooling twice and the brake pedal has a recall that kia never told me about till I rang them. Kia has not got the best customer service be warned.
Overseas 2020 models got a flat bottomed steering wheel?? OZ KIA???
hi,is it any good on motorway driving ?
yeah its supprizingly stable at higher speeds and still had some go when you are aroun 170 kph .... i was supprised at that too XD
Almost half the price of a Yaris Hybrid and still gives you an arm rest. Nice job Kia
You did not mention the Rio GT. Another good GT offering from Kia. The Picanto is a bit small for most drivers.
Good point, I totally forgot about it. You never see them!
@@chasingcars Ive had mine for just on a year and think its great. Ive seen only 4 others on the drive to and from work in that time.
Bit of a hidden gem, by the sounds of it!
The Rio GT isn’t a real GT, it’s a GT-Line
Benjamin Traficante maybe so but for 25k it has all the important bits. Expect a manual
So can you disable the traction control to get to 10 10 th ???
I don’t believe you can get it all the way off, but you can reduce it.
Is cool how much?
Great car and review. Is it really a”hot” hatchback?
Hopefully my detailed thoughts in the vid gave my opinion on that! It handles as a hot hatch should, even if it doesn’t go as fast as what we now think a 2020 hot hatch is meant to be
Would be an awesome comparo against a used car alternative.
Agreed, used hot hatches are definitely the competitor set here. The Kia's 7 year warranty is obviously a huge benefit with that in mind, even if dynamically it's not there with the likes of the Golf GTi and i30 N.
Does this have the same power as the VW UP Gti ?
The Up GTI has a bit more poke - 85kW/200Nm compared to 74kW/172Nm.
We have Grand i10 turbocharged in India with 100 horsepower. But it also doesn't come with an automatic
Nice! Would be good if Hyundai offered the i10 (or even the i20!) here.
@@chasingcars Or even a manual i20N.....
Would you take this or the Corolla hatch?
Different sizes. I’d probably go this, as the Corolla hatch isn’t quite practical enough to justify jumping up into it. But keep in mind, this Kia is very small! The Kia rival to the Corolla is the Cerato.
Stinger GT steering wheel
Ngl, the gates are pretty small for shifting
Price
Just wondering if Kia is a more prestigious brand as compared to Hyundai...picanto vs i10
It’s hard to say. We don’t get the i10 in Australia ... but I’d say the new Sorento seems more upmarket than the Santa Fe. What do people think?
@@chasingcars Sportage (what I own) is comparable to a Tuscon, and the Cerato is similar quality (but better looking) to the i30.
Do one for a ae86 treano
Would love to drive one some day.
It has all the safety gear - but I think it’s only received a 4 star rating?
That’s correct CCR
Chasing Cars thanks! For many, that’s an automatic black mark. But cool car nonetheless.
Really, they need a rating for crashworthiness and a rating for advanced accident avoidance systems. The Picanto got 87% for adult occupant protection in a crash! Pretty good! But it got caned for not having lane keep or a speed limiter function.
Chasing Cars thank you x
KIA Version of the Fiat 500....?
That’s a good way of thinking of it, James ... but with a much longer warranty!
@@chasingcars and considerably more reliable 🤣🤣
@@gregburville3368 Fiat 500 is very reliable actually, Kia's and Hyundai's are much better than they used to be but fit and finish and driving enjoyment leave a lot to be desired! I think they are overpriced and very unappealing. French and Italian marques know best and i'd happily own a modern car from these origins.
Only problem I can see latter is the 3 cylinder engine. ,
wait until you reach 3000 kms and timing chain starts to rattle
Perfect Uber Eats car
Burger and chips on the double
I’d love this thing if it came with the 1.6l turbo.
Am i asking for too much? Maybe.
Don’t think you’re asking too much, but I’m not sure it needs the 1.6 to be loveable! The one litre is so fun.
Chasing Cars me mum has the 1.25L gt line which she loves, but it definitely lacks in acceleration when i drive it. Perhaps this version is just right as you outlined.
Great review mate
Fair enough - it’s subjective, of course! Glad this very cheap but interesting car exists though.
Chasing Cars totally! :)
I'd settle for the current one litre, but in the same state of tune as KIA's Rio GT-line.
I don't know why people would buy this when they can get a Cerato for a few K more
This drives much better than a base Cerato.
My picanto gt line is automatic with no turbo. Country (israel)
Same with the Australian-spec GT-Line, which is not a turbo. The GT is the proper engine!
@@chasingcars what do you mean by the GT is the proper engine? Are you saying there is a GT Spec and a GT LINE spec?
@@chasingcars I kinda really wish I had a turbo in my picanto even if its a stick shift. I love stick.
So it's inexpensive, not cheap😉
75 messages!! Read your texts Tom lol!
But..it's 23k not 18?
This video is several years old
@@chasingcars oh ok...it says posted 1 year ago. . I do understand inflation just seems like a lot..anyway..at 23-24k..would your comments about this car stay the same in today's market ?
The market as a whole has risen considerably - to be honest we’d need to do the review again, since it must have been almost 2 years, so the analysis should be redone - it says 1 year until it officially ticks over 2 years.
@@chasingcars oh ok...that's fair enough...maybe you'll find time to do a "shootout" of sorts on cars in this price range . As I imagine recycling the exact same content wouldn't be what you would be interested in.
Who drives manual everyday anymore?
People who buy this car and drive it every day
Me.
Me
I’m 48. Never owned an auto.
Suspension tuned a little too firm for my liking. Really pronounced and jarring ride around certain parts of Sydney.
I find this in many cars, seems like I'll need to get a well tuned fully independent suspension car that isn't too stiff, but also isn't an absolute boat.
Stupid car, I totally want one
My thoughts exactly.
Haha hot hatch id buy i30n over this how ever it's got slightly bigger boot then corolla
Sure, if you had double the cash!
I scrapped a 520D for a Picanto 3 automatic.
The reviewer is a snob and need to understand that even a new Picanto is a LOT of money for most people. The car is great, not only around town, but on the motorway too.
The review is for a version that almost nobody will buy, the 3 is the popular one.
He clearly has no time for anything less than an M5 or RS6.
You only want the picanto as an automatic but the 4 speed torque converter is being dropped for a new KIA designed and built DCT. This is bad. A 6 or 8 speed torque converter box would be so much better. Even Peugeot can do this on a 1.2 turbo!
No electric tailgate? ... No sale !
Obviously...
Here is the list of features KIA Australia ripped off from this model which is available in other market just shocking!!!!:
1. keyless entry
2.keyless start
3. Lane keeping assist LKA/LKA
4. Heated seat
5. DRIVER FATIGUE WARNING
6. tire pressure monitor
7. Digital Auto climate control
8. Sunroof
9. Auot stop start...........
Peugeot all the way for me, would never buy a Korean car
Fair enough, I feel the same about any of the Euro's.
Haha. Find a Euro with a 7 year warranty. Good luck with that. And find a Euro that doesn’t give you any issues. Good luck with that too. My parents Kia just past it’s warranty period, and they only had one thing go wrong - the boot lock release. Look at a 208 Gti, the closest thing to this, and put in “208 Gti issues” into google - it’ll make your eyes open
My Picanto gt LINE is at 900 kg not 1000 like you say it it 🤬🤬🤬🤬
The GT LINE IS THE TOP OF THE LINE NOT THE GT MODEL YOU HAVE GET YOUR FACTS RIGHT
GT is the top spec here In Australia 👍🏼
Nah, we’ve got it correct