Comments on: REVIEW – Kia Picanto 1.0 T-GDi GT Line S

By: Eric Sinclair

Eric Sinclair — Sun, 08 Dec 2024 20:13:23 +0000

In reply to Dan Woods. With reference to my last comment regarding my Picanto gt line, I have renewed my car in 2022 to another Picanto gt line, an "S" model on this occasion and strangely, this one is considerably more economical, despite having the same 1.0 turbo engine. I am getting 45 Mpg town driving, about 55 Mpg combined and up to 67, yes 67 Mpg on a long run at a steady 65 mph. Needless to say, I am over the moon with this and really happy with the amount of equipment one gets with this particular model. It is nippy enough to keep up with bigger engines cars on the motorway and handles pretty well on twisty country roads, all in all I can't really fault my latest picanto

By: Paul

Paul — Sun, 12 Nov 2023 13:28:19 +0000

In reply to Dan Woods. Got to say, I've had one of these for about 9 months now. Despite the fairly regular "spirited" drive I have a long term average of 48.5 mpg over 3000+ miles. On long 70 mph drives (this won't happen if you like to drive at a "brisk" 70) I regularly see 58+ mpg.

By: Dan Woods

Dan Woods — Wed, 17 Aug 2022 07:05:04 +0000

In reply to Ralph Windsor.

Hi Ralph

Thanks for the comment – glad you found the review and other users’ comments useful! The Picanto really is a great little car. Have never driven an Up! GTi myself, though I know people rate them highly (some liken it to a reborn original Golf GTi!). If and when you get the Picanto, do come back and share your thoughts.

Cheers
Dan

By: Ralph Windsor

Ralph Windsor — Sat, 13 Aug 2022 10:29:46 +0000

Over the past few years I’ve owned mid-range SUVs: a couple of Nissan Qashqais and, currently, a Mazda CX-3. Both excellent cars with decent handling and performance, at least in 2 litre petrol/manual versions. However, I have become fed up with SUVs and have been looking for something smaller and handier but still with good handling and grunt. I had narrowed the choice down to a VW Up GTI and a Picanto GT Line S, read and viewed several reviews of each and seen both cars in the metal. The Picanto loses out to the Up in design appeal and, a little, in straight line performance but reportedly handles at least as well and is a clear leader in standard kit (almost identical to my CX-3!) and value for money. I think this review and the comments from owners have finally pushed me in the Picanto direction.

By: Nic Foxton

Nic Foxton — Fri, 28 Jan 2022 16:56:51 +0000

I’ve just had one of these for a couple of days as a courtesy while m Abarth 595 Competizione was in for service/mot/and some other bits. What a delightful and surprising little car this is and i can easily echo all of the review. I call it an honest and fun car with loads of character and plentiful equipment. That engine is great, and though doesn’t hurl the car along the road like my Abarth is really capable of fun, and it’s progressive the way if pulls through the rev range. Yes, impressed … i like it. The wacky looks … yes it’s wacky and quirky but i like it, you can laugh at it but your laughter is good humoured realising it is just a fun and honest little car.
Well done Kia for producing such an entertaining little car and understanding that people do want a smile when they get in a car and go driving.

By: Mike

Mike — Fri, 24 Dec 2021 17:07:45 +0000

Hi Dan
I came across your article on the Picanto GT Line S and it made very interesting reading and looking through your figures on the petrol being 48.7 mpg I have been informed by other owners that there’s are a little below this figure. I decided to wait for the new face lifted GT Line S and purchased mine on the 21 plate which gives you auto stop/start which can be switched off and a slightly redesigned engine and only comes in a 4 seater instead of the 5 seater on the older model. Mine is doing around 50 MPG on a combined run, 60 MPG on a motorway run if I keep it in the range of 60 to 65 MPH and in the range of 55 MPG between 65 to 80 MPH (EU Roads for the 80 MPH) The oil is now 0W20 the injectors are now 350 psi and with the 4 seats instead of 5 and few more tweaks that was made to the face lifted engine it does give you better MPG. The 9.8 seconds and the 112 mph are still the same on the Kia figures. You don’t get the 2 tier boot on the new Kia like either so I think Kia have reduced the kerb weight with there changes / face lift etc to gain better MPG figures. The free colour being Honey Bee is also metallic paint instead of a sold flat colour
Great Review and keep up the good work

By: Gareth Price

Gareth Price — Wed, 19 Feb 2020 10:19:00 +0000

2 weeks in and I have to say your review was spot on Dan. In fact it was after watching your video version, when researching the T-GDi version, that I went for the car. It really is an undiscovered gem as you say.

I got the information about the Fuel Economy Unit from

https://www.kiaownersclub.co.uk/forums/

Which for anyone thinking about buying a Kia is a great source of information

By: Dan Woods

Dan Woods — Fri, 07 Feb 2020 08:26:38 +0000

In reply to Gareth Price.

Hi Gareth

That is interesting – I didn’t know that either to be fair. I do have a couple of Kia models booked in this year, so I will have a look on the menu to see if it applies to them also.

Good to hear you’ve taken delivery of a Picanto – great choice! It would be good to hear your thoughts in a month or so once you’re more familiar with it!

By: Gareth Price

Gareth Price — Fri, 07 Feb 2020 02:50:59 +0000

It isnt a widely known fact, even amongst Kia dealers (!), that Picanto’s (and possibly other Kia models) come into the country with the “Fuel Economy Unit” (accessed through Settings on the steering wheel) set to US Gallons instead of UK Gallons. As US Gallons are smaller than UK Gallons this gives a false reading of what range you are getting.

Also I took delivery of a new T-GDI GT Line 3 days ago and it now comes with auto stop/start as standard, so you might want to add a footnote to your review

By: Dan Woods

Dan Woods — Fri, 31 Jan 2020 12:07:46 +0000

In reply to Eric Sinclair.

Hi Eric

Thanks for giving us your take on the Picanto – it’s always good to hear from owners who have spent much longer in a car than we ever get.

The figure we quote comes directly from the WLTP testing of the car and, whilst it has to be said this is a much fairer testing regime than we used to have, it still isn’t fully relatable to real-world conditions.

If you’re achieving 45mpg on a steady run, that’s decent going. But you’re right, there are much more powerful motors which can get closer to this figure despite being drastically quicker when you want them to be. Take the Kia Stinger GT Line S as an example – on a steady run we achieved 43.4mpg which makes the Picanto look bad.

Ultimately a car like this – with a small, turbocharged engine – is most comfortable at around 50mph, and that’s probably where the optimum fuel consumption comes in. Push to 60mph, 70mph and the engine is working too hard to return a decent consumption figure.

By: Eric Sinclair

Eric Sinclair — Fri, 31 Jan 2020 11:54:32 +0000

I have had the Picanto 1.0T Gt line for eighteen months now and whilst I agree with most of your review, I catagorically disagree with your fuel economy figures. I never hammer my car and try to drive as economically as possible and I cannot acheive your combined figure on a long steady run at 60mph. 45mpg is the best I achieve, my combined figure drops to around 36mpg and on constant short trips I have seen it fall to 27mpg, which is pretty bad for a one litre, in fact is does half the mpg as my previous Hyundai i10 blue drive, which shares the same engine minus the turbo. The sad thing is my brother in laws 275bhp Focus ST, is only a couple of mpg worse than my Gt line and My 160bhp Fiat Abarth 595, witj a 1.4 turbo engine, is a few mpg better. So, whilst I do like my gt line, I find the fuel economy very disappointing.