Kia Picanto
 (4/5)
expert rating
 (3.6/5)
owner rating
No Longer On Sale
from RM 665.47 /month
from RM 49,888.00 to RM 59,888.00
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Owner Review

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11 Owner Reviews
Date Reviewed
12 February 2020
Performance
Ride & Handling
Comfort
Safety
Space
Value
Sean
1.2 AT (2012)
Bought new, Owned for 3 Years
Fuel Economy: 10.0 km/litre (10.0 L/100 km), RON95, Mileage: 1,000 km/month
    - The size of this vehicle makes is so easy to find and park it.
    - Included safety systems for this vehicle is among the best in the range.
    - NVH is acceptable in this price category.
    - Even with the big 15 inch rims, ride comfort is still good.
    - I like the fact that it tells you that your steering wheel isn't straight when you park.
    - Fuel efficiency isn't its best game. I have about 300-400km per tank using RON95 in 100% city driving.
    - The boot is tiny. You need to plan on how to fit stuff in it.
    - LED headlights would help instead of projector ones.
    - The included speakers leaves much to be desired.
    - Built-in head unit means you ca't upgrade the unit to include Android Auto for Apple Car Play.
To Improve
- Better gearbox or engine to aid fuel efficiency.
- Include a better head unit and speakers.
Yes, I would recommend this car
Date Reviewed
8 December 2016
Performance
Ride & Handling
Comfort
Safety
Space
Value
Jonathan
1.2 MT (2012)
Bought new, Owned for 2 Years
Fuel Economy: 13.0 km/litre (7.7 L/100 km), RON95, Mileage: 2,250 km/month
    - Simple, handsome looks; standard projector headlights with LED daytime running lights and LED tail lights give it an upmarket appearance
    - Interior is well-built and feels like a class above; plastics are hard but have pleasant look and feel
    - Handy storage bin and novel swivelling cupholders in front of gearlever
    - 1.2 litre engine is smooth, delivers a decent slug of torque when you get up on it
    - Impressive road and wind noise insulation
    - Feels planted and grippy in the corners
    - Rides well – a little firm but composed
    - More stable at highway speeds than most rivals – has a little bit of that "big car" feel
    - Six airbags, stability control, seatbelt indicators/reminder for all seats come as standard on all models
    - Passenger airbag deactivation for front child seat installation
    - Not the biggest cabin in the segment; boot is tiny
    - Manual variant does not come with Bluetooth
    - Sound system a bit tinny by default, needs a little tweaking in audio settings to get best results
    - Engine is sluggish under 2,000 rpm
    - Not as fuel efficient as the best in the segment, although it still delivers decent results (around 7.5 litres per 100 km in mixed city and highway driving)
    - Steering is slow and lacks feedback
    - Feels a little floaty at very high speeds
    - Expensive for such a small car, but makes up for it in terms of kit, quality and refinement (plus I bought my car at a very deep discount)
To Improve
- Manual model should have same specs as automatic
- More direct steering
- Larger boot space
- Reduced fuel consumption
Yes, I would recommend this car
Date Reviewed
24 June 2015
Performance
Ride & Handling
Comfort
Safety
Space
Value
Zaki
1.2 MT (2013)
Bought new, Owned for 1 Year
Fuel Economy: 14.4 km/litre (6.9 L/100 km), RON95, Mileage: 1,100 km/month
    - Great look and design.
    - It's quite spacious for an A segment. Legroom is good even for the taller than average.
    - Fuel consumption is decent for the MT variant. With ECO mode off, currently average 7.0l
    - Packed with safety features, the best in it's class.
    - With ECO mode on, can save a lot more fuel.
    - Good sound isolation, engine is barely audible in normal driving conditions.
    - The MT variant is gimped but not badly, you lose out on the fog lamps, keyless entry and bluetooth steering controls.
    - Slight bodyroll when cornering.
    - Doesn't live up to KIA's lofty advertised fuel consumption. It's not bad, but it would've been better if KIA put a realistic number instead.
To Improve
- Naza needs to improve their after sales service. I've had better experiences with Perodua service centers.
- Bigger fuel tank.
- Better sound system.
- Maybe upgrade options to leather seats and a better in-car entertainment system.
Yes, I would recommend this car
Date Reviewed
15 April 2015
Performance
Ride & Handling
Comfort
Safety
Space
Value
Mk
1.2 AT (2013)
Bought new, Owned for 1 Year
Fuel Economy: 12.0 km/litre (8.3 L/100 km), RON95, Mileage: 1,000 km/month
    Hi guys, its been awhile since i'm planning to do this review for this car model Kia Picanto.
    I maybe going for more into the downside of this particular car to bring "awareness" or "highlight" towards customer or anyone before purchasing this car. In the first place i would like to declare i do not intended to "bad mouth" about this car but to share my real life experience on driving this particular car and everything here is based on the word "FACT". So it is advisable for those car buyer to read through this review before getting this car on part which you feel acceptable or not if you deal with this problem daily basis.
    Ok let's get started with the upside or as from the aspect of advantages i would say the build quality of this picanto is very premium, the interior is really feel very good on par with those b-segment japanese car quality. Just go to some show room a very easy test is just by opening the door and close the door and you totally feel thats difference and i can say you wont expect on this premium-ness feeling. Build quality is very good consider quite a top notch for car maker to did the sound insulation this far. Alot of small distinct feature which makes others A-segment car to be totally un-comparable with this car, as usual korean car lots of small thing which may make the difference not to say the safety aspect,bluetooth,6-speaker mainly i think its not this features that i should be reviewing on as i believe "YOU" as a reader did do some research on this car before going on to this user review right ?.
    -Okay, the main point is here let me start from the important aspect that we face daily basis that is the Fuel Consumption. So Kia claimed that fuel consumption for Auto can get up to 20.7km/l based on 90km/h average so you would be thinking atleast this car could get you a 15km/l or 18km/l right ? If you are thinking this way then you are totally wrong. So far achieving 15km/l is almost an impossible thing for me to do it even if i drive not more then 3k rpm and not more then 90km/h, this figure could only achieve when u drive 0~700km in 1 go and drive as turtle as possible unlike others you can go more their proclaimed fuel consumption. Maybe this is the real reason korean car get sued due to their statement of Fuel Consumption.

    -Secondly, the 6 speakers is just for show only. Why i said so ? Actually i'm an enthusiasm of music and when the first time i test drive this car actually when i start talk about i want to feel about the audio quality the sales man totally silent and i finally know and feel it after i bought this car. Yes, after going deep into car audio quality systems, actually number of speakers actually yes it is important thing but when the hu output is not enough or the speakers quality is questionable, then this is the matter. Honestly i could say you rarely able to feel any bass at this car, sound quality wise is quite okay and clear, if you plan to hear just merely for radio type of sound quality its feel acceptable yet if you hear some song which feel much better with more bass then its spoiled the whole song.

    -Driving on this car is quite stable i can say so in straight road and a little bit of turn but when its come to cornering then that's the problem whenever you hit more then 60km/h and you take sharp corner you can feel it the inertia or those uneasy feeling of forces for you. Anyway its actually a quite powerful car to drive on, maybe it said 10.8sec to go from 0~100km/h but everytime i feel its actually less then 10sec to go 100km/h.

    -Rattling or pinging sound, this is totally an issue for this car as on the first day of getting this car i get this problem already. Aside of all this premium-ness it totally spoil you mood when you heard those rattling sound which getting stronger and stronger day by day. Yes the built quality of picanto is very good but why ? Maybe some car wont face this issue, but i dare most of the owner face this issue until they need to get used of it or use some diy method to "REDUCE" these sound. Even if you sent to service center its hardly able to solve this matter moreover you need to put at service center for few days inorder for them to properly check but yet problem remains, unless you sent to some specialist. This is the main point which i would like to everyone to aware of.


    Agains, for malaysian who is more into Sushi~ car lover, yes its expected to see the RV not that demanding but thats not the main point that i would like to say about the main reason we all get kimchi car is because of the extraordinary feel and much more features which kimchi car offered and not the say the futuristic design. But main thing i will again double - remind you all is the spare part. Yes Kia offer 5 years of warranty, but do you know there're lots of part which required them to deliver directly from korea. For a great example of common issue which face is the power window plug which broken and automatically wind down the driver side window, can you imagine the horrible 2 weeks of time that you need to wait and drive without a window on driver side for 2 weeks(fastest duration) ? And not to say after the warranty period, they will charge you heck more then normal price, im being charge around 1k~1.5k just for 1 single original rims from Kia.
To Improve
Anyway, quite a lengthy review that i have done. Yes most probably i have been reviewing mostly on the downside, but i believe thats the main part of reviewing something and i would like to share as an kia picanto owner myself. Honest review i believe is the main part which is lacked of and the thing people rarely able to go across so that someone like me could remind you regarding this issue you may face. Anyway even if i "able" to know all this common issue from Kia Picanto, i would also choose to go with this car too as i believe every car does have their own disadvantages or downside or common issue i shall said and with this budget so far this is the best car you could get aside from those super small rear seat space. But atleast with my this review, i could adjust all my readers mindset with this kind of issue too. For example with the bassless speaker i would be budgeting on upgrading the sound system once i get this car on hand, but anyway i did upgrade it too and it sounds perfect now!. Before i end this review, i hope my dear reader able to capture some insight and enjoy your Kia Picanto ! ( if you planned to get one too ! ). Peace out~
Yes, I would recommend this car
Date Reviewed
5 February 2015
Performance
Ride & Handling
Comfort
Safety
Space
Value
Peter
1.2 AT (2013)
Bought new, Owned for 1 Year
Fuel Economy: 10.0 km/litre (10.0 L/100 km), RON95
    - It's a very comfortable and fun to drive car for its price range.
    - Has a lot of gadgets with options to further upgrade (HU, sound system, seats, etc) in the market, which adds to the driving experience. Please check on warranty before you make any mods though. While there are stock parts, there are also those that might void the warranty.
    - Overall good value for money
    The first 2 are annoying, the rest are minor points I'm listing for those who might have concerns.
    - The vehicle horn is firm to the touch. It's possible to lightly tap it. You have to press in down and it will sound at full blast, so it's not possible to "gently" horn others.
    - I feel that the light sensor is a bit too sensitive. With the light controller on Auto mode, it turns on even when I feel that it's still "bright" outside. Making mine the only car on the road that has its lights own. I mean when it's cloudy, not when I'm under shade which I am fine with them switching on.
    - The electrical steering wheel takes a few drives to get used to. It's not as responsive as other cars', meaning it's "lighter" on the hands.
    - The right side mirror is also something to get used to with the "curve" (convex) at the outer part to help you look into a further position. It was confusing at first.
    - The sunshade holder means there's no handle on top of the driver's side door. This might be a concern in to get into the car as I'm more used to using it to enter. Picanto is a pretty low car.
    - The rear design tends to trap dust, even for a hatchback it actually retains a lot of dust.
To Improve
Implement auto-lock after a certain time when the key is out of distance. Currently it auto-locks if you unlock but doesn't actually open the door in a certain time frame. But if you open-close then walk away, your car will be left unlocked.
Yes, I would recommend this car
Date Reviewed
16 December 2014
Performance
Ride & Handling
Comfort
Safety
Space
Value
lv
1.2 AT (2013)
Bought new, Owned for 1 Year
Fuel Economy: 11.0 km/litre (9.1 L/100 km), RON95, Mileage: 800 km/month
    1. design
    2. keyless entry and start engine
    3. steering is light, easy to turn
    4. brake is good
    5. sound prove is good
    6. btooth hands free is clear.
    1. fuel consumption is high, not up to expectation as advertised 21km/lit, not even 17km/lit , main reason to buy is mostly because of it. feeling like cheated, will gather more info to make claims like KIA law case in the US recently.

    2. car make noise at the dashboard & driver site door when on bad road, sometimes at a smooth road also. already send in to repair few 3-4 times, but problem still there. will send in again..

    3. car comes with heater, aircond have to turn near to maximum to avoid the hot air.
To Improve
solve all my problem mention,it will be a good car.
very dissapointed with korea make for the 1st time.
not worth buying, with such fuel consumption, better pay little extra to get a alza.
No, I would not recommend this car
Date Reviewed
31 October 2014
Performance
Ride & Handling
Comfort
Safety
Space
Value
Tracy
1.2 AT (2013)
Bought new, Owned for 1 Year
Fuel Economy: 16.6 km/litre (6.0 L/100 km), RON95, Mileage: 1,500 km/month
    - Fuel efficiency - 60% Highway 40% City (Mostly depends on driving habit)
    - SAFETY features (6 Air Bag, ABS, EBS TCS & HSA)
    - Steering wheel control
    - Smart Key entry (not need to waste time in searching car key in handbag)
    - Auto light sensor (don't need to worry of forgetting to switch on lights)
    - A bit stuck at 60km/h sometimes when accelerate
    - Leg room for rear seat a bit small
    - Weak audio system (Bass)
    - Spare parts a bit expensive
To Improve
- Rear fog lamp change to 2 sides instead of right side only
(I know it is euro standard but I worry others car may bang on the left side during foggy weather)
- 2 reverse light as well (facing difficulty when reversing, the car behind didn't realize especially when i park in a oblique parking lot)
- Slightly bigger fuel tank maybe?
Yes, I would recommend this car
Date Reviewed
30 May 2014
Performance
Ride & Handling
Comfort
Safety
Space
Value
See
1.2 AT (2013)
Bought new, Owned for 1 Year
Fuel Economy: 11.5 km/litre (8.7 L/100 km), RON95, Mileage: 1,500 km/month
    -Smooth Engine & Drive train
    -Comfortable yet firm suspension give you a sense of a bigger car
    -Great overall styling package in and out
    -Sound system lack of bass
    -Back seat legroom
    -Small fuel tank
To Improve
-Bigger fuel tank
-Nicer sound system
-more feel in the steering
Yes, I would recommend this car
Date Reviewed
22 May 2014
Performance
Ride & Handling
Comfort
Safety
Space
Value
BK
1.2 AT (2013)
Bought new, Owned for 1 Year
Fuel Economy: 10.2 km/litre (9.8 L/100 km), RON95, Mileage: 1,500 km/month
    -safety features
    -compact in size
    -easy handling
    -NOT fuel efficient as I got 9.8L per 100km
    -Very small fuel tank and many trips to the petrol station, irritating
    -Fuel consumption is not as claimed by Kia to be 4.8L per 100km
    - If you are looking for fuel economy, don't believe the rated figure
To Improve
Wish they state the fuel consumption figure accurately as I trust the figure correctly before buying this car.
No, I would not recommend this car
Date Reviewed
21 May 2014
Performance
Ride & Handling
Comfort
Safety
Space
Value
Lim
1.2 AT (2013)
Bought new, Owned for 1 Year
Fuel Economy: 10.5 km/litre (9.5 L/100 km), RON95, Mileage: 1,500 km/month
    I would say the first Compact car in Malaysia come with 6 Air Bag, ABS, EBS TCS & HSA. The 1.2 L engine is very responsive and it doesn't feel like driving a small CC car. Handling wise is wonderful as it can zip trough every tight road. Not to mention it come with loads of Tech stuff, Like ( DLR, 4" HU with Bluetooh + USB + AUX, Push Start Button, Key Less Entry, Manual Leveling Projector Head Light, Auto Head Light and Parking Sensor System.
    Driver seat doesn't support well. Seats are hard, won't be comfortable on long road trip. Small fuel tank (35 Liter) which I can only clocked 380km / per tank. Averaging 9.5 L / 100km. Small boot space.
To Improve
Price is the factor. More comfortable. And bigger fuel tank?
Yes, I would recommend this car
Date Reviewed
21 May 2014
Performance
Ride & Handling
Comfort
Safety
Space
Value
S
1.2 AT (2013)
Bought new, Owned for 1 Year
Fuel Economy: 12.1 km/litre (8.3 L/100 km), RON95, Mileage: 2,000 km/month
    An almost complete safety feature offered, some of which are not even available on larger cars from certain makes.
    Stable at high speeds, unlike other small cars.
    Have a decidedly European feel to the driving experience, as it should be as the car is very similar in spec to the one sold in European countries.
    Offered 2 years free service with 5 year warranty.
    At certain conditions, there is a slight, but noticeable torque dip, even when the car is lightly loaded.
    While it is not a fuel guzzler, the official quoted fuel consumption is rather optimistic.
    Speaker system not up to par with little bass output.
To Improve
Introduce the Eco model with ISG Start-Stop system
Yes, I would recommend this car

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