I like to rent cars with automatic transmissions in Europe when I do rent a car because it eliminates one stressor and allows better focusing on traffic, signage, and defensive driving.  Sadly, they milk tourist for this, with rates often being double.  Stateside, your base Fiesta or Spark is implicitly automatic.  So, it’s “funny” overseas because the purchase cost of that vehicle for the agencies is not twice as much because of the gearbox.

That said, in the not so populated Algarve, the south facing coast of Portugal where it’s a collection of beach towns spread across some 150 miles, I decided to go with an econobox with a manual transmission and save some money.  It all worked out, but it sure was interesting.

I was given a Kia Picanto, a small car with shape that is angular in some areas and jellybean like in others.  It’s a spartan vehicle.

It takes no time to get used to this car and its controls.  Anymore, the windows, door locks, and mirrors are electrically adjusted, even in the smallest of cars.  The seats are adjusted by a large metal lever placed under the front seat.  There is another lever underneath the steering column to operate the tilt steering wheel feature. 

The Kia Picanto powerplant is a small 1 liter 3-cylinder engine and, since these 3 cylinders sit in one cylinder block, the engine is dynamically balanced.  (I’m thinking of the early odd-firing Buick 231 V6 before they offset the crankshaft journals to smooth it out.)  The transmission is a 5-speed manual.  I had to take what I could get.  I often wish that the R gear was off on its own, outside of the “H” to one side, and 5^th gear was also outside of the “H” and on the other side.  This prevents possible shifts from 5 to 2 instead of the intended 5 to 4, for example.  The clutch operated nicely, and it was almost impossible to have the clutch slip and stall the vehicle.  This only happened once in a week.  That said, I took to driving this little Kia and it went along with getting back on a bicycle.  It all comes back to you.

The biggest demerit is that it’s not that powerful.  Its engine under 70 horses.  It’s fine off the line for everyday driving in a small town and maybe working up through the gears.  However, to speed up on a major highway with the maximum speed limits, the rpms and noise go way up, yet it picks up speed very slowly, especially if on a grade, and even a minor one.  That said, this is not the car you want to pass other cars in or, if you do it, it requires generous “margins.”

With a small engine, the Kia Picanto’s fuel consumption is low.  Keeping to 90 to 100 km on the open road instead of 110 to 120 km makes for better fuel economy.

The steering is nimble and what the tires are doing is felt.  In fact, there is little isolation.  The car is fairly noisy and especially when trying to pick up speed on the highway, or simply maintaining higher speeds on the highway.  Harsher roads and pavement imperfections can come through as jolts. The handling is mostly acceptable, but it should not inspire confidence.  One needs to slow down on curves and in cloverleafs because you can sense that this car is not pinned down.  It has its limits.

The build quality is acceptable for the price point.  The materials are not top drawer, but they seem to be assembled reasonably well.  The seating surfaces are on the harder side and suitable for everyday driving but probably not for long trips.  There is no console.  The best aspect of the cabin might be the simplicity of the dashboard and controls for those who dislike complex cars or people who need to jump into a rental and go.

Are you looking for an entry level car to get around in at an entry level price that will function as your personal go kart?  If so, this is what the Kia Picanto is.  Incidentally, Picanto is a funny name and its sort of a Kia quirk.  With Kia’s Sorento, the name seems to be derived from the Italian seaside resort of Sorrento, yet they’ve omitted the second “r.”  With the Picanto, the name approximates the Spanish word “picante,” which means spicy, and it was morphed to Picanto. I noticed that immediately.

For a short while and for short- to medium-haul driving, the Kia Picanto can make for some high school or college fun … or driving experiences akin to that.  You can look at this car as “less is more,” along with being cheap to buy and operate.  However, other consumers may require more than what this subcompact offers.

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PHOTOS FORTHCOMING

EXTERIOR

Side view of the car in a small town on the coast of the western Algarve

View of the car adjacent to the beach in a fishing village on the south coast of the Algarve

Front angled view

Rear angled view

INTERIOR

Simple interior and dashboard with symmetry and things easy and predictable to reach and operate; there is no console and I'm not sure there was a fold-down armrest for the driver as is the case in some small cars

The infotainment and climate control areas work well and the vents distribute climate controlled air effectively

Things come full circle - the vent at the far right (and far left) made for a chuckle - its shape is like something from an older AMC vehicle or perhaps a larger Chrysler that one of my mom's friends hailing from Brooklyn, NY would have driven once transplanted to "the Coast"

Being a subcompact, rear seat legroom is not generous

The fit and finish is acceptable and, upon getting in, the headrests are immediately pushed down for maximum visibility

With its slightly rounded shape, seeing around the rear sail panel was not too difficult, something that is definitely appreciated

The trunk is small, but it handles several suitcases better than does something like a Chevy Spark or Smart car, where the depth is minimal ... also, the cover for the trunk is integral and something you want when traveling

Edited September 7, 20232 yr by trinacriabob

MECHANICAL

The engine bay is simple and easy to work on - most things are within reach (the fluids, the battery, etc.)

The engine shroud foretells that there is a small engine beneath it

Counting the exhaust manifolds tells one that there is a 3-cylinder engine powering the car