We’ve been waiting for the Kia Picanto GT Line, the top-of-the-line variant of the competent, likeable city car, ever since a purported brochure for the car showed up in June last year. Now, Naza Kia has finally confirmed that the car has gone on sale, priced at RM57,888 on-the-road without insurance.
Yes, that’s a whole RM8,000 more the standard EX variant, but you get a whole lot more for your money. It’s very well-equipped indeed, matching the car that was previewed at the Kuala Lumpur International Motor Show (KLIMS) last November. For a start, it’s fitted with the sportier exterior design that typically comes with the GT Line badge.
These include a larger lower grille with integrated fog lights, deeper side skirts and an aggressive rear diffuser design with twin exhaust exits. You’ll also get 16-inch eight-spoke alloy wheels in a two-tone finish, plus contrasting accents for the grille, front intakes, side skirts and rear diffuser (the show car had red highlights). Inside, there’s a leather-wrapped flat-bottomed steering wheel and two-tone leather seats.
The GT Line also gets plenty of added kit over the EX – a sunroof, a Supervision instrument cluster, automatic air-conditioning, a front armrest, an illuminated vanity mirror, cruise control and a tyre pressure monitoring system are all present and correct.
That’s before you get to safety, where the GT Line receives autonomous emergency braking (AEB), putting it on equal footing with the RM54,090 Perodua Myvi 1.5 AV. That’s on top of all the already impressive safety kit that comes as standard, which includes six airbags, ABS with EBD and brake assist, stability control, hill start assist and ISOFIX rear child seat anchors.
Other items carried over from the EX include automatic projector halogen headlights with LED daytime running lights, LED taillights, keyless entry, push-button start, a reverse camera, six speakers and a seven-inch touchscreen infotainment system with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto compatibility.
Despite the hotted-up looks, the GT Line is powered by the same engine as the EX – a 1.2 litre Kappa II naturally-aspirated four-cylinder engine that makes 84 PS at 6,000 rpm and 122 Nm at 4,000 rpm. This is mated to a four-speed automatic transmission that drives the front wheels.
The standard Picanto EX held its own against the Myvi and the updated Proton Iriz in our Driven Web Series comparison last year – watch the video below to see how it fared.
GALLERY: Kia Picanto GT Line at KLIMS 2018
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The real game changer, habisla iriz!
Iriz is 1 segmen upper then picanto
I don’t see why. Iriz is an old model and it has recouped the development cost long ago. Myvi OTOH, is still not making money because 90% of profits need to sponsor Japan. So until today Perodua sales still not making profits for them only for Japan.
Abesla Myvi! With such attractive pricing and features. Who will want to buy it anymore. Even Picanto AEB works up to 80 km/h unlike that fake AEB used by Myvi only works up to 30 km/h.
Myvi rival…
Habis la
No manual transmission or paddle shifters?
Manual transmission no need paddle shifters! 4 speed auto.. Paddle shifter is for what?
i driven one this before on the SOCAR for 2 hours free.
i want to say that is a very very very good car, the suspension setup and the NVH were pretty good. U will forget u r driving a small car.
i doubt this GT can even beat a Jazz hybrid in performance wise. it’s no near any GT level.
All of your Hongdang cars have a speed of light is it?
Habis lah Saga and Persona. Who will buy both these cars when you got this Picanto. See the safety spec….Proton hangus!
This Ki wipe Proton clean!
Wow! Incredible car!
Too late Kia. Thousands of Malaysians myself included have bought the Latest Myvi AV spec with the Vios engine inside. LOL. Bye2 KIA Piccanto.
Smart boy. buy myvi at rm55k, get a vios in disguise worth rm87k. we need more ppl like you in bolehland.
Funny that other kia cars excluding picanto didn’t had AEB at any variant and yet pricier than picanto.. WTH
That is awfully true. I was comparing this car and Rio, and now I think this car is a much better option than their more expensive models.
GT?? Rather insulting using the moniker….
cruise control and sunroof….some “premium” cars don even have those
If the interior has red stitching instead of white, it will definitely look very sporty.
Is this car cbu or ckd?
Good value, the previous gen was only a few k cheaper but does not have this impressive kit.