2021 Kia Picanto facelift – Korean-market model leaked

Following a European sighting of the upcoming Kia Picanto facelift in GT Line guise, images of the little Korean hatchback have been leaked, here wearing the Morning nameplate that it goes by in its domestic and selected overseas markets, as found found by Korean Car Blog.

The visual cues on this domestic model appear to mirror those seen on the unit spotted at a commercial shoot in Frankfurt, where the lower edge ofthe ‘tiger nose’ grille is extrapolated into the headlamps by a matching silver insert on each side. The Korean market car here wears a pair of silver bars across the grille, instead of red on the European model.

Here, the headlamps’ four-point LED daytime running lights appear as illuminated, and the front end is completed by a front bumper identical to the European car’s, with foglamps within silver housings.Similarly, its gloss black lower grille trim runs the width of the lower grille, and extends towards the side intakes.

This is also our first view of the facelifted Picanto’s rear end that is shorn of disguise, which shows a more stylised main tail lamp element for each side, the lower sections continuing to accentuate the curve towards the tailgate’s lower shutline. The rear bumper’s vent sculpting somewhat reflects those of the front intakes, while the twin trapezoidal exhaust housings also play on the look of the foglamp housings in front.

The wheels on this yellow example also appear to resemble the machine-finished, eight-spoke set on the European car. Korean Car Blog cites Kia’s three-and-a-half model lifecycle for the Picanto, which points to the hatchback’s European market debut at the end of this year or early in 2021, it said.

Business as usual is expected in terms of powertrain choices for the Picanto, which should continue to feature a 67 PS/96 Nm 1.0 litre three-cylinder and a 84 PS/122 Nm 1.25 litre four-cylinder engine on the naturally aspirated front. A 100 PS/172 Nm turbocharged, direct-injected 1.0 litre three-pot is expected too, and the range of engines should be paired with either a five-speed manual or four-speed automatic.

GALLERY: 2021 Kia Picanto spyshots

Looking to sell your car? Sell it with Carro.