Kia Picanto X-Line unveiled, 1.0L turbo with 99 hp & 172 Nm, 4.5L/100km



Also making an appearance at Kia Motor’s booth at the 2017 Frankfurt Motor Show (IAA) is a jacked up, forced induction version of the third-generation Kia Picanto, the Picanto X-Line.

Since its debut, Kia has sold 31,827 units of the supermini in the first half of 2017 and quickly became one of the brand’s best-selling model globally. The Picanto X-Line will help to further bolster sales in Europe with its rugged appearance and superior performance.

Unlike the standard Picanto which carries an Eco-friendly 1.0-litre engine, the X-Line gets a more powerful 1.0-litre turbocharged three-cylinder T-GDI engine that outputs 99 hp and 172 Nm of torque. This allows the lightweight supermini to sprint from 0 to 100 km/h in just 10.1 seconds. Rated fuel economy on the blown mill is a commendable 4.5L/100 km.

Visually, the X-Line gets a noticeably more aggressive appearance compared to the standard GT-Line. Kia has introduced a series of cosmetic enhancements to give the little car an SUV attitude such as new bumpers with metal skid plates, additional intake opening at the front bumper, contrasting lime green highlights (silver available too) and black cladding around the wheel arches.

Kia has also raised the overall ride height by 15 mm on the X-Line to give it additional ground clearance and accentuate the imposing SUV vibe. Other than that, standard equipment on the X-Line dittos the high-specification GT-Line.

Safety wise, the Picanto X-Line gets six-airbags (seven airbags available as an option), Vehicle Stability Management with Electronic Stability Control and Autonomous Emergency Braking. It’s only a matter of time before the all-new Picanto is officially launched in Malaysia, perhaps you can draw some modification inspiration from this beefed-up X-Line?