Facelifted 2023 Kia Picanto retains sub-$20K starting price

The facelifted 2023 Kia Picanto micro-car will be priced from $17,890 plus on-road costs when it arrives Down Under in the coming weeks, marking a $1600 entry price hike over the model it replaces.

Of course, that new opening figure applies to the entry-level Sport manual, which replaces the S variant, while the automatic version will cost $19,490 plus ORCs – again representing a $1600 increase over the outgoing version.

As we’ve previously reported, the flagship GT turbo has been axed from Kia’s global Picanto line-up and the facelifted city-hatch range will now be topped by the sports-themed GT-Line, Australian pricing for which starts at $19,690 in manual guise and $21,290 in automatic form.

These numbers equate to a more substantial $1950 price rise compared to the GT-Line’s predecessor – or more than a 10 per cent increase – however, the new model is being treated to a raft of significant upgrades which will likely ease the pain for a lot of buyers.

Kia Australia is yet to formally announce the new Picanto’s local pricing – we sourced these numbers independently – or its local specification details, but previously confirmed upgrades at a global level include more advanced driver aids and active safety features, a stiffer chassis and body, and a new 8.0-inch floating infotainment system with multi-connection Bluetooth and Kia Connect compatibility.

A new five-speed automated manual transmission is also on the cards for some markets, but carsales understands the existing four-speed torque converter auto will be retained Down Under, along with the familiar five-speed manual and an unchanged 1.2-litre four-cylinder petrol engine.

Sadly, that means the upgraded 2023 Kia Picanto will carry on with the same 62kW/122Nm outputs as before and won’t score the expected efficiency boost associated with the new transmission.

Full Australian details of the new two-grade, four-variant Kia Picanto line-up is anticipated to be released next week, when we’ll update this report with all the relevant details.

Despite the price increases, the Picanto remains one of just two models still retailing in Australia for less than $20,000.

The other one is the aged MG3 light hatch, which sells in the segment above the pint-size Kia and will finally be replaced by a new – and almost certainly more expensive – hybrid model in 2024.

How much does the 2023 Kia Picanto cost?
Sport – $17,890 (+$1600)
Sport (a) – $19,490 (+$1600)
GT-Line – $19,690 (+$1950)
GT-Line (a) – $21,290 (+$1950)
* Prices exclude on-road costs

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