Next Kia Picanto leaked

An image of Kia's all-new, next generation Picanto has been leaked online ahead of its official launch at the Geneva motor show.

On sale globally in 2017 following an unveiling at the Swiss show in March, the third-generation Picanto appears to be shaping up to be far sportier than the current car.

SHowing a large open air-dam beneath Kia's familiar 'Tiger' nose, if you didn’t know it was a supermini, this first picture could be of a far faster hot hatch.

Developed side-by-side with the next Hyundai i10 (that's never been sold Down Under), both cars will share engines and transmissions.

The single image, unearthed by Kia fan site kia-world.net, also accompanied a short video of a heavily disguised prototype testing on what's thought to be South Korean roads.

From the video it's clear the new face of the Picanto will incorporate new LED headlights and square fog lights. The short clip also seems to suggest Kia's next micro-hatch will come with rear LED lamps with a striking 'C' signature.

Under the bonnet the next Picanto is expected to carry over a development of the current car's 63kW/120Nm 1.25-litre four-cylinder that will be both cleaner and more efficient.

Topping the range is expected to be the 77kW/172Nm 1.0-litre turbocharged three-cylinder that could be combined with a seven-speed dual-clutch automatic that's used in the new Rio.

The same engine, which is available in the larger hatch with a higher 88kW output, could even provide the basis for a warm hatch-rival for the soon-to-be-launched 81kW/170Nm Renault Twingo GT that's available in Europe, but we're not getting.

Inside, expect the Picanto to have an interior that boasts far better-feeling materials than the current car. The next small Kia will also be sportier, to help distance itself from the Hyundai i10, which in other places is marketed as more of a premium alternative to the Kia.

It's not known if Australia is destined to get the next-gen Picanto. Despite currently on sale Down Under, the little Kia only arrived six months ago -- five years after it originally went on sale in places like Europe.

The huge delays were caused as Kia Australia struggled to make a viable business case for a cheap small car that continues to pose a marketing challenge in Australia.

The current Picanto is priced from just $14,995 drive-away.