News / 6 June 2025 / Michael Taylor

More affordable Kia Picanto launched in South Africa – Pricing and features

Kia has quietly added a new member to the Picanto family in South Africa.

The new unit is the LS, which is positioned as the entry-level model for the hatchback series with a starting price of R236,995 – R24,000 less than the previous base model – the LX.

Engine

The LS is exclusively sold with a 1.0-litre naturally aspirated petrol engine, which puts out 49kW and 95Nm.

This can be paired with either a five-speed manual or a four-speed automatic gearbox, which connects to the front wheels.

The manual version achieves an average fuel consumption of 5.1l/100km, while the auto has a fractionally better usage of 5.0l/100km.

Features

Since the LS is priced lower than the LX, it’s understandable that one or two features have been shaved off the car’s spec sheet.

It’s really not that much, however, as the LS has ditched the leather steering wheel in favour of a polyurethane one, and the rear seat bench no longer has a 60:40 split.

Aside from these changes, the LS is identical to the now mid-range LX, which means you can expect 14-inch steel wheels with plastic covers, a multifunction steering wheel, remote central locking, black cloth upholstery, manual aircon, a reverse camera, four speakers, ABS, two front airbags, and an 8.0-inch infotainment screen with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto.

As a reminder, the higher-spec EX units feature 14-inch alloy wheels, an occupant alert for the rear seats, armrest storage, a 4.2-inch driver’s display, automatic headlights, two more speakers, electronic stability control, and hill-start assist.

The top-end EX+ then adds larger 15-inch alloys, automatic climate control, two-tone black-and-grey artificial leather upholstery, push-button start, and rear parking sensors.