2018 Kia Picanto X-Line dresses up as pseudo-crossover

At the 2017 Frankfurt Motor Show, Kia revealed the Picanto X-Line as the most powerful Picanto variant, with a 98 hp engine. But instead of giving it a hot-hatch frock, Kia decided to dress it up in a butch crossover costume.

The engine that powers the Kia Picanto X-Line is a 3-cylinder turbocharged 1.0-litre petrol unit that develops 98 horses and 172 Nm of torque. This new engine will power the tiny Picanto from 0 to 100 kph in just over 10 seconds. On the other hand, the Picanto returns an impressive fuel efficiency of just 4.5 litres/100 km in European form.

With black plastic cladding for the wheel arches, rugged skid plates on both bumpers and 15 millimeters increase in the ride height, the suit worn by the Picanto X-Line resembles a crossover SUV than a hot hatch. The grille and fog lamp inserts get lime green detailing which can be swapped for silver if green doesn’t float your boat.

Inside, the Picanto X-Line gets a leather-finished flat-bottom steering wheel with green stitching. A 7-inch infotainment system comes with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto along with a rear parking camera system.

It is not known at this time if the Picanto X-Line will be offered in the UAE and GCC.