Kia Picanto, the sportier version of the immensely popular Hyundai i10, has been sighted many times without any coverings in India in the past one year when the car was on test rounds. Kia, the global partner of Hyundai, has always said that it may foray into the domestic market in coming times, though there it had no concrete plans regarding this. However, a flurry of Picanto sightings has fuelled speculation that the hatchback may be coming to India, though there has been no official word about it.
Features and specifications of the i10 present in India and the Picanto sold globally are almost the same. However, Kia's hatchback looks sportier than Hyundai's car and its attractive exteriors will make it an instant head-turner on Indian roads. It shares the 1.2 L Kappa2 petrol engine with variable valve timing with the i10, though a smaller 1 L, 3 cylinder petrol variant of the model is also available internationally. The hatchback from Kia has been testing without any covers in India for the past few weeks. This is contrary to Hyundai's secretive approach, wherein it usually keeps the lid on its cars till they are officially unveiled.
It cannot be ruled out that the car is only doing test rounds in India, though it may be destined for some other markets. Renault Modus is an example of this, as the model underwent several test rounds in the vicinity of Chennai, leading many to believe that the car was aimed at the domestic market. However, the French auto giant later said that Modus was going through a series of global testing rounds, putting an end to the speculation.
The lack of an official statement from Hyundai or Kia has made the situation more confusing, with no clarity whether Picanto is headed for or just being visiting the country for tests. Hyundai India has not responded to any queries regarding the domestic launch of Kia Picanto yet.
