Picanto lives up to its promise

FUEL ECONOMY: HATCH ONLY SIPS 5.2 LITRES PER 100KM

- Jaco van der Merwe

The fuel consumption figures that car manufacturers claim are very seldom achieved in real life.

In other words, they are usually too good to be true. The system used to determine a car's fuel consumption is outdated. It may look good on paper, but once the car is subject to a good mix bumper to bumper traffic and some spirited acceleration with the air-conditioner at full blast over extended periods, it started going pear-shaped.

Therefore, we like to add two to whatever number of litres per 100km a carmaker gives us as a rule of thumb for a more accurate indication.

But ever so often, the maths is matching when it comes to fuel consumption.

A prime example being our long-term Kia Picanto EX.

The Korean manufacturer claims this little city slicker should only sip 5l/100km.