2012 Kia Picanto at 2011 Geneva Auto Show

The 2012 Picanto is accessible with a choice between three engines and two transmissions. The base engine is a 1.0-liter three-cylinder unit that's obtainable in two forms; a traditional gas burner and a bi-fuel version that runs on Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) and gasoline. The standard gas version produces 68 horsepower at 6,200 rpm and 70 pound-feet of torque at 3,500 rpm. The bi-fuel unit generates 81 horsepower at 6,400 rpm and 69 pound-feet of torque at 3,500 rpm.

A larger 1.25-liter inline-four is also available, which produces 83 horsepower at 6,000 rpm and 89 pound-feet of torque at 4,000 rpm. All three engines are mated to a five-speed manual gearbox and a four-speed automatic is optional with the four-cylinder. Those manual transmissions and tiny engines help the Picanto achieve excellent fuel economy. The 1.25-liter model goes nearly 28 km per litre in mixed driving while the 1.0-liter Kia nets 29 km/l. The bi-fuel engine achieves 20 km/l but only emits 90-g/km of C02, when equipped with Intelligent Stop and Go (ISG).