New Upgrades

Over the past few months, the Picanto's received some new upgrades such as these:

SULED LED Side Repeater Arrows (Php 1,500.00)

FIAMM AM80S Horns (Php 1,035.00)

Hyundai-Kia Mobis LED Reflectors (Php 6,000.00)

Special thanks to GCAS Mobis and Roadstar @ Fort Global City.

Lost in Luzon Part 2: Baguio

16 November 2013 - Subic was a breeze with the SCTEX's long, straight roads, but the next road trip was a greater challenge. The journey to Baguio consists of the North Luzon Expressway (NLEX), Subic-Clark-Tarlac Expressway (SCTEX) northbound, a completed portion of the Tarlac-Pangasinan-La Union Expressway (TPLEX), and the MacArthur Highway before climbing the treacherous Kennon Road. Many portions of th MacArthur Highway are under heavy construction, with sections limited to a single lane. Kennon Road is known for its steep uphill climbs and twisty turns. Yet despite its small size and engine, the Picanto was able to reach Baguio Country Club without a hitch, even with the aircon on. The trip computer read a travel distance of 244.3 km, a fuel consumption rate of 5.9 l/100 (16.95 km/l), and a travel time of 5 hours 6 minutes.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0pHTipZMXuU

After spending the weekend shopping and horseback riding, it was time to go back home. Here's a video of the downhill trip.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9ov9S0VKXfw

Upon returning to Quezon City, the trip computer read a travel distance of 495.3 km, a fuel range of 87 km remaining, a fuel consumption rate of 5.6 l/100 (17.86 km/l), and a total travel time of 10 hours 15 minutes.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jybVgSvUCgc

With this trip, the Picanto has achieved a new fuel economy record. Proof that it can hold its own in long distance driving as much as it can in the city.

Where to next? Stay tuned.

Special thanks to Baguio Country Club.

Lost in Luzon Part 1: Subic Freeport Zone

28 October, 2013 - I took a trip from Quezon City to Subic Freeport Zone to test the Picanto's top speed and highway fuel economy. The route to Subic involves the North Luzon Expressway (NLEX) northbound and Subic-Clark-Tarlac Expressway (SCTEX) southbound. While on SCTEX, I was able to do a top speed of 185 kph. The video below was shot at around 160 kph.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QV9ETXqHwes

Upon arrival at my hotel, I checked the Picanto's trip computer, which logged in a trip distance of 142.4 km, a fuel consumption rate of 7.1 l/100 (14.08 km/l), and a travel time of 1 hour 34 minutes. Time to drop off the bags and go sightseeing.

I took the trip back to Makati using the same route, but maintaining a maximum speed of 120 kph to improve the fuel economy. Upon my arrival, the trip computer read a total trip distance of 332.7 km, approx fuel range of 162 km, a fuel consumption of 6.2 l/100 (16.13 km/l), and a total travel time of 5 hours 9 minutes. Overall, I'm completely satisfied with the Picanto's performance on long-distance trips.

Next destination: Baguio.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F8qMYReJoBc

Special thanks to Grand Hoyah Hotel.

More New Toys

This month, I picked up a Sparco Antenna & Wheel Valve Caps set (Php 599.75 @ Blade). 

The black aluminum antenna is significantly shorter than the stock rubber unit.

The set comes with a micro screwdriver and two screw attachments to fit any antenna mount.

The wheel valve caps are equally stunning, with their chrome finish and the 'S' logo on the top. A tiny screw on the side can be adjusted to ensure they don't slip off your tires.

New Picanto Lineup

Kia Motors Philippines has revamped the Picanto lineup. The 1.0 A/T and 1.2 M/T have been discontinued, while the 1.2 A/T will hit showrooms soon. Therefore, the current Picanto will be offered in two variants:

• 1.0 Manual = Php 555,000
• 1.2 Automatic = Php 629,000

The following colors are available on all variants except where noted:

• Signal Red
• Clear White
• Bright Silver (new)
• Titanium Silver
• Cafe Mocha (new)
• Galaxy Black
• Lemon Grass (1.0 M/T only)

In addition, the 1.2 A/T will not come with the options found in the outgoing 1.2 M/T, such as LED daytime running lights, LED taillights, chrome door handles, driver's side airbag, leather steering wheel and shift knob, etc. Instead, it will be similarly equipped as the outgoing 1.0 A/T.

The new Picanto models are now available at your nearest Kia dealer.

Carcam Portable Car Camcorder Demo

Video demo of the Carcam Portable Car Camcorder. Filmed on Metro Manila Skyway southbound.

Notes:
1. Video format for the car camera is .AVI using motion JPEG encoding, which is archaic by modern standards.
2. A Class 4 32GB micro SD card was used to film the video; hence the jittery quality.
3. The camera is not true HD, as the recording format is 1280 x 960 (not 1280 x 720 or 1920 x 1080) and there is no HDMI port.
4. Microphone was disabled in this recording, as it's rubbish. The music you hear is whatever YouTube has on their playlist.

Still shots photographed using a Canon PowerShot SX230 HS. Edited in 720p HD with Camtasia Studio 8.

Special thanks to:
Blade Auto Center

Video © 2013 Area Seven Productions

Picanto 1.2 EX Discontinued in PH

Bad News: According to Kia Motors Global City, the Picanto 1.2 EX has been discontinued in the Philippine market. This is due to slow sales in comparison to the 1.0 manual and automatic models. Picanto 1.2 EX models are a rare sight; I've only seen six (not including mine) on the road over the past year.

And so, as a tribute to the 1.2, here's my latest slideshow: