First Service

According to the warranty booklet, the Picanto should be serviced every 7,500 kms. On the other hand, Kia dealers recommend 7,500 kms or 4 months, whichever comes first. It's actually been 11 months since I picked up my Picanto; and with 6,323 kms on the odometer, I'm a bit overdue.

So I dropped by Kia Motors Global City to have the Picanto take its first Preventive Maintenance Service. The old oil and filter went out, and in came a new oil filter and three quarts of ZIC A+ 5W20 fully synthetic motor oil. All of this and a complimentary car wash totaled to Php 2,045.94.

Next service is at the 15,000 km mark or six months, whichever comes first.

Let There Be Light

One of the many nifty features of the Kia Picanto 1.2 EX is its automatic lighting system. When the headlights are set to "Auto", a sensor in the front center of the dashboard detects sunlight and automatically activates the headlights and taillights at night or inside a carpark. The system can also be used to activate the headlights when the car is remotely unlocked for easier location in a parking lot.

Complementing this feature are the Picanto's LED headlights and taillights. Each headlight has six small but powerful LED bulbs clustered below the main lamp. The taillights are designed to emit a hot neon effect.

Kia Picanto Southeast Asia

For all Kia Picanto owners in Southeast Asia, here's the Facebook fan page for you:

Kia Picanto Southeast Asia

The Scent of Squash

We all love the smell of a brand-new car, but inevitably, that wonderful scent disappears over time. This gives us the opportunity to choose the way we keep our cars fresh-smelling. After two months, it was time for me to pull out an air freshener for the Picanto. And just with my previous cars, I use Air Spencer.

I've been a fan of the squash scent for over a decade, and of all the different types of scents, Marine Squash (#059019) is my personal favorite. It's a very pleasant scent that's not overpowering - even with the vent fully open. The ceramic powder form provides zero leakage and the ability to be positioned anywhere in the cabin, as well as coverage that lasts over a month.

Also recommended are Clear Squash (#059024 - a bit on the powdery side) and Sazan Squash (#059028 - a little sweeter scent).

Air Spencer is available at Concorde and Blade branches for Php 299.75. Beware of the Php 100.00 knockoff "Aspen Air" cans at Blade, though.

Air Spencer

For those in the U.S., you can order your Air Spencer at Squash Air. Aside from the Marine Squash can, I highly recommend the compact CS-X3 model.

Rainy Day Pics

Here are some new pics I took on a rainy Sunday morning in Silang, Cavite. Enjoy!

Fuel Economy Report

Over the weekend, I drove from Quezon City to Tagaytay via C-5 and Southern Luzon Expressway (SLEX). On the way back, I took SLEX and EDSA to QC before returning home in Makati via C-5. And just to prove the skeptics wrong, here's a pic of my mileage.

The whole trip was 172.7 km long, and the Picanto attained a fuel economy rating of 5.7 liters per 100 km. This equals to 17.54 km/liter. Now this is very impressive, as it's exceeded my expectations in the Picanto's fuel economy.

Why Picanto?

I'm often asked by others why I chose the Kia Picanto as my current car, given that my previous ride was a 2007 Hyundai Getz. Well, there are a few reasons:

First of all, while the Getz is a very dependable car, I had bought it second-hand, and a lot of wear-and-tear from the first owner had started to take its toll. The windshield wiper motor was actually broken before I purchased it, the rear shocks have already given in, and the paint on the trunk frame had started to peel off. Sure, I could have spent some money on getting all of these fixed, but the running costs would continue to pile up on a car that was just discontinued. And because it's no longer being produced, the Getz ended up with a trade-in value of Php 170,000 (and even lower on most other dealers).

Second, having a smaller car makes city life much easier. The Picanto is easier to park anywhere (especially in the very tight garage of my pad) and a breeze to maneuver through traffic due to its light steering and small turning radius. Plus, its light weight and efficient motor results in excellent fuel economy. Sure, I lose luggage space compared to the Getz, but I hardly ever carry anything or anyone with me.

Of course, I've considered other small cars that are significantly cheaper than the Picanto, but after going through several dealerships, here's what I found:

• Hyundai i10: Technically the same car as the Picanto, but not as good-looking and somewhat sparse in amenities.
• Hyundai Eon: While this is a great bargain, I don't think the 814 cc engine can take the daily torture of climbing the garage.
• Chevrolet Spark: Simply ugly with quirky ergonomics and GM's somewhat spotty reputation.
• Suzuki Celerio: The lack of a glove compartment is already enough to turn it down.
• Chana Benni: After seeing Chery fizzle out of the market, I'd never consider a Chinese car as an option.

In short, I chose the Picanto because it's the right car for my current needs.