When talking about the Pakistani automobile market, while the introduction of crossovers and SUVs is seen as good news, the real attraction for the majority of the population of the country is the less expensive cars in the city cars section such as Suzuki Cultus and KIA Picanto.
Currently, both of them are major options that compete with each other in the 1000CC section of the auto market. Suzuki Cultus has been in Pakistan for a long time, but the Japanese automaker has recently updated its exterior, giving more features than the veteran model Pakistanis drove for a long time.
On the other hand, KIA, the new South Korean automobile manufacturer launched its competitor for a much-demanded cultus with its Picanto in 2018.
In the beginning, the S. Korean brand did not take off, as people in this category of cars are risk-averse due to them spending a huge chunk of their money in buying a car, and they would trust a known brand, Suzuki, rather than the new one. However, with the brand getting a positive response in the crossover section, people gained trust.
Also, other reasons for the increased demand in 2020 were the fact that Suzuki Cultus was usually costing people more than the original prices due to the ON Mafia’s extra cost. Moreover, the production of cultus halted during the time, leaving Picanto as the alternative for the people.
The comparison between Cultus VXL AGS and Picanto Automatic, the top-most variants of both brands, is based on the facts from Pakwheels, the trustworthy automobile website.
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Exterior
As we all know already, among both cars, Suzuki’s cultus is slightly bigger than its South Korean counterpart.
Starting from Length, Cultus is 5 mm larger than Picanto with 3600mm and 3595mm length, respectively.
Comparing the width of both cars, Cultus is again 5 mm wider, with Cultus at 1600mm and Picanto measuring 1595mm.
The difference in height is 50mm, with cultus 1540mm high and Picanto being 1490mm high.
Lastly, comparing the wheelbase, the distance between the front and rear wheels, the Cultus measures 2425mm and Picanto measures 2385mm.
Prices
According to the official sites of the vehicles in Pakistan as of 22nd April, Suzuki Cultus AGS costs Rs2,130,000, and the Picanto Automatic costs Rs. 2,049,000. This makes the KIA’s Picanto cheaper by 81 thousand rupees.
When Pakwheels published their blog, Suzuki cultus costed much lesser at 2,050,000. According to Pakwheels, Picanto doesn’t come with alloy rims and a touchscreen infotainment system. However, one can get these features from the KIA dealership, but alloy rims will cost an additional Rs55,000, while the price of the infotainment system is Rs35,000.
Similarly, the Suzuki website mentions in the footnote, “*Accessories are not included in the standard model”, however, it is unclear what is missing in the car.
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Engine
It has been already established that the Picanto and Cultus both are 1000cc cars, however, the Picanto is a 4-speed automatic transmission while Cultus has a 5-speed Automatic transmission.
Safety
The Picanto and Cultus both have dual airbags, power windows, and keyless entry and anti-lock systems. The side-view mirrors are auto and heated for Picanto while Cultus doesn’t have heated mirrors. Cultus does not have rear wipers, unlike Picanto.
Interior and Infotainment
Kia’s Picanto has lesser rear legroom compared to Suzuki’s Cultus. The infotainment in the former is optional. Other than that, both have power steering, and the rest of the key features are similar.
Built Quality and Comfort:
According to Pakwheels, Picanto’s built quality and driver comfort are better than its competitor’s making it a good choice for the long journey as a driver. However, the compromised space in the rear mustn’t be forgotten.
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If MG launches its MG3 at the prices teased by MG Pakistan’s owner, under Rs2,000,000, the car would be a huge competitor for these two cars dominating the compact hatchback sector of the country.