Daily driving
Touring & eco
With economy-tier power and daily driving, your tyres have an easy life. Spend on wet braking and longevity, not outright grip.
Best tyres for the Kia Picanto 1.2
The Kia Picanto 1.2 is a front-wheel drive car with 62 kW and a kerb weight of 1,000 kg. That’s 62 kW per tonne, in the economy tier. City cars, small hatches, workhorse utes and big 4x4s. The tyres have an easy life.
Power-to-weight
62kW/t
- hp/t
- 83
- kg/kW
- 16.1
- lb/hp
- 26.5
- 0–100 est.
- ≈ 12.4 s
Under the P-plate limit. Comfortably under the 130 kW/t limit for P-platers in NSW, Victoria and Queensland (under-25s). Engine modifications or a banned listing can still rule a car out. P-plate rules
Recommended tyres by how you drive
For a mild, wet climate. Cold and snowy climates are further down.
Spirited road driving
Grand touring
Economy-tier power and spirited road driving is grand-touring territory: strong wet grip and comfort without paying for grip you'll never use.
Road + occasional track days
Ultra-high performance summer
Economy-tier power starts to overwhelm touring rubber, especially in the wet. UHP tyres add the braking and steering you need and still last.
- Michelin Pilot Sport 5PremiumTyroola
- Goodyear Eagle F1 Asymmetric 6PremiumTyroola
- Hankook Ventus S1 evo3Mid-rangeTyroola
- Toyo Proxes Sport 2Mid-rangeTyroola
Also consider: optional track set, extreme 200TW.
What to look for on the sidewall
- Speed rating
- Typically T or H. T covers up to 190 km/h.
- Load index
- At least 77 (412 kg per tyre). Your placard may ask for more.
- Treadwear (UTQG)
- 500–800 for touring tyres; expect 50,000–80,000 km.
Estimates from power and weight. The tyre placard on the driver’s door jamb is the legal minimum.
Touring & eco: character
- Dry grip
- 2 out of 5
- Wet grip
- 3 out of 5
- Below 7 °C
- 3 out of 5
- Snow & ice
- 1 out of 5
- Quiet & comfort
- 4 out of 5
- Tread life
- 5 out of 5
- Efficiency
- 5 out of 5
In cold or snowy climates
Cold winters, little snow
Your tyre: All-season / all-weather
Michelin CrossClimate 2 · Michelin Pilot Sport All Season 4 · Continental AllSeasonContact 2
If you'd rather run summer tyres: Touring & eco
Michelin Energy XM2+ · Continental EcoContact 7 · Bridgestone Ecopia EP300
Snow and ice
Summer set: Touring & eco
Michelin Energy XM2+ · Continental EcoContact 7 · Bridgestone Ecopia EP300
Winter set: Winter
Michelin Pilot Alpin 5 · Nokian Hakkapeliitta R5 · Bridgestone Blizzak LM005
If you want one set: All-season / all-weather
Michelin CrossClimate 2 · Michelin Pilot Sport All Season 4 · Continental AllSeasonContact 2
Things to know about the Picanto 1.2
Front-wheel drive
Your front tyres do the steering, braking and driving, so they wear faster. Rotate front to rear every 10,000 km to keep wear even.
Buying only two?
Put the new pair on the rear axle, even on a front-driver. Grippy rears keep the car stable when braking or cornering in the wet; worn rears are what cause spins.
Quick answers
What is the power-to-weight ratio of the Kia Picanto 1.2?
62 kW per tonne (83 hp per tonne), from 62 kW and a 1,000 kg kerb weight. That puts it in ratio's Economy tier.
What tyres should I buy for my Kia Picanto 1.2?
For everyday driving, touring & eco tyres. Good options include the Michelin Energy XM2+, Continental EcoContact 7, Bridgestone Ecopia EP300. Always match or exceed the load index and speed rating on the car's tyre placard.
Can P-platers drive the Kia Picanto 1.2?
On power-to-weight, yes: at 62 kW per tonne it is under the 130 kW/t limit for P-platers in NSW, Victoria and Queensland. Engine modifications can still make a car off-limits.
What speed rating does the Kia Picanto 1.2 need?
Cars in the Economy tier typically run T or H-rated tyres. The legal minimum is whatever your placard, on the driver's door jamb, specifies.