JUST when the subcompact wars have gotten almost as interesting as mainstream boxing, a pint-sized contender emerges from its corner with an arsenal that’s seemingly aimed at opponents beyond its weight class, and it’s actually looking like it could almost cross over for a bigger match.  Some of you might’ve already seen it mixing it up with the subcompacts on the road, but this writer just has to recount a peculiar meet ’n’ greet with the feisty little one, in one of the most exotic of locations… Istanbul, Turkey—where it actually took its kid gloves off.

Head of marketing for Columbian Autocar Corp.  Palermo “Boying” Soriano took a small audience almost halfway around the globe to go meet Kia’s latest super lightweight, the all-new Picanto. This writer was privileged to be part of that audience, along with James Deakin of C! Magazine, and Botchi Santos of Top Gear Magazine.  Boying planned the trip precisely so that we’d arrive a full day early for the launch and actual test drive, so we could leisurely experience Istanbul in all its famous glory.

Our first Turkish morning started with an early breakfast, after which we were whisked by bus to one of the city’s world-famous attractions, the Blue Mosque.  Built in the 16th century by Sultan Ahmed, it earned its namesake from the breathtakingly intricate tile work that engulfs its massive ceiling made up of a cluster of domes.  Already there was what looked like an endless throng of tourists, all gazing in awe at its innate beauty. The next stop was the even more impressive and ancient Hagia Sophia, that dates all the way back to the sixth century.  It was the largest cathedral until 1592 when it was converted into a mosque.  Now an awe-inspiring museum, it’s unique in the fact that both Christian mosaics and Islamic symbols can be seen side by side under a single gigantic roof.  One would most likely end up with a stiff neck from gazing upwards for so long.  Having our fill of fantastic sights even before our memory cards did, we were all set for the next day’s “biggest” attraction.

With dozens of other members of the motoring press from 17 different countries, we headed straight into what was a free-for-all “pick one ’n’ jump in” Picanto fest in a parking lot near a posh marina.  The big group of eager drivers were divided into clusters of two, escorted by big bike-riding marshals that gave each two-man team leeway for some unrestricted test driving.  Dicing the Istanbul city streets was not much different from Manila, where you’ll have to be slightly brazen.  Leave a large enough gap and you’ll find someone zipping into your intended “personal space” quite quickly.  You’ll also have to keep the pace or get out of the way, for you’ll get your healthy share of honkers and tailgaters as well...and that made us feel right at home.  Good choice, we exclaimed regarding the location of the media drive, for Istanbul was as exotic as it could get for us Pinoys, yet it showcased the car in its best element.

For the sake of classification, the Picanto falls under the “Micro Car” category, which is a notch higher than the Smart ForTwo, but below the subcompact Honda Jazz, for example.  It’s going head to head with the likes of the Hyundai i10, the Chevrolet Spark and the Suzuki Alto…or is it?  We haven’t gotten far from where we rolled out, and we already had plenty of reasons to rave about Kia’s mighty miniature just from a visual scan.  First off, my codriver James, who’s at least 6 feet tall, had very ample head and legroom, and the rear seats’ space did not seem compromised in any way.  A start-stop button rests prominently on the dash, next to a full-sized, two-spoke steering wheel with integrated controls for the audio system and Bluetooth telephony.  It’s got iPod, auxiliary and USB connectivity for its six-speaker in-dash CD audio system, six airbags (!), 60:40 split and fold-flat rear seats, a moon-roof… the only thing that could’ve turned us off is if it didn’t start.  Well it did shut down while we were on idle, but automatically restarted upon stepping on the throttle, to our delight. It’s powered by a 998-cc three-cylinder Kappa engine… and it has a fuel-saving engine cut-off feature. There were lots of grins and nods early on in that drive, but did it have any go?

The moment we broke away from the Manila-esque traffic, we proceeded to firmly accelerate on what looked like Istanbul’s NLEX. The gears of the five-speed manual gearbox were well spaced, and we hit 120 kph with nary a complaint from under the hood.  The Picanto felt remarkably stable, and easily kept its composure despite the sudden tugs and twitches we subjected it to, and at 130 kph we felt it still had some to give without straining itself.  Leafing through its brochure, er, after the drive, unraveled more of its features that by that time had us perplexed.  Vehicle stability management, and electronic stability control, as its acronyms translate, complement ABS & EBD.  But even hill-start assist control?  This writer will have to cease from gushing now at the risk of diluting his objectivity.

Several of the features that come standard with the Picanto aren’t even offered as options to some subcompacts, and they’re supposed to be hop-ups from this category.  It’s good to know that auto manufacturers are now shifting their priorities, channeling a bigger chunk of their resources toward developing better smaller cars.  Now if they’d be priced as smart as they’re put together, then we’re headed for a better world of motoring indeed. Truly, the dawn of the dominant diminutive drive has arrived, and the Picanto is leading it.