KIA K2700 vs KIA Picanto Panel Van

A proper head-to-head in South Africa — we cover price, performance, petrol economy, safety and what it'll actually cost you to own each one long term.

KIA K2700 in South Africa

KIA K2700

2.7D Workhorse Tipper Diesel Manual
ZAR 404,995 ex-showroom
⚡ 56 kW 🔧 152 Nm Nm ⛽ 10.5 km/l
VS
KIA Picanto Panel Van in South Africa

KIA Picanto Panel Van

1.0 LS Panel Van Auto Petrol Automatic
ZAR 269,995 ex-showroom
⚡ 49 kW 🔧 94 Nm ⛽ 16.4 km/l
Add a 3rd car

At a Glance — Who Wins What

Performance K2700
Fuel Economy Tie
🛡 Safety Picanto Panel Van
📦 Practicality Picanto Panel Van
🔑 Ownership Tie
Picanto Panel Van starts ZAR 351995 cheaper K2700 from ZAR 351,995 · Picanto Panel Van from ZAR 249,995

Key Specs Side by Side

The specs that matter most — highlighted where one car leads.

Spec K2700 Picanto Panel Van
Engine Power 56 kW 49
Torque 152 Nm 94
Engine Size 2665 998
Claimed Mileage 10.5 16.4
Ground Clearance 195 155
Boot Space N/A 620
Airbags 0 6
Kerb Weight 1880 950
Seating Capacity 2 2
Warranty 5 7

= leads in this spec

The Overall Score — Here's How They Stack Up

🏆 Winner
#1

Picanto Panel Van

56
/ 100
+24
pts
#2

K2700

32
/ 100

Moderate difference between the models.

The Bottom Line

Picanto Panel Van holds a noticeable edge over K2700, especially in key ownership areas.

Where They Actually Differ

Performance K2700 +1 pts
Efficiency Equal
Safety Picanto Panel Van +18 pts
Practicality Picanto Panel Van +7 pts
Ownership Equal

Score Breakdown by Category

🏆 Overall Winner

Picanto Panel Van

Performance 4/20
Efficiency 0/20
Safety 18/20
Practicality 14/20
Ownership 20/20

K2700

Performance 5/20
Efficiency 0/20
Safety 0/20
Practicality 7/20
Ownership 20/20

What Each Car Gets Right (and Wrong)

K2700

Strengths
  • More powerful engine output
Weak Spots
  • Less comprehensive safety features
  • Less practical in daily usage
Best suited to: Highway Driving
🏆 Overall Winner

Picanto Panel Van

Strengths
  • Stronger safety package
  • More practical for daily use
Weak Spots
  • Less powerful engine setup
Best suited to: Family Usage

Which One's Right for You?

K2700

  • Drivers who prioritise strong highway performance and overtaking power

Picanto Panel Van

  • Families prioritising stronger safety equipment
  • Large families needing more practicality and usability

Full Specs, Side by Side

Spec K2700 Picanto Panel Van
Engine 2.7 J2 Inline-4 Diesel Naturally Aspirated 1.0L G3LA 3-Cylinder Petrol
Engine Type Inline 4 Cylinder Naturally Aspirated Diesel Inline 3 Cylinder Naturally Aspirated
Engine Type Config Inline 4 Cylinder (I4) OHV 8-Valve Diesel 1.0L 3-Cylinder DOHC
Engine Code J2 G3LA
Cylinder Layout Inline 4 (I4) Inline 3 (I3)
Cylinders 4 3
Valves per Cylinder 8 4
Displacement 2665 998
Engine Displacement 2665 998
Engine Aspiration Naturally Aspirated Naturally Aspirated
Turbocharger No Not Applicable
Cylinder Bore 94.0 71.0
Piston Stroke 96.0 84.0
Compression Ratio 20.0:1 10.5:1
Fuel System Direct Injection Multi-Point Fuel Injection (MPFI)
Fuel Grade Required B7 Diesel 93 RON Unleaded Petrol
Variable Valve Timing No CVVT on Intake Camshaft
Engine Position Front Transverse Transverse Front-Mounted
Engine Oil Capacity 7.5 3.2
Power 56 kW 49
Power 75 66
Power @ RPM 3,200 rpm 6,000 rpm
Torque 152 Nm 94
Torque @ RPM 2,000 rpm 3,500 rpm
Maximum Engine RPM 3,500 rpm 6500
0–100 km/h N/A 14.5
0-100 km/h N/A 14.5
Top Speed 130 148
EV Range N/A 0
Battery Capacity N/A Not Applicable
Charging Port N/A Not Applicable
AC Charging Time N/A Not Applicable
Spec K2700 Picanto Panel Van
Valves Per Cylinder 2 4
Intercooler No Not Applicable — Naturally Aspirated Engine
Launch Control No No
Rev Matching No No
Performance Data Logger No No
Fuel Consumption Combined 9.5 6.1 L/100km — WLTP Combined Cycle
Engine Start Stop No No
Engine Start Stop Button No No
Engine Start Button Illumination No No
Engine Check Warning Yes Yes
Gear Shift Type Manual Floor-Mounted Selector
Ground Clearance Unladen 195 155
Drag Coefficient 0.45 0.32 Cd
Payload Capacity 1220 Not Applicable — Passenger Vehicle
Stabilizer Bar Yes Front and Rear Anti-Roll Bars
Steering Response Normal Electric Power Assisted Steering
Skid Plates No No
Side Steps No No
Spare Wheel Full-Size Spare Full Size Spare Tyre
Tyre Repair Kit No No — Full Size Spare Provided
Seatbelt Pre Tensioner Yes Yes — Front
Seatbelt Reminder Yes Yes
Stability Control No Yes
Hill Start Assist No Yes
Speed Limiter Yes Yes
Speed Alert System No Yes
Impact Sensing Door Unlock Yes Yes
Adaptive Dampers No No
Wireless Charging No No
Voice Command No Yes
Voice Command Support No Yes
Driver Display Analogue Cluster Semi-Digital Instrument Cluster with MID
Heads Up Display No No
Tachometer Yes Yes
Trip Computer Yes Yes
Multi Function Steering No Yes
Steering Mounted Controls No Yes
AC Type No Air Conditioning Manual AC
Climate Control No Manual Air Conditioning
Climate Zones 1 Single Zone
Glovebox Cooling No No
Seat Type Vinyl Seats Cloth Fabric
Driver Seat Height Adjustment No Yes
Rear Seat Split No N/A Panel Van
Headrest Adjustable Yes Yes
Front Armrest No No
Vanity Mirror No Yes
12V Accessory Socket Yes Yes — 12V Front Accessory Socket
Front Power Outlet No Yes — 12V Socket
Rear Reading Lamps No Yes
Keyless Entry No No
Push Button Start No No
Push Button Start No No
Remote Engine Start No No
Door Ajar Warning Yes Yes
Fuel Lid Opener Manual Yes — Remote Fuel Lid Opener
Boot Opener Manual Yes — Electric Boot Release Button
Power Windows No Yes — Front Windows Only
Power Mirrors No Yes
Electric Folding Mirrors No No
Electric Mirror Folding No No
Auto Dimming Irvm No No
Auto Dimming Mirror No No
Rain Sensing Wipers No No
Rear Window Defroster No Yes
Rear Defogger No Yes
Follow Me Home Headlamps No Yes
Tail Lamps Halogen Halogen Tail Lamps
Automatic Headlamps No Yes
Headlamp Height Adjust Yes Yes — Manual Headlamp Beam Adjustment
Headlamp Washer No No
Sunroof No No
Panoramic Roof No No
Roof Antenna Yes Yes
Rear Wing No No
Aero Kit No No
Chrome Grille No No
Chrome Exterior Highlights No No
Ride Mode Selection No No
Electric Tailgate No No
Engine Warranty 5 Years / 150,000 km 7 Years/150
Service Plan 1 Year / 15,000 km 3 Years/45
Service Reminder Yes Yes
Exhaust Finish - Standard Single Outlet Chrome Tip
Exhaust Type - Single Exhaust System

So, Which One Should You Buy?

🏆 KIA Picanto Panel Van wins with 56 pts vs 32 pts for K2700

In structured scoring, Picanto Panel Van emerges as the stronger overall package. However, K2700 may appeal to buyers prioritising different factors. Ultimately, the right choice depends on your driving priorities in South Africa.

Buyers Also Looked At These

Other comparisons that people in the same boat tend to check out.

Questions Buyers Usually Ask

On our scoring the Picanto Panel Van edges ahead overall. That said, the right choice depends on what you actually use the car for — the breakdown above shows exactly where each one wins and loses.

Efficiency scores: K2700 0 vs Picanto Panel Van 0. In the real world, diesel variants of either car will beat the claimed figure on long highways and fall short in Joburg traffic.

Safety scores: K2700 0, Picanto Panel Van 18. Check each model page for NCAP ratings and which trim levels include AEB and blind-spot monitoring — those features aren't always standard.

Long-term ownership scores: K2700 20, Picanto Panel Van 20. Service intervals, parts availability in SA, and whether a service plan is bundled all factor in — check the individual variant specs for that detail.

Practicality scores: K2700 7, Picanto Panel Van 14. This covers boot space, seat flexibility, and day-to-day usability — not just interior dimensions on paper.

Performance scores: K2700 5, Picanto Panel Van 4. This looks at real-world pace — 0–100 kph, highway flexibility, and how either car feels when you actually need to overtake on an N-road.

Resale varies with colour, spec, and market timing, but Japanese brands — and Toyota specifically — have a strong track record in SA. Check current used prices for both on AutoTrader to see the real gap right now.

Ground clearance and 4WD availability are what matter most here. Scroll to the spec table above to compare both side by side — if either model offers a 4WD variant, that's the version worth comparing.

Fuel, insurance, and service costs are the big three. Diesel variants of both models typically save R800–R1,500/month in fuel at current SA pump prices. The Picanto Panel Van edges the overall ownership score, but check whether either variant includes a service plan — that changes the monthly maths significantly.

The Picanto Panel Van scores better overall, but neither car is a bad buy here. It comes down to what features matter to you — check the full spec table above to see exactly what you gain and lose at each price point.

In Depth — Breaking It All Down

The comparison between K2700 and Picanto Panel Van in South Africa evaluates performance, efficiency, safety, practicality and long-term ownership value.

Performance: K2700 scores 5 vs 4.

Efficiency: K2700 scores 0 vs 0.

Safety: K2700 scores 0 vs 18.

Practicality: K2700 scores 7 vs 14.

Ownership: K2700 scores 20 vs 20.

Final structured scoring gives Picanto Panel Van the advantage in this comparison.