Offering an early preview of what's to come for the 2011 Geneva Motor Show this March, Kia has released a few pictures of its new minicar, dubbed the Picanto. Designed to be a rival of the Toyota iQ, the Picanto is slated to go on sale in Europe in the second half of 2011. It's also possible the Picanto will reach US shores as a way to help the Korean automaker meet CAFE regulations. The Picanto looks similar to the iQ, but with Kia design elements.

It was designed at Kia's European design center in Frankfurt, Germany under the direction of chief designer Peter Schreyer. He is responsible for the current design theme of Kia's lately, specifically the all-new Optima. The Picanto has grown in length and wheelbase over its predecessor and is by far better looking. When compared to the iQ, the Picanto definitely has a more premium look to it, thanks to the body sculpting and the strong character line. It'll be powered with four different powertrains and will have flex-fuel capability.