Brand New G4LA 1.2L Petrol Engine for Kia Picanto 2017-2024

About this engine

This is a brand-new G4LA 1.2L petrol engine for the Kia Picanto built between 2017 and 2024. It is not reconditioned and not secondhand: every unit is built to OEM fitment specification with key internal parts upgraded over the original design, then hot and cold tested before dispatch.

A Picanto usually earns its keep as a first car, a city runabout or a low-cost commuter, so when the engine fails the maths matters. The car itself is often still tidy, cheap to insure and cheap to register, which makes a new engine a more sensible spend than replacing the whole vehicle or gambling on a used motor with no paperwork.

Freight is free anywhere in Australia, the engine carries a 12-month or 50,000 km parts warranty, and we check your VIN before dispatch so the unit that arrives matches the car in your driveway. Call 1300 200 320 with any questions.

What the G4LA is and what usually goes wrong

The G4LA belongs to Hyundai and Kia's Kappa family of small petrol engines. It is a 1.2-litre four-cylinder with double overhead camshafts, 16 valves and multi-point fuel injection, developed specifically for light hatchbacks where low fuel use and low servicing costs matter more than outright power.

Two design choices are worth knowing about. First, the camshafts are driven by a timing chain rather than a belt, so there is no scheduled belt replacement to budget for over the life of the engine. Second, the engine is compact and light, which suits the Picanto's small engine bay and keeps the car's kerb weight down.

Engines like this rarely fail because of a design flaw. In most cases the trouble starts elsewhere: a cooling system that lost pressure and damaged the head, oil changes stretched too far so the chain and its tensioner wore early, or simple high mileage from years of stop-start city work. Once the bottom end is knocking or compression is gone, machining a small alloy engine rarely stacks up against the cost of a new one.

That is the case for a brand-new unit. You get fresh castings and new internals, with none of the unknowns that come with a motor pulled from a wreck. This engine is also more than a copy of the original: it is built to OEM fitment specification, but where the factory design had documented weak points, internal parts such as the connecting rods, crankshaft and bearings are upgraded to higher-grade components. Every engine is then run through hot and cold testing before dispatch, so it arrives verified rather than assumed to be good.

Fitment for the 2017-2024 Picanto and what's in the crate

This engine suits Kia Picanto models sold from 2017 to 2024 that left the factory with the G4LA 1.2L petrol engine. Because trim levels and build dates can vary within a model run, we confirm every order against your VIN before anything ships. Send through the 17-character number from your registration papers or the plate on the car, and our team checks it against the engine specification at no charge, then confirms the match in writing.

What you are buying is a long engine. That means the assembled block and cylinder head with all internal components in place: crankshaft, pistons, connecting rods, camshafts and valvetrain. It is the complete rotating and reciprocating heart of the motor, ready for your mechanic to dress and install.

The following parts are not included and transfer across from your existing engine:

• Intake and exhaust manifolds
• Fuel injectors and fuel rail
• Alternator, starter motor and air-conditioning compressor
• Wiring loom, sensors and ignition coils
• Flywheel or flexplate and clutch components

This is standard for long-engine supply and keeps the price down, since those bolt-on parts rarely fail with the engine itself. Your installer swaps them over during fitment and can assess each one for wear as it comes across, which is worth doing on a car that has already lost one engine.

One detail to note before purchase: every engine leaves us with a heat tab fitted to the block. It is a small indicator that changes permanently if the engine is overheated. Damage caused by overheating is not covered under warranty, so the cooling system needs to be in sound condition before the new engine goes in.

From order to first start

Ordering is straightforward. Buy online or phone 1300 200 320, supply your VIN, and once compatibility is confirmed the engine is crated and booked for delivery. Freight is free to any address in Australia, metro or regional, and delivery goes to a business address or workshop where the crate can be unloaded from a truck.

Installation must be carried out by a qualified mechanic. That is a condition of the warranty, not just a recommendation, because a small petrol engine lives or dies on the quality of its fitment: correct coolant bleeding, correct oil, proper torque settings and a healthy radiator and thermostat. Most workshops will also pressure-test the cooling system and inspect the engine mounts while the bay is empty, which is cheap insurance.

The engine is covered by a 12-month or 50,000-kilometre parts warranty, whichever arrives first. Keep your invoice and your installer's documentation, since proof of qualified installation supports any future claim. Remember the heat tab: overheating damage sits outside the warranty regardless of time or distance.

Before dispatch, every unit has already been through assembly checks and hot and cold testing, so what arrives is a verified engine rather than a boxed gamble. From there, a careful first few hundred kilometres of varied driving and an early oil change are widely recommended practice for any fresh engine, and they cost very little compared with what they protect.