The Kia Picanto has come a long way since the first generation of the Korean company’s city car arrived in the UK in 2004. Back then, it was a budget contender, but it’s a very different car today; refined, plush and quite high-tech, the latest version of the Picanto is a mature hatchback. The 2023 update brought sharper exterior styling, enhanced connectivity, and improved safety tech, with an engine line-up remaining focused on frugal petrol options. Its main rivals are the Hyundai i10, Volkswagen Up!, Fiat 500, Citroën C1, Peugeot 107 and Toyota Aygo X, with the Kia’s super-low running costs and long warranty making it one of the more appealing options in its class.
The Kia Picanto is a thoroughly sensible city car that excels at what it’s designed for – namely economical, reliable urban motoring. Its compact footprint and light controls make it easy to drive and park, while its value, long warranty and decent kit list make it a smart buy. Although it’s not the most exciting or luxurious option, it’s hard to beat for sheer peace of mind and reliable, pocket-sized yet pocket-friendly motoring.
Jack is an experienced motoring journalist who has been covering the latest new-car releases for the last 10 years.
Read bioBrand-new Kia Picanto prices start from £15,475 for entry-level ‘Pure’ models, with the top-spec GT-Line S reaching up to £18,925, which appears to be reasonable value compared with rivals.
All versions come well-equipped for the price, so there’s little need to spend on extras.
On the used market, 2018-onward Picanto models can be found from approximately £6,500 on AACars.com, with values holding steady thanks to Kia’s reputation for reliability and its class-leading warranty.
Post-2023 facelift cars (identifiable by their ‘teardrop’ headlights) start from around £13,500 and are highly sought after.
The Picanto’s engine range is simple and efficient. The core offerings are a 1.0-litre three-cylinder petrol engine with 67bhp, or a rarer 1.2-litre four-cylinder petrol with 84bhp, both paired to either a five-speed manual or optional automatic gearbox.
The smaller engine is ideal for city driving, while the 1.2-litre offers a bit more pep at higher speeds – although its higher pricing when new means that there aren’t as many examples available on the second-hand market.
From the 2022 facelift, the 1.2 litre engine was dropped and replaced with a turbocharged version of the 1.0, which develops 99bhp and is the liveliest of the lot.
Performance is modest in the earlier cars, with the 1.0-litre achieving 0-62 mph in 13.8 seconds and the 1.2-litre in 12.1 seconds. The 1.0T reaches the same milestone in 9.9 seconds and is a notably more entertaining car to drive as a result.
The Picanto delivers a nimble, composed drive, especially in town where its compact size and light steering make it a breeze to manoeuvre. Suspension is tuned for comfort over potholes and rough surfaces, and while motorway journeys reveal its modest power, it remains stable and reassuring at speed – it’s perfectly capable if you need to undertake the odd motorway journey, for example.
Visibility is excellent thanks to a high seating position and large glass area, aided by parking sensors and a reversing camera on higher trims.
Despite its size, the Picanto feels confident in corners with well-controlled body roll and direct steering. While not sporty, it’s agile and easy to drive, making it perfect for urban commutes and tight parking spaces.
Ride comfort is impressive for a small car, absorbing bumps with ease, and on a twisty road it can be genuinely good fun thanks to its light steering and nimble responses.
Inside, the Picanto offers a surprisingly roomy cabin for its size, with enough space for four adults (five at a squeeze). The dashboard features a seven-inch touchscreen infotainment system with DAB radio, smartphone connectivity, and navigation on higher trims. Materials are robust and easy to clean, though hard plastics dominate – as you’d expect given the keen pricing.
Legroom and headroom are generous for front passengers, and rear seat space is among the best in class for a city car, with good access through both rear doors. Isofix mounts are fitted for child seats on the outer rear seats.
Boot space stands at 255 litres with the seats up, expanding to 1,010 litres with the 60:40 split rear bench folded flat. Loading is straightforward thanks to a wide opening, though the boot floor is quite high and the load area quite short, as you’d expect from a car with its dimensions.
Cabin storage includes door bins, cupholders, and a central cubby – none of these areas excel or are class leading, but they’re functional enough for most needs.
All Picanto models are well-equipped for the price. Standard kit includes air conditioning, Bluetooth, hill-start assist, and a suite of active safety features. Higher trims add alloy wheels, LED daytime running lights, heated seats, cruise control, Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, and a rear parking camera. Wireless charging and larger screens are reserved for top-spec models.
The Picanto is available in three trim levels: Pure, GT-Line, and GT-Line S, each offering a progressively enhanced package of equipment and features.
The entry-level Pure trim provides all the essentials, including air conditioning and Bluetooth connectivity, alloy wheels, a rear parking camera, and cruise control. The GT-Line introduces a sportier look with unique exterior styling touches, including bold body accents, LED running lights, and sport seats, while still retaining all the features of the lower trims.
Topping the range, the GT-Line S builds on this athletic aesthetic and adds further premium features such as a sunroof for a brighter cabin, heated front seats and steering wheel for extra comfort in cold weather, and an integrated satellite navigation system.
Prior to the 2023 facelift, there were four trim levels available; the Pure specification replaced both previous lower trim levels (known as 2 and 3) and the Picanto 2 is notably more basic and quite rare on the used market as a result.
Colour choices range from classics like Clear White, Titanium Silver, and Midnight Black to bright hues such as Pop Orange and Honey-Bee Yellow, popular with younger and style-conscious buyers, especially when combined with two-tone personalisation on GT-Line and GT-Line S models.
The Kia Picanto received a four-star safety rating from Euro NCAP in 2023, with scores of 79% for Adult Occupant Protection, 64% for Child Occupant, 54% for Vulnerable Road Users, and 59% for Safety Assist.
Standard safety equipment includes six airbags, autonomous emergency braking, lane departure warning, and tyre pressure monitoring.
Kia’s reputation for reliability is well-earned, reflected in high owner satisfaction and low running costs.
Service intervals are every 12 months or 10,000 miles. Kia’s industry-leading seven-year/100,000-mile warranty offers further peace of mind and is transferable between owners.
Official WLTP fuel economy figures for the Picanto range from 53–58 mpg, depending on engine and specification. CO2 emissions are low, from 110 g/km (1.0-litre manual) to 122 g/km (1.2-litre automatic).
The 1.0T models deliver a punchier driving experience compared with the naturally aspirated units, but despite the extra performance, fuel economy remains impressive, with official figures close to 50 mpg and CO2 emissions kept below 125g/km, helping to minimise running costs.
Road tax is £195 per year for all models (2025/26), while insurance groups are extremely low, from 4-10, reflecting the Picanto’s strong safety credentials and modest performance.]
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