What Car? Q&A - Why are the brakes so harsh?

Q: My father has just bought a Kia Picanto (06-plate), and is happy with it apart from the brakes, which are incredibly harsh - if you apply anything other than minimal pressure, you practically do an emergency stop.

The dealer said that the Picanto has disc brakes on all four wheels and there is no room for adjustment. I'm concerned that they may cause an accident. Can anything be done?
Jane Newman

A: We haven't found the Picanto's brakes particularly harsh. If anything, they could do with being a little stronger - but it depends what age of car you're comparing them with.

If your father previously drove an older car, it's not surprising that he finds the Picanto brakes sharp in comparison. Modern cars have vastly more effective brakes.

It's also possible there was a problem with the brakes in his old car, or they were worn, making the brakes in his Picanto feel more powerful than expected.

His driving style will hopefully adjust to the sharper brakes on the Picanto, but to be on the safe side, he could ask his local dealer to take the car for a test drive. He could also test drive another example to see if all Picantos are similar.