For With the 1.0-litre engine, the Picanto is exempt from road tax and should return good fuel economy. Even this entry-level model has the full safety kit.

Against This trim misses out on alloy wheels and air-conditioning. The 1.0-litre engine is painfully slow, even when you rev it hard.

Kia Picanto Hatchback

What Car? says

2 out of 5 stars

Cheaper versions of the Picanto make the most sense, but this one is just a bit too cheap. We’d go for one of the slightly dearer, better-equipped models.

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Key facts

0–60mph
13.9 secs
Top speed
95 mph
Average mpg
67.3
Tank range
518 miles
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Size

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The full Kia Picanto review


Buyer's notes

Target Price team says:

The 1.25-litre petrol engine is much stronger and smoother than the entry-level 1.0-litre, and if it were available with 1 Air trim this would be the pick of the range. Unfortunately, Kia offers it only with dearer trims, which pushes the price too close to that of mainstream superminis such as the brilliant Ford Fiesta.

As a result, we reckon the 1.0-litre model makes most sense. Yes, performance is disappointing, but it's reasonably cheap to buy. For most Picanto buyers, that'll be enough. However, don't get too excited about the claimed average fuel economy of around 70mpg. In our True MPG tests, the car didn't get anywhere near it.

Whichever version of the Picanto you buy, you’ll enjoy a seven-year, 100,000-mile warranty.

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