For With the 1.0-litre engine, the Picanto is exempt from road tax and should return good fuel economy. Going for this trim over the basic 1 brings you air-conditioning.

Against You don’t get rear electric windows, an MP3 socket or fancy, chrome effect dashboard trim unless you upgrade to 2 spec. The 1.0-litre engine is painfully slow, even when you rev it hard.

Kia Picanto Hatchback

What Car? says

3 out of 5 stars

Cheaper versions of the Picanto make the most sense, so this model is the best in the range.

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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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Features

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Size

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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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