For The 1.25-litre engine delivers lively acceleration and good in-gear flexibility. Equinox trim has all sorts of luxury goodies.
Against Even though this engine is better than the 1.0, it adds too much to the price to make sense.
Cheaper versions of the Picanto make the most sense, so there's no way we can recommend this expensive model.
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.