Costs & verdict
Everyday costs, plus how reliable and safe it is
Costs, insurance groups, MPG and CO2
If you’re paying with cash, the Kia Picanto is the slightly cheaper alternative to an equivalent Hyundai i10 or Volkswagen Up, but pricier than the supremely good value and bigger Dacia Sandero. PCP finance deals are competitive, but rivals like the i10 have slightly better resale values.
Running costs should be cheap. The Picanto is generally less to insure than an i10 and the 1.0 MPi engine is really frugal.
X-Line and GT-Line trims may appeal with their respective rugged and sporty styling, but you miss out on a fair bit of 3’s kit. S versions of these trims add those luxuries back in and more, but are too pricey for us to recommend.
Reliability
The Picanto didn't do that well in our 2020 What Car? Reliability Survey, proving less dependable than the Toyota Aygo and Up – it came higher than the Suzuki Ignis, though. Kia as a brand finished in a very respectable seventh place (out of 31 brands) behind Toyota and Hyundai, but better than many of its other key rivals.
Kia is famous for its seven-year/100,000-mile warranty, which every Picanto comes with as standard. That's longer cover than you get on any competitor.
