Item: Used Kia Picanto Hatchback 2004 - 2011
Author: What Car? Team

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Buyers seeking value for money should have Kia towards the top of their shopping list.

Although once a niche brand in the UK, today Kia outsells many more established brands, helped by its market-leading seven-year warranty and a strong reputation for reliability; in fact, Kia regularly finishes towards the top of our reliability surveys.

There are plenty of models to choose from, too, ranging from the small Picanto city car to the Ceed family hatchback and the Sorento large SUV. The Picanto was the first Kia to win its class at the What Car? Car of the Year awards.

PICANTO

Hard to fault, other than the fact that it's not a great drive

Used Kia Picanto Hatchback 2004 - 2011

As a new car, the Picanto's great strength is its value for money - you get a well kitted and roomy city car for a relative pittance - and as a used buy, it's exactly the same story.

Residual values aren't great, so there are some good deals to be had on used examples, and there's only one problem: since the car has only been around since 2004, many of the used cars for sale won't have had enough time to shed a decent chunk of their value.

The Picanto's claimed running costs are pretty good, too. Officially, the 1.0-litre cars will return an average of 55.4mpg and the 1.1 cars will manage 54.3mpg. Be careful, though, because many owners have contacted us complaining that these figures are extremely hard to get near in the real world.

Insurance groupings stand at 2 for the 1.0-litre and 3 for the 1.1-litre, so whichever version you buy, premiums will be low.

Hard to fault, other than the fact that it's not a great drive

There are four versions to choose from, and the most basic S and GS trims come with the 60bhp 1.0-litre engine, which is only really suitable for city driving. It struggles to keep up with traffic on faster routes. The S comes with central locking and a CD player, while GS versions add electric front windows.

If you want a car with the slightly more powerful 1.1-litre engine, you'll be getting either LX or SE+ trim. The engine itself isn't too bad and, with 64bhp, the extra power makes motorway driving less of a chore. However, it still needs to be worked hard to get up to speed.

All in all, the entry-level 1.1-litre model, the LX, is our pick of the range, and comes with got air-con, electric rear windows and remote central locking. SE+ models add alloy wheels.

<h2>What we're looking for:</h2><ul><li>Spacious enough for four adults to sit comfortably</li> <li>Logically laid-out interior that doesn’t</li> <li>feel too cheap</li> <li>Mature driving manners </li> <li>Decent-sized boot</li> <li>Competitive buying and running costs</li></ul>

Small cars, or superminis as they’re also known, used to be bought by single people or couples with no children – but the likes of the Ford Fiesta, Seat Ibiza and Volkswagen&nbsp;Polo have grown to the point where they can be considered all-round family transport, albeit with the odd compromise.

The Fiesta remains a star of the class, thanks to its strong Ecoboost petrol engines and suspension settings that are beautifully judged for British roads. However, the latest Volkswagen offers even more practicality, decent performance and a classy interior that has the edge on the Ford’s for quality.

Any of these models will be a competent commuter car – especially if fitted with one of the increasingly popular small turbocharged petrol engines – but just remember that while you’ll be able to carry two adults and two children, it might still be a struggle to get all of their luggage into the boot.

Small

Despite having been on the road since 2004, there isn't yet enough data for an accurate assessment of how reliable the Picanto is. Of course, this also means we can't really tell you which bits are most likely to go wrong, either. However, in the Picanto's favour, most of the used cars on sale will still have some warranty left to run.

The same goes for Kia's reputation as a brand in terms of reliability. Being quite a small manufacturer in the UK, the Korean firm is rarely included in reliability surveys. However, the omens are good, as most of Kia's vehicles have a reasonable record, and one or two (such as the Sorento 4x4) have proved rock solid.

Value for money is the most important weapon in the armoury of any city car, but the Kia Picanto offers impressive value even among its peers.

Prices are affordable, and for such a nominal outlay you'll get a car with an impressive load of equipment. And a surprsing amount of space.

There's plenty of room in any of the four seats, and six-footers will have no problem travelling in the back The five-door body style means easy access to the rear, and only the tiny boot limits its practicality. The dash is good, too: solidly built and logically laid out, even if the materials aren't particularly appealing.

If there is a problem, it's that the Picanto isn't a car for keen drivers. The engines are underpowered, there's too much body roll in corners and the steering is short of feel. The ride is a bit choppy, too, but for drivers who just want A-to-B city transport, it's fine.

Used Kia Picanto Hatchback 2004 - 2011 review

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