Kia Picanto, Car Review

There's something delightfully unpretentious about the Kia Picanto. It's not trying to claw its way up the social ladder and nor does it sport a badge that'll have people looking at your car keys and casting aspersions as to what you've done to get them. Instead it's an honest to goodness city car that's simple to drive, costs peanuts to run and which is far from the dull experience that you might expect at this price point.

You might well remember the first generation Kia Picanto. It too was a cheap and cheerful thing but it really was basic, both inside and out. While it did a job, it really was just transport. The latest car has a lot more about it and feels a far better quality vehicle. In short, I like it a lot.

There's no doubt that this Picanto is a handsome little thing. It's the sister car to Hyundai's i10, but it looks that bit sharper. It features the trademark Kia front grille, but it also exhibits deeply scalloped flanks with the door handles sitting perched on a sharp crease. Available for the first time in both three and five door body styles, the Picanto offers a different look for each body style, the three-door car featuring a more aggressive front end. Both look a little under-wheeled, but that tends to be the nature of city cars in general. Go for the 15-inch alloy wheels and it looks a bit less toy-like.

The cabin is cleanly styled and again it's clear that Kia is forging its own personality on its cars. The 'three cylinder' instrument panel design is spread across the Kia range while the centre console brings the air conditioning and stereo controls within easy reach with big, easy to operate buttons. Metallic finishes lift the feel of the fascia and while some of the plastics are a little hard to the touch, the overall effect is an interior that punches well above its price point.

The price you'll pay for better quality, better engines, improved safety and better efficiency is a hike of around £800 over the entry-level asking price of the old Picanto, which seems a fair trade. It still means that the Picanto costs a good deal less than a Ford Ka or a Vauxhall Agila, which should keep sales looking healthy. You'll need to budget £8,000 for the entry-level car but I'd be looking to fork out another £600 for the Picanto 1 Air, which includes air conditioning. Even the top-spec 1.25-litre Picanto 3 struggles to break £11,000.

Standard features on the entry-level car include body coloured bumpers, mirrors and door handles, electric front windows, a radio/CD player, trip computer and an immobiliser. A height-adjustable driver's seat and tilt-adjustable steering column provide driver comfort whilst all occupants are protected by a total of six airbags. A 60:40 split folding rear seat allows rear luggage space to grow up to 870 litres (VDA).

Even as someone who appreciates a bit of pampering, I can see the appeal of the Kia Picanto. A city car is something that you really can't afford to get too precious about. It's going to be parked on the street and will need to shrug off abuse from shopping trolleys, cycle couriers, bored teenagers, sleeping policemen and cavernous potholes. It'll be bumped up and down kerbs and get covered in city grime. You need a car that can soak up this punishment but still put a smile on your face. The Kia Picanto answers that call quite admirably. Best of all, it's now so much better finished than before yet hasn't forgotten its reason for being. It's cheap but far from nasty.

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