This is the Picanto, Kia’s popular little city car. Though it was facelifted in 2008, this is the first fully new model since it was launched in 2004. The old car wasn’t at all bad, but this one is much better.
The most obvious thing they’ve done is sort out the car’s looks. Gone is the boxy, “this’ll do” styling: where the old car had straight lines, this one has curves and nice detailing, such as the contoured sides and smart new Kia grille.
The Picanto range starts at £7,795, which isn’t at all bad for a car that comes with a seven-year, 100,000-mile warranty. There are two engines in the range, a 68bhp 1.0 litre and the 84bhp 1.25, tested here in five-door Ecodynamics 2 trim and costing £10,195.
Around town, the Picanto’s simply terrific. The little 1.25 litre engine helps the car zoom nippily out of junctions. All of the controls are feather light (which means the clutch takes a bit of practice: expect a couple of stalling episodes until you get used to it), the turning circle is tiny, and the soft suspension is adept at soaking up bumps.
Even outwith its natural environment, the Picanto isn’t bad and you can sit at 70mph on the motorway without feeling like you’re in a tin can. Wind and tyre noise are pretty low, and a buzz from the engine is the only real reminder you’re in a city car. On a quick hoof from Dundee to Arbroath, it was relaxed and composed on the dual carriageway this is a car you could do a pretty reasonable daily commute in.
Although there’s no diesel option, buyers will be surprised by the economy Kia have wrung from their petrol engines the 1.0 averages 67.3mpg and the 1.25 litre does 65.7. God only knows how many miles per gallon it’ll return if Kia ever offer it with a small diesel unit.
Being just 3.6 metres long, there isn’t room for a basketball team inside, but there’s plenty of space up front and if you need to transport four adults you can do so if you slide the front seats forward a bit. The interior steps up the quality, with smartly laid out switchgear, good quality plastics, and little luxuries like aircon and MP3 connectivity.
The old Picanto dated from the time when Kia made reliable little low-cost runabouts. It was fine but wouldn’t do in an era where the company makes the incredible (Scottish Car of the Year 2010) Sportage and the Fiesta-rivalling Rio.
The Picanto fits nicely into Kia’s resurgent range.
Price: £10,195. 0-60mph: 11sec. Top speed: 106mph. Fuel economy: 65.7mpg. CO2 emissions: 100g/km.