Overview

The Kia Picanto is part of an increasingly small number of vehicles classed as ‘city cars’. Though this market sector isn’t anywhere near as profitable for manufacturers as larger hatchbacks and SUVs, Kia has persisted here, and its Picanto city car has been refreshed for 2024.

The Picanto was first launched in 2003, and the current generation was launched in 2017, and this facelift brings it bang up to date with a striking new front end and an ever-so fashionable light bar decorating the rear end. Despite the comparative age of the basic car, it stacks up very well next to younger models such as the Toyota Aygo X, especially when you consider the starting price as one of the cheapest cars in the UK. Other rivals include the long-lived and still popular Fiat 500 and closely related Hyundai i10.

The Picanto makes an ideal first car for a younger driver, or for older motorists who are downsizing. A seven-year warranty means it makes a stonking used buy, too – purchase a car that’s fresh off a three-year PCP deal and it’ll still have more cover remaining than a brand-new Suzuki Ignis.

And while most rivals have slimmed their model ranges down to a single engine and just a few trim levels, Kia still offers the Picanto with two engines (1.0-litre 62hp and 1.2-litre 77hp), and in basic 2 or 3 guises or in sporty GT-Line and larger-engined GT-Line S trims. There’s something for everyone here – unless you’re a fan of the old 99hp turbo model, which has now been dropped.

It even makes a surprisingly good people-mover, something you can’t always say about cars in this class – there’s genuine space for four six-foot adults, as long as they’re friendly with each other, and even a well-sized boot. We know because we’ve thoroughly put these cars to the test.

Add to that Kia’s highly logical dashboard layout, straightforward infotainment and good levels of standard equipment and the Picanto starts to look seriously compelling to anybody who’s in the market for a city car and aware of the limitations of a car this small.

Over the next few pages, we’ll assess each aspect of the Kia Picanto and let you know whether it’s worth buying over its rivals. We’ve driven all versions of the Picanto, giving us a broad impression of the range as a whole. You can read more about how we test cars at Parkers elsewhere.

Our review will explore the car’s practicality, interior quality, technology, driving experience and running costs. We’ll then offer our final verdict. Click through to the next page to learn more.