Used Kia Picanto Hatchback 2017-present review

Trust us, after a few days living with the Kia Picanto, you'll wonder why most people would need anything larger. It's good to drive, practical for its size and decently equipped, not to mention, bought used, cheap to buy and run. Long live the city car.

You can pick between petrol engines of either a 66bhp 1.0-litre, a 83bhp 1.25-litre, or a turbocharged 99bhp 1.0-litre. The 66bhp 1.0 is just about sufficient, but the 1.25 is obviously the punchier motor that's also more refined. Meanwhile, the turbocharged 1.0-litre isn't quite as smooth as the 1.25, but is the keenest of the three.

Aside from the entry-level 1 that can feel rather spartan with only a basic two-speaker stereo system and central locking, the Picanto’s well equipped. Mid-range 2 trim has a good slug of equipment – alloy wheels, air conditioning, Bluetooth connectivity, and a leather steering wheel all come as standard, although you'd still have to live with a rather basic infotainment system.

The 3 trim gives you a slick colour screen with sat-nav; you also get climate control, cruise control, rear parking sensors and a rear-view camera. GT-Line, meanwhile, adds sportier looks to the 2 model, while top-of-the-range GT-Line S has luxuries you’d usually only find on a much pricier car, such as heated seats and a heated steering wheel. Or if you’re feeling particularly rakish, you can opt for the SUV-inspired X-Line, with its taller ride height and butch bumpers.

In 2020, the Picanto received a facelift, ushering in smoother styling, improved infotainment – including an array of telematics features with the ability to view live traffic, weather and even parking information or petrol prices – and more safety kit.

Around town, light steering and good visibility make the Picanto a doddle to drive; however, you might find the ride to be a touch on the firm side – it’s certainly not quite as comfortable as rivals such as the Volkswagen Up and Hyundai i10. That said, it’s tolerable, and the payoff comes when you up the pace, at which point you’ll discover that the Picanto is surprisingly good fun to drive, with direct steering, limited body lean and plenty of grip.

On the motorway, the 1.0 can often feel out of its depth, especially uphill, so we'd recommend the 1.25 instead. It's more comfortable sitting at 70mph, as well as getting to said speed. The 1.0 turbocharged unit is better still, though not to a dramatic degree.

Neither of the two original engine options is going to set bales of hay alight with its performance, but both will provide just about enough performance if you spend most of your time in town. If you want to take your Picanto out onto motorways and A-roads regularly, though, the 1.25 is much better, as the 1.0 can often feel gutless at higher speeds. Best to spend a little more and buy one of the later Picantos with the 1.0 turbocharged unit, as this has noticeably more grunt than the other two options.

Inside, there's a handsome dashboard design with enough upmarket-feeling touches to still feel smart. The plastics are hard, as you’ll find with most other city cars, but they’re robust, and the smooth, weighty-feeling switchgear means everything you touch lends an air of quality.

The driver’s seat is comfortable and supportive, with enough side support to stop you from sliding around through corners. Thanks to well-positioned pedals and a standard driver’s seat height adjuster on all but the entry-level trim, it’s easy to find a comfortable driving position. You can't adjust the steering wheel for reach, but that's the case for most city cars.

What’s more, there’s plenty of space in the front and in the boot, although large adults might find knee room a bit of a squeeze in the backseat. We managed to three travel-sized suitcases in the boot and had room to spare, but this still isn't the car for an extensive family road trip vacation. Plus, there's a big loading lip to get stuff over and there's no adjustable height boot floor, as per the Skoda Citigo.

If you're interested in finding a used Picanto, or any of the other cars mentioned here, head over to the Used Car Buying pages to find lots of cars listed for sale at great prices.

The Picanto prices start at a little over £5000 for an early '1' example that doesn't have any write-off history but might have a higher than average mileage. Better yet, spend between £6000 and £8000 for a '2' with a bit more equipment and a respectable mileage from 2018, maybe even 2019. Expect to spend at least £7500 or more for a rarer '3' or an automatic example from a franchised dealer, or for cars from late-2019 and 2020. Spend between £8000 and £13,000 on good 2021 and 2022 cars.

If you want to check that a Picanto you’re hoping to buy is worth the money that’s being asked, why not try our free valuations tool at What Car? Valuations?

Find a used Kia Picanto for sale here

MPG

Not too much, as you might expect. Fuel economy on the 1.0 is officially rated at 56.5mpg and it's 54.3mpg on the 1.25, according to the latest WLTP tests; those figures are, however, bettered by some super-efficient rivals. The later 1.0 turbocharged car sits between the two at 55.4mpg, but steer clear of the automatic gearbox, which hammers the fuel consumption of the 1.25 engine it’s attached to down to 47.1mpg.

Road tax (VED)

All Picantos, meanwhile, registered after April 2017, so you'll need to pay the current flat-rate fee. That is £190 a year at the moment. To find out more about the current road tax costs, click here for further information.

Insurance and servicing

Insurance groups very rarely exceed single digits, so insurance should prove a relative doddle. You shouldn’t find servicing costs too steep, either; Kia’s dealer servicing tends to be very reasonable. However, keep in mind that, once your car gets to three years old, there’s no special discounted servicing scheme at Kia dealerships like those you might find from other manufacturers.

Reliability

Owners of the Kia Picanto have reported strong reliability in our annual What Car? Reliability Survey, with most vehicles showing good dependability.

Minor issues were noted, such as air conditioning system faults and door rattles in early models, but these were infrequent among respondents.

The Kia Picanto's seven-year warranty is a significant factor, providing additional assurance for owners – even those without faults.

Feedback indicates that interactions with local dealerships were generally positive, but for more detailed information on the Kia Picanto’s reliability, read our dedicated page.

Engine

Unless running costs really must be as threadbare as possible, we’d go for a Picanto with the 1.25-litre engine. You’ll be glad of the extra grunt each time you venture out of the town centre and, in the real world, it won’t be that much more costly to run because you won’t have to wring its neck all the time.

Specification

The Picanto's entry-level 1 trim is painfully spartan, so we reckon an upgrade to 2 trim is essential. If you can stretch to a 3, therefore, it’s worth doing for the slick colour screen with sat-nav; you also get climate control, cruise control, rear parking sensors and a rear-view camera.

Our favourite Kia Picanto 1.25 3

If a sweet small car with a long warranty is the sort of thing you’re looking for, the Hyundai i10 is a similarly strong contender. It only gets five years’ warranty to the Picanto’s seven, but the ride is softer and it handles just as well, so it should be on your shortlist.

We’re also big fans of the Skoda Citigo, which is just as good value as the Picanto. You don’t get the long warranty, but you do get impressive comfort and a smart interior – as well as some remarkably efficient engines.

Or if value is key, why not have a look at the Suzuki Celerio? Bland styling masks an incredibly practical city car, with remarkable amounts of space in the rear seats and boot, along with plentiful equipment. What's more, it’s very cheap to buy.

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If you're interested in finding a used Picanto, or any of the other cars mentioned here, head over to the Used Car Buying pages to find lots of cars listed for sale at great prices.