Kia Picanto review

The Kia Picanto is one of the very best city cars, with a smart interior, tidy handling and decent practicality

RRP £17,095

• New
• Used

New car deals

Best price from £15,190

What is What Car? best price?

The What Car? best price shows you the cheapest way to buy your new car, whether it's by choosing an in-stock car through our partner Autotrader or placing a factory order.

Available now from: £15,190

RRP from: £17,095

Available now

From £15,190

Leasing deals

From £219

About our price indicator

What Car? indicative Personal lease example (subject to status)

Kia Picanto

Expected annual mileage 5000 Term months 60 Deposit months 12 Monthly payment £219.42 Initial payment £2,633.04

Step-by-step

Leasing works a bit like a long-term rental. You drive it, but you don’t own it.

• Choose your car, pick your terms and apply for lease credit online
• Pay monthly rental payments for your chosen term length
• Drive it, enjoy it, then give it back at the end

What you get

When you lease with Autotrader you get all of this:

• Full manufacturer’s warranty
• Road tax and roadside assistance included
• Free returns within 30 days*

Excess mileage charges and return conditions apply. Subject to availability and credit status. 18+ T&Cs apply.

In partnership with

£2,878 total upfront (£2,633 initial rental plus £245 processing fee) | 5000 miles | 60 months

• Lower total monthly cost than PCP/HP
• No balloon payments
• Road tax included

City

Hatchback

Small

Jump to:

Introduction

Performance & drive

Interior

Passenger & boot space

Buying & owning

Dan Jones

Updated: 18 March 2025

How we test cars

The Kia Picanto is something of a rarity. It's a dinky city car that runs on petrol, at a time when most rivals have gone electric – or gone off sale.

Why? Because petrol small cars like the Picanto are simply not that profitable to build, meaning manufacturers would, understandably, rather invest in small SUVs or electric cars. But what if you don’t want to pay big bucks, don’t want to plug in your car or simply don’t need SUV levels of space?

New car deals

Best price from £15,190

What is What Car? best price?

The What Car? best price shows you the cheapest way to buy your new car, whether it's by choosing an in-stock car through our partner Autotrader or placing a factory order.

Available now from: £15,190

RRP from: £17,095

Available now

From £15,190

Leasing deals

From £219

About our price indicator

What Car? indicative Personal lease example (subject to status)

Kia Picanto

Expected annual mileage 5000 Term months 60 Deposit months 12 Monthly payment £219.42 Initial payment £2,633.04

Step-by-step

Leasing works a bit like a long-term rental. You drive it, but you don’t own it.

• Choose your car, pick your terms and apply for lease credit online
• Pay monthly rental payments for your chosen term length
• Drive it, enjoy it, then give it back at the end

What you get

When you lease with Autotrader you get all of this:

• Full manufacturer’s warranty
• Road tax and roadside assistance included
• Free returns within 30 days*

Excess mileage charges and return conditions apply. Subject to availability and credit status. 18+ T&Cs apply.

In partnership with

£2,878 total upfront (£2,633 initial rental plus £245 processing fee) | 5000 miles | 60 months

• Lower total monthly cost than PCP/HP
• No balloon payments
• Road tax included

Kia Picanto video review

Well, Kia has shown it's not looking to leave this part of the market any time soon. It's given this third-generation Picanto a substantial facelift, with a fresh look outside, tech upgrades inside and five seats as standard, and continues to offer it with a choice of two petrol engines.

While there are fewer small cars on sale, there are still some rivals to consider. So should you buy the Kia Picanto over, say, a Dacia Sandero, Hyundai i10 or Toyota Aygo X?

What’s new?

advertisement

scroll for more

- August 2025 - Picanto range simplified, with Pure, GT-Line and GT-Line S replacing 2’, ‘GT-Line’, ‘3’ and ‘GT-Line S’ structure
- June 2024 - Shadow special edition, based on ‘3’ trim, announced and features a green interior and choice of black, green or grey paintwork

Verdict

With a smart interior, tidy handling and a very easy to use infotainment system, the Kia Picanto is a good small car. Even so, the Hyundai i10 is a bit more polished in terms of ride and refinement and a Dacia Sandero offers more space but costs even less. If you do buy a Picanto, we recommend sticking with the entry-level version to keep costs down.

Pros

• Really tidy handling
• Decent real-world fuel economy
• Great infotainment and well-equipment as standard

Cons

• Engine line-up is among the slowest of any new car
• Quite firm low-speed ride
• A Dacia Sandero is much roomier

Trims available

GT-Line S

This range-topping model has the same styling as GT-Line but the same level of equipment as 3 while adding some upgraded safety tech and a panoramic sunroof. It’s only available with the 1.2 MPi engine.

GT-Line

This trim level adds a height-adjustable boot floor, LED headlights, keyless entry, 16in alloys and slightly sportier exterior styling on top of 2 trim. It’s only available with the 1.0 MPi engine.

New car deals

Available now

Leasing deals

Performance & drive

What it's like to drive, and how quiet it is

Strengths

• Tidy handling
• Decent ride

Weaknesses

• Weedy performance from all engines
• No turbocharged option

Engine, 0-60mph and gearbox

You can have the Kia Picanto with one of two non-turbocharged petrol engines, starting with a 62bhp 1.0-litre unit. The official 0-62mph time of 15.4 seconds – or 18.2 seconds with automated manual transmission (AMT) – puts it among the slowest accelerating cars you can buy. It feels it too, so you’ll often need to use full power to keep up with traffic.

advertisement

scroll for more

The other choice is a 77bhp 1.2-litre four-cylinder petrol and the official 0-62mph time for that is 13.1 seconds with the manual gearbox or 16.5 seconds with the AMT. It’s much easier to use every day and would be our pick of the range except that it's only available from Shadow trim and up, making it quite expensive.

The 71bhp Toyota Aygo X is slightly slower but the Hyundai i10 (which is closely related to the Picanto) gets a peppier turbocharged option and the Dacia Sandero 1.0 TCe 90 is punchier still.

Suspension and ride comfort

The Picanto doesn't ride as slickly as a Sandero or i10, and jostles you around more over scraggy town roads, with some extra fidget along pimpled sections of motorway.

In truth, it's still not what you’d call uncomfortable, especially if you go for the entry-level trim, which comes on smaller 14in alloys. And the good thing is that – being a little more firmly sprung than some small cars – it doesn't bounce around along undulating country roads.

advertisement

scroll for more

Handling

The Picanto's firm suspension helps it to corner more keenly than most rivals. It's right at home on twisty lanes, displaying the kind of agility and alertness that its nearest rivals can't muster. For comparison, the Sandero displays more body lean.

The i10 and Aygo X steer slightly more sweetly than the Picanto but that's picking holes. The steering is still excellent at keying you into the grip at the front wheels and it's more accurate than the Sandero's.

Importantly, the steering lightens up at low speeds, which – combined with its tight turning circle – makes the Picanto a doddle to thread through traffic or into tight parking spaces.

Noise and vibration

The fact that you need to work the Picanto’s small engines hard, and that their manual gearboxes only have five-speeds, inevitably leads to a bit of noise.

advertisement

scroll for more

All the latest deals, offers and much more from the What Car? team. Don't miss out.

See our full privacy notice for more details.

CAPTCHA

This question is for testing whether or not you are a human visitor and to prevent automated spam submissions.

And it's not just engine noise: at 70mph, just chatting with your passengers will involve raising your voice. If you want a little car with a bit more decorum, try the quieter i10 instead.

On the up side, the Picanto's brakes are really easy to meter, with a firmer, more confidence-inspiring pedal than the Sandero's. That means driving smoothly in traffic isn’t an issue, plus the manual gearbox has a slick shift and clutch action. The slow-witted AMT gearbox has you nodding gently during every change, so it's less appealing.

"The Picanto's ride isn't luxury-car smooth but it's not too bad for a small car and I found it less bouncy than softer rivals." – Neil Winn, Deputy Reviews Editor

Interior

The interior layout, fit and finish

Strengths

• Simple and responsive touchscreen infotainment
• Rear-view camera as standard

Weaknesses

• Steering wheel doesn’t adjust for reach
• Halogen headlights on entry-level trim

Driving position and dashboard

The only real bugbear with the Kia Picanto's driving position is that its steering wheel adjusts for height but not reach. Fortunately, its driving position works well for most people, and it’s very easy to make sure the standard digital driver's display is in plain sight.

advertisement

scroll for more

The driver’s seat is supportive, despite the lack of lumbar adjustment, and has enough side bolstering to stop you sliding around in corners. The well-aligned pedals and driver’s seat-height adjustment make it really comfortable, even on a long trip.

The Picanto's dashboard lay-out is simple and a doddle to understand, with well-placed buttons that are big enough to spot easily on the move.

Visibility, parking sensors and cameras

You get halogen headlights with the Picanto's entry-level trim but all other versions get brighter LED headlights that are better for visibility at night. Seeing out of the front during daylight hours isn't a problem thanks to slim front pillars and a deep, wide windscreen. The same is true when you’re looking out of the side windows while tackling junctions and roundabouts.

The rear side windows are slightly smaller, but passengers are unlikely to feel claustrophobic – the Picanto is relatively bright and airy in the back compared with the smallest rivals.

advertisement

scroll for more

The rear pillars are chunkier and the rear screen is relatively small, but over-the-shoulder visibility is slightly better than in the Hyundai i10 and much better than in the Dacia Sandero. It's great that rear parking sensors and a rear-view camera come as standard.

Sat nav and infotainment

Every version of the Picanto comes with an 8in touchscreen with DAB radio, Bluetooth, built-in navigation, and Android Auto and Apple CarPlay smartphone mirroring.

Better still, the Picanto’s software is easy to use and has intuitive menus. True, it’s not ideal that you can only interact with it through touch, but that’s also true of rival small cars and it at least responds quickly to all of your inputs.

All in all it feels more modern than the Sandero’s infotainment system (in fact, the entry-level Sandero doesn’t even have a touchscreen) and is a match for the i10’s system.

advertisement

scroll for more

Quality

As with every other car in its price bracket, the Picanto's interior isn't graced with soft-touch materials that are a great joy to behold. However, the plastics have been textured in such a way that they don't look or feel too cheap.

Everything seems well bolted together, giving the same feeling of solidity you get in a Hyundai i10. As with the i10, the buttons and switches feel well-damped, but the i10 does have a few more gloss-black plastics that knock it up a notch – for perceived quality at least.

"I wouldn't say I was overwhelmed by the Picanto's interior plushness, but for a car in this class and price range it feels pretty well put together inside." – Dan Jones, Senior Reviewer

Passenger & boot space

How it copes with people and clutter

Strengths

• Surprisingly accommodating for adults in the rear
• Decent boot

Weaknesses

• Dacia Sandero is more spacious
• No height-adjustable boot floor on cheapest trim

Front space

Tall drivers in the Kia Picanto will easily find enough head and leg room to sit comfortably. The Dacia Sandero is a much bigger car overall, and the Hyundai i10 is a little wider, but the Picanto doesn’t feel cramped.

advertisement

scroll for more

There's plenty of storage dotted around, including two cupholders between the front seats that are big enough for the largest of takeaway coffees, plus a tray for your mobile phone, and front door pockets big enough to hold a small water bottle. The centre armrest, meanwhile, opens to reveal an extra cubby.

Rear space

All Picantos have four doors but their openings are not as big as they are in an i10, so getting in and out is more of a squeeze. Once inside, six-footers will have little to complain about in terms of head room but will find their knees pressed up against the front seatbacks, especially if anyone tall is in front.

Rear leg room is pretty good by the standards of the littlest small cars but the i10 has quite a bit more and the Sandero is more spacious still. Five seats now come as standard (earlier Picantos had four seats), with two Isofix mounts for child seats in the back. Sitting three adults side by side there will be a real squeeze because of the Picanto's narrowness.

advertisement

scroll for more

Seat folding and flexibility

As with most other small cars, the Picanto really doesn’t do anything exciting when it comes to rear-seat versatility. Indeed, like the Sandero and i10, 60/40 split-folding rear seats are its only feature.

For clever rear seats that extend boot space, take a look at the more expensive Honda Jazz. It gets rear seat bases that flip up like the seats in a cinema, creating lots of vertical space for tall items (pot plants, for example).

When it comes to the Picanto's front passenger, they don’t get any luxuries, with no seat-height adjustment or adjustable lumbar support.

Boot space

The Picanto has one of the more useful boots among small cars. At 255 litres, it's bigger than the Toyota Aygo X boot and gives you more than enough space for a few large shopping bags.

advertisement

scroll for more

We managed to slot in three carry-on suitcases with some space to spare. The Sandero, though, is available for similar money and can fit six cases.

A height-adjustable boot floor comes as standard on all Picantos except the cheapest 2 version. In its highest position, the floor lies flush with the folded-down rear seats and sits above a useful amount of underfloor storage. Adjusting the height of the boot floor is an easy process.

"It's handy that all Picantos now have three rear seats but I'd be reluctant to share the fairly narrow rear bench with two other adults, especially on a long journey." – Neil Winn, Deputy Reviews Editor

Buying & owning

Everyday costs, plus how reliable and safe it is

Strengths

• One of the cheapest new cars on sale
• Well equipped as standard

Weaknesses

• Dacia Sandero is even cheaper
• Safety rating has expired

Equipment, options and extras

The Picanto in entry-level 2 trim is well equipped for a car with such a low list price, and is the one we’d go for if you want to keep costs down and can live with the least-powerful engine. It comes with 14in wheels, automatic headlights, cruise control, electrically adjustable and heated wing mirrors, air-conditioning, touchscreen infotainment and parking aids.

advertisement

scroll for more

GT-Line is next trim in the line-up and adds sportier styling, 16in alloys and LED headlights, while 3 trim foregoes the fancy styling and adds extra kit including heated front seats, a heated steering wheel and keyless entry.

Ways to buy

Cash from £15,190 Own the car outright. No monthly payments.

Lease from £219pm Drive a new car every few years. Lower upfront costs.

£2,633 initial payment , 60 month contract , 5000 miles p/a . Subject to status and conditions.

Available Now from £15,190 Choose a car from stock. Drive away today!

If you want the more powerful of the two engines, you'll need to choose either Shadow or GT-Line S trim. Both come with equivalent levels of equipment, adding upgraded safety tech and a panoramic sunroof, but the difference is that GT-Line S shares the GT-Line’s sportier styling.

Costs, insurance groups, MPG and CO2

The Kia Picanto is among the cheapest new cars in the UK. It costs slightly less as a cash buy than the equivalent Hyundai i10 but is still pricier than the larger Dacia Sandero, even if you go for the Sandero’s mid-spec trim.

Depreciation on the Picanto is predicted to be fairly slow, but still faster than for both the i10 and Sandero. That can have an effect on the amount you’ll pay each month if you’re buying on PCP finance so you might find those rivals cheaper. You can check the latest prices on our New Car Deals pages.

advertisement

scroll for more

Running costs should be cheap, and the Picanto generally costs less to insure than the i10. Both the engines are frugal, and the entry-level 66bhp 1.0 unit should return real-world fuel economy not far off 50mpg.

Reliability

In the 2024 What Car? Reliability Survey the Picanto finished right near the top of the 19 strong small car class. Meanwhile, Kia as a manufacturer finished in 11th place out of the 31 manufacturers ranked. That's pretty impressive, but still below Toyota, Dacia and Hyundai.

As with every Kia car model, the Picanto comes with an impressive seven-year, 100,000-mile warranty. That’s more generous than the three-year, 60,000-mile warranty offered by Dacia and better in length than Hyundai’s five-year warranty but can’t match its unlimited mileage.

Toyota trumps all though. You get a 10-year warranty with the Toyota Aygo X if you service it regularly with a main dealer.

advertisement

scroll for more

Safety and security

Every Picanto gets six airbags as standard, and all trims get automatic emergency braking (AEB) to help prevent front-end shunts. Range-topping GT-Line S gets an upgraded AEB system as well as blind-spot monitoring.

When the pre-facelift Picanto was tested for safety by Euro NCAP in 2017, it scored four stars out of five with a safety pack fitted and three without. That rating has now expired – we’ll have to wait until further tests have been done before we can tell you whether the latest version is a safer car.

"I think a lot of buyers will find Kia's seven-year standard warranty appealing. It's an impressive offering." – Dan Jones, Senior Reviewer

For all the latest reviews, advice and new car deals, sign up to the What Car? newsletter here

Kia Picanto owner reviews

Sort by: Most Recent Star rating

Anonymous

Kia Picanto petrol

Likes: Value, Reliability, Servicing, Running costs

May 28, 2026 9:55 PM

It's easy to drive, small enough to get into tight spaces and it economical

Tips & Advice

Organise your motoring life

Whether you need to keep tabs on your insurance renewal, sort breakdown cover, or book a service, My What Car? has you covered

Avoid ULEZ and clean-air zone fines

If you regularly drive into a clean air zone, you’ll want to ensure your next car is compliant to avoid costly fines

Can I buy a car with cash?

Paying cash isn’t always an easy way to a new car – and you may not be able to get the big discounts you might expect

Similarly priced cars

Hyundai i10

Dacia Sandero

Citroën C3

New Hyundai i20

Peugeot 208

Seat Ibiza

Toyota Aygo X

Skoda Fabia

If you're interested in finding a Kia Picanto, or any of the other small cars mentioned here, head over to our Cars available now pages to find new cars listed for sale at great prices.

Kia Picanto specifications

RRP price range

£17,095 - £20,645

MPG range across all versions

48.7 - 54.3

Available fuel types (which is best for you? )

Petrol

Available colours

Number of engines (see all)

2

Number of trims (see all)

6

Warranty

7 years / 100,000 miles

Company car tax at 20% (min/max)

£995 - £1,282

Company car tax at 40% (min/max)

£1,990 - £2,564

FAQs

Which Kia Picanto model is best?

The most recommendable Picanto is the 1.0 MPi in entry-level 2 trim. The stronger 1.2 MPi engine is much better but only available in the most expensive trim levels.

Is Kia Picanto worth buying?

If you want a small car that has a smart interior, a simple infotainment system and tidy handling, the Picanto could be for you. Just bear in mind that the closely related Hyundai i10 rides better and the Dacia Sandero is bigger.

Is the Kia Picanto available as an electric car or a hybrid?

No. The Picanto is available with a choice of two small petrol engines with no electrification.

What are the negatives of the Kia Picanto?

The Picanto’s main issues are its relatively weedy engines, firm ride and the fact that it’s smaller than a lot of its rivals.

New car deals

Best price from £15,190

What is What Car? best price?

The What Car? best price shows you the cheapest way to buy your new car, whether it's by choosing an in-stock car through our partner Autotrader or placing a factory order.

Available now from: £15,190

RRP from: £17,095

Available now

From £15,190

Leasing deals

From £219

About our price indicator

What Car? indicative Personal lease example (subject to status)

Kia Picanto

Expected annual mileage 5000 Term months 60 Deposit months 12 Monthly payment £219.42 Initial payment £2,633.04

Step-by-step

Leasing works a bit like a long-term rental. You drive it, but you don’t own it.

• Choose your car, pick your terms and apply for lease credit online
• Pay monthly rental payments for your chosen term length
• Drive it, enjoy it, then give it back at the end

What you get

When you lease with Autotrader you get all of this:

• Full manufacturer’s warranty
• Road tax and roadside assistance included
• Free returns within 30 days*

Excess mileage charges and return conditions apply. Subject to availability and credit status. 18+ T&Cs apply.

In partnership with

£2,878 total upfront (£2,633 initial rental plus £245 processing fee) | 5000 miles | 60 months

• Lower total monthly cost than PCP/HP
• No balloon payments
• Road tax included

Kia Picantos available to buy

In partnership with

Kia Picanto

1.0 Pure Euro 6 (s/s) 5dr

RRP £17,695

£14,995

Kia Picanto

1.0 Pure Euro 6 (s/s) 5dr

RRP £17,095

£15,495

Kia Picanto

1.0 Pure Euro 6 (s/s) 5dr

RRP £17,095

£15,595

Kia Picanto

1.0 Pure Euro 6 (s/s) 5dr

RRP £17,095

£15,595

Kia Picanto

1.0 Pure Euro 6 (s/s) 5dr

RRP £17,345

£15,595

Kia Picanto

1.0 Pure Euro 6 (s/s) 5dr

RRP £17,095

£15,768

Kia Picanto

1.0 Pure Euro 6 (s/s) 5dr

RRP £17,095

£15,770

Kia Picanto

1.0 Pure Euro 6 (s/s) 5dr

RRP £17,095

£15,770

Kia Picanto

1.0 Pure Euro 6 (s/s) 5dr

RRP £17,095

£15,800

See all available cars

About the writer

Name: Dan Jones

Title: Senior Reviewer

Follow Dan Jones on

Dan joined What Car? in 2021 and is now the road test team's Senior Reviewer. In that role, he produces new car reviews for Whatcar.com and What Car? magazine, alongside occasional contributions for Autocar and Move Electric.

More Kia Picanto

Used reviews

• Used Kia Picanto Hatchback 2017-present
• Used Kia Picanto Hatchback 2011-2017
• Used Kia Picanto Hatchback 2004 - 2011

Longterm reviews

• Kia Picanto long-term test

Reliability

• What Car? Reliability Survey: Most and least reliable small cars
• Are Kia cars reliable? Most and least reliable models revealed
• What Car Reliability Survey: Most and least reliable petrol cars
• Britain's most reliable cars 2024 (plus the ones that'll let you down)
• Most (and least) reliable brands for older cars

Category rankings

• Best used city cars for less than £5000
• Best used city cars
• Best used automatic small cars for less than £10,000
• Best used cars for learner drivers

Similar car reviews

• New Hyundai i20
• Seat Ibiza
• Toyota Aygo X
• Skoda Fabia

Comparison tests

Can you really live with a cheap electric car?

The Dacia Spring and Leapmotor T03 are the cheapest electric cars you can buy. But which is better and would you want to own either of them?

New Kia Picanto vs Fiat 500 vs Hyundai i10

Small, cheap cars bring numerous benefits in town. But we took three of them on a road trip to see which of them is the most complete all-rounder

New Hyundai i10 vs Kia Picanto

Kia's smart and surprisingly sophisticated little Picanto is our reigning Value Car of the Year. Can the all-new Hyundai i10 dethrone it?

New Seat Ibiza vs Renault Clio

These small cars are not only cheap to buy but should also be pleasing to own. Let's see which one has the most to offer

See all comparisons

News and advice

Sponsored

What Car? Reliability Survey: Most and least reliable small cars

In our annual Reliability Survey, we ask readers to rate the dependability of cars aged up to five years old. Here we list the most and least reliable small cars in the UK

Sat Oct 31 2026

Slideshow

The 10 cheapest new cars you can buy – reviewed and rated

Searching for a bargain? Look no further, because these 10 cars prove you can get something that's interesting, practical and fun at a still affordable price

Best of

Best used automatic small cars for less than £10,000

Are you after an affordable small car, but need an automatic gearbox? Well, here are the best automatic small cars on the used market, and they're all less than £10,000

Fri Sep 11 2026

Feature

Are Kia cars reliable? Most and least reliable models revealed

In our annual Reliability Survey, we ask readers to rate the dependability of cars aged up to five years old. Here we list the most and least reliable models in the Kia line-up

Sat Aug 8 2026

See all latest advice

All Small car reviews

Audi A1

Citroën C3

Citroën C3 Origin

Dacia Sandero

Dacia Sandero Stepway

Fiat 500 Hybrid

Honda Jazz

Hyundai i10

Kia Picanto

Mazda 2

Mazda 2 Hybrid

MG3

Mini Cooper

Mini Cooper 5-Door

New Hyundai i20

Peugeot 208

Renault Clio

Seat Ibiza

Skoda Fabia

Toyota Aygo X

Toyota Yaris

Vauxhall Corsa

Volkswagen Polo

Show more