Kia Picanto review
The Kia Picanto is a stylish and fun-to-drive city car that’s packed with features and offers fantastic value for money.
Author: Charlie Harvey
18th Dec 2025 – 8 mins read
The Kia Picanto has long been a favourite for drivers who want a small, affordable, and practical city car. The third-generation model, which arrived in 2017, took all the sensible bits that made the Picanto so popular and added a huge dose of style and driving fun. It’s a car that proves you don’t have to sacrifice personality just because you need something small and cheap to run. It’s surprisingly spacious inside for such a tiny car and has one of the biggest boots in its class. It’s also loaded with equipment that you might not expect to find on a city car, and it’s all backed up by Kia’s unbeatable seven-year warranty. While the entry-level engines can feel a little slow, the turbocharged version is a real gem, turning the Picanto into a properly fun little car to zip around in.
Pros
- Fantastic value for money, both new and used
- Comes with a lot of standard equipment on most models
- The turbocharged 1.0-litre engine is great fun
Cons
- Top-of-the-range models can get quite expensive
- The entry-level engine feels a bit underpowered
- The ride can be a little firm on bumpy city streets
Interior
Dashboard & tech
Kia has done a great job with the Picanto’s interior. The design is modern and smart, with a clean layout that’s easy to use. The quality is also surprisingly good for an affordable city car. You’ll find plenty of hard-wearing plastics, but they feel durable and well put together.
A real highlight is the ‘floating’ seven-inch touchscreen that you’ll find on most models. It’s a slick system that’s easy to use and comes with smartphone connectivity, so you can use your favourite apps on the move. Models without this screen can look a little dated inside, but overall, it’s a high-quality and user-friendly cabin for a car in this class.
Comfort
The Picanto is a fun car to drive, but this does mean the ride is on the firm side. You will tend to notice bumps and potholes more than you would in some softer rivals, especially at low speeds around town. It’s never uncomfortable, but it’s a trade-off for the car’s agile handling.
The seats are comfortable and supportive, and it’s easy to find a good driving position. It’s a car that’s perfectly at home in the city, where its compact size and good visibility make it a doddle to drive and park. It’s also capable enough on the motorway for occasional longer trips.
Quality
The quality of the Picanto’s cabin is impressive for a city car. While it’s not a luxury model, and you won’t find lots of soft-touch plastics or plush leather, everything feels solid and well-assembled. It gives you the sense that it’s a car built to withstand the rigours of daily life.
The buttons and switches all have a nice, positive feel, and there are no annoying creaks or rattles. Kia has really upped its game in recent years, and the Picanto’s interior feels like a quality product that will stand the test of time.
Practicality & boot space
Interior space
For a car with such a small footprint, the Picanto is surprisingly practical. A clever design means there’s more interior space than you might expect. There's plenty of room up front for the driver and passenger, and adults can get comfortable in the back, which is impressive for a city car.
While it’s officially a five-seater, its narrow body means it’s best to think of it as a four-seater if you’re carrying adults. There’s also a good amount of headroom and plenty of useful storage spots dotted around the cabin for phones and drinks.
Boot space
The Picanto has one of the biggest boots in the city car class. At 255 litres, it’s not huge, but it’s larger than what you’ll find in many rivals and is big enough for a weekly shop or a couple of weekend bags. It’s a really practical space that’s almost as big as what you’d find in some superminis from the class above.
If you need to carry larger items, the rear seats fold down to expand the load space to 1,010 litres. It’s a very versatile boot for such a small car, making the Picanto a surprisingly practical choice.
Driving
Driving experience
The Kia Picanto is a really fun car to drive. The steering is light but sharp, which gives it an agile, almost go-kart-like feel. This makes it brilliant for zipping through city traffic and a joy on twisty roads. It handles very well, with plenty of grip and not much body lean in the corners.
The main weakness has always been the entry-level engines, which can feel a little breathless. However, the introduction of a punchy turbocharged petrol engine has transformed the car, giving it the performance to match its fun handling. The firm ride is the only other small complaint, but it's a small price to pay for such an enjoyable driving experience.
Performance
The Picanto is available with a choice of three small petrol engines. The range starts with a 1.0-litre engine producing 66bhp. It’s fine for city driving but can feel a bit slow on the open road, taking almost 14 seconds to get from 0-60mph.
A more popular choice is the 1.25-litre engine with 83bhp. This is a better all-rounder but can still feel a little out of its depth on faster roads. The best engine by far is the turbocharged 1.0-litre T-GDi unit. With 99bhp, it has an excellent amount of punch and makes the lightweight Picanto feel like a junior hot hatch. It can get from 0-60mph in under 10 seconds and is great fun.
Running costs
Fuel economy & CO2 emissions
Whichever engine you choose, the Picanto will be a very cheap car to run. All the petrol engines are very efficient, with official economy figures of between 54.3mpg and 56.5mpg. Low CO2 emissions also mean that road tax is very affordable.
The Picanto is also a great choice for new drivers because its low insurance groups help to keep premiums down. The 66bhp model sits in group 4, making it one of the cheapest cars to insure.
Value for money
The Picanto has always offered fantastic value for money. While it’s not the absolute cheapest city car you can buy, it comes with a generous amount of equipment and a premium feel that justifies its price. It also holds its value reasonably well.
The biggest selling point is Kia’s industry-leading seven-year, 100,000-mile warranty. This is transferable to subsequent owners, meaning you could buy a three or four-year-old Picanto and still have more manufacturer warranty left than on a brand new car from most other brands.
Reliability & Warranty
Kia has an excellent reputation for building reliable cars, and the Picanto is no exception. Owners report very few problems, and the car feels solid and well-built. The seven-year warranty gives incredible peace of mind and shows the confidence Kia has in its products.
Safety
Safety features
When the Picanto was tested by the safety experts at Euro NCAP in 2017, it received two different scores. Models without the optional advanced safety pack got a three-star rating, while cars fitted with it were awarded four stars.
It’s worth looking for a model with this pack, which includes autonomous emergency braking. This feature is standard on higher-spec ‘3’, GT-Line, and X-Line models. All models get basic safety features like hill-start assist and automatic lights.
Trims & Engines
Trim levels
The Picanto is available in a wide range of trims, from basic to sporty.
1: The entry-level model is quite basic but includes automatic headlights, remote locking, and electric front windows.
2: This popular trim adds 14-inch alloy wheels, air conditioning, Bluetooth, and a leather-trimmed steering wheel. It's a great value choice.
3: This trim adds the seven-inch touchscreen with smartphone connectivity, cruise control, a reversing camera, and autonomous emergency braking.
GT-Line / GT-Line S: These models give the Picanto a sporty look with a body kit, larger 16-inch alloy wheels, and LED lights.
X-Line / X-Line S: These trims have a rugged, SUV-inspired look with raised suspension, chunkier bumpers, and plastic wheel arches.
Engines
There are three small petrol engines to choose from.
1.0 MPi: A 66bhp engine that’s best suited for city driving.1.25 MPi: A more flexible 83bhp engine that’s a better all-rounder. Available with a manual or automatic gearbox.1.0 T-GDi: A brilliant 99bhp turbocharged engine that’s quick and fun to drive. It’s the pick of the range.