Kia Picanto
City car is a more sophisticated package than ever before; we drive it in entry-level form
IN an effort to peg the Volkswagen up!, Kia has released this more sophisticated Picanto city car. A 1.0-litre turbo engine will be available in time, but here it’s the entry-level naturally aspirated 1.0 petrol we test in £10,750 ‘2’ trim.
DESIGN & ENGINEERING
THE addition of a new engine at the end of the year means Picanto buyers will have more choice, but Kia has given with one hand and taken away with the other, as this all-new model is now available only as a five-door. However, that’s less of an issue than you might think. Kia says only 10 per cent of buyers opt for three-doors in this sector, so with the Picanto’s new-found focus when it comes to refinement and maturity, sticking to the more practical five-door bodystyle is a good move.
Underneath, the Kia uses Macpherson strut suspension at the front and a torsion beam at the rear, while the platform has grown in size with a 15mm-longer wheelbase helping create more room inside. The more spacious cabin tallies with modifications made elsewhere to improve refinement, so there’s a new soundproofing panel beneath the dash and under the cabin, plus soundabsorbing foam at the base of the A and B-pillars. These are said to reduce wind and road noise respectively, while a new engine cover, revised intake design and tweaked engine mounts help reduce noise and vibration from the motor.
Improvements in refinement are matched by higher-quality materials inside over its predecessor, but the plastics throughout the cabin still don’t quite feel a match for those in the up! – although it is a step forward on the old car. You get an acceptable level of kit in 2 trim – Bluetooth, 14-inch alloys, air-con and all-round electric windows are standard – but beyond this there isn’t much. You’ll have to upgrade to the 3 model if you want more connectivity and better infotainment; the supplement is £1,900, but this trim is available only with the larger 1. 25-litre engine.
DRIVING
KIA says the alterations it’s made to the Picanto’s engine and chassis add up to make this the quietest city car around, both at idle and at a cruise. Yet while it’s definitely an improvement on the previous generation, it still doesn’t quite rival the up! when it comes to maturity on the move.
The Kia offers adequate performance, though, given this engine is the least powerful available in the range. Our 0-60mph sprint took 12.4 seconds, but flat-out performance isn’t a priority in a city car. Chopping and changing between speed limits in built-up areas means torque and tractability are more important, so the Kia’s decent showing between 50 and 70mph in fifth, taking 13.9 seconds, and its 9.5-second time from 30-50mph in fourth highlight the flexibility of its performance.
The naturally aspirated triple is smooth, and revs fairly sweetly. The gearshift isn’t quite as positive as the VW ’s, but it’s by no means obstructive when you’re trying to make progress. Lengthening the wheelbase has improved the ride, so over rolling bumps the Picanto feels relatively relaxed for its size. Sharper ridges in the road cause the chassis to react abruptly, though – especially from the rear, where the car pogos up and down, lacking body control.
Around town, this firmer edge to the ride is less noticeable, and the Picanto copes with ripped-up and rucked urban roads reasonably well.
PRACTICALITY
ENLARGING the Picanto’s platform has created more luggage room as well as cabin space. The boot is now 255 litres with the seats up (nearly as much as in some superminis), and rises to 1,010 litres with them folded down.
The longer wheelbase has definitely freed up more knee room in the rear, and decent door openings mean it’s easy to get into the back. Storage and ergonomics are acceptable as well, although seat comfort could be a little better for longer journeys.
OWNERSHIP
KIA finished 14th out of 32 brands in our last Driver Power poll, with owners not really singling out any one area for good or bad reasons. However, this mid-table result was better than for VW and Hyundai, both of which ranked further down the order.
Kia’s seven-year/100,000-mile warranty means that the Picanto should be a good ownership prospect, which will also be matched by decent safety levels. Euro NCAP hasn’t yet put the new car through its paces in a crash test, but with autonomous braking available as a special-order option as part of the £350 Advanced Driving Assistance Pack, and standard fit from 3 trim level and above, the Picanto offers a decent level of safety kit alongside the six standard airbags.
RUNNING COSTS
THE Picanto is well priced, and as it emits 101g/km of CO2 it’ll undercut the up! for company car tax. Business users paying tax at the lower rate will have to shell out a reasonable £401 per year, but at this price level and with identical emissions to the VW there’s not much between them. The up! will cost business users £426 per year.
The i10 emits 108g/km of CO2 and is slightly more expensive than the Picanto, so won’t be as costeffective to run, but it’s only marginally cheaper than the up! with company car contributions of £423.