Sum and substance

You’ll find that the all-new version of the Kia Picanto is well worth the money

IN an ideal world, we all would have three or four cars (I can hear the environmentalists fainting already) and daily be able to pick the one that matched our journey, or maybe just even our mood.

There would be a big luxury saloon for long, but essentially boring drives, a hot hatch for a bit of fun on country roads, an MPV or SUV for those family trips when everyone wants space and, finally, a small runaround that would get you to the shops, or to the train station car park when you don’t want to drive all the way.

You know, something that’s as cheap as chips, looks on excess intake of petrol the way a Pioneer looks at a stag party, and wouldn’t emit so much as a squeak, never mind a belch of carbon dioxide.

If I was picking a car like that, the KIA Picanto definitely would be in there. The first Picanto, back in 2004, was unlovely and unloved, and bland to the point of invisibility. Then Peter Schreyer came along and hit it with the beauty stick, and it looked a whole lot better.

In the all-new version, it finally becomes a genuine looker, thanks in no small part to the new signature grille (it’s as if the most recent model overdosed on the whey powder and protein milk) and the wrapround headlamps that look like those sunglasses you wear while going skiing. I say that as an observer, by the way, as I’ve never been skiing, solely on the basis that I’m the guy who would break his neck on the first descent.

Anyway, the very characteristic the first Picanto lacked now is the one it has in spades – substance. It sits at the kerb with genuine confidence, no longer George McFly to the Volkswagen Up’s Biff.

The improvements carry through to the inside too. I’m always wary of narrow cars (and, at under 1.6 metres between the mirrors, this hardly is expansive) but there’s clearly a bit of magic at play here, because there’s good shoulder room up front, and even space for an armrest and cubbyhole between the seats.

All Picantos (Picanti, anyone?) come with five doors, so there’s also no issue with access to the admittedly compact rear bench, good to know if you plan on carrying children around with you.

The dashboard materials are not especially fancy, but they don’t feel cheap either, and everything you need is within easy reach. You also get Bluetooth phone connectivity as standard, though anything less in the world we now live in would be unthinkable.

The boot, one of the biggest in the city car class, is generous enough to accommodate the weekly grocery shop and you also will have little difficulty finding parking, because despite all the interior room, the car itself still checks in at under four metres.

There are times even I find it a joy to be able to shoehorn something this small into a space that would be immediately be dismissed were I driving anything else.

As far as safety goes, all cars come with hill-start assist, electronic stability and tyre pressure monitor. The advanced ADAC model also offers autonomous braking in the city, but you will pay extra to move up the food chain. That said, if you know someone contemplating buying a Picanto and also know they’re not the world’s best driver, convince them to make the price walk (in the 1.0-litre EX, that’s only an extra €400, and worth every cent).

The car’s manners are good, but not exciting. More road noise than I would like makes its way into the cabin, and while the suspension and handling are good (the EX comes on 15-inch wheels), they’re not electrifying. The 1.0-litre three-cylinder engine is adequate, though you will find yourself muttering the odd silent prayer when building up to overtaking. And, from a standing start, it’s going to take you just over 14 seconds to hit the ton.

No one buys a car like the Picanto for performance, though. It’s for first-time drivers, and those trading down as they settle quietly into retirement – and a few in the middle whose motoring needs are such that a city runaround really is all they need, especially one that costs so little to tax and is so fuel efficient. There’s also the bonus of KIA’s seven-year warranty for peace of mind – to put that in context, it will bring you all the way up to the Paris Olympics in 2024.

All in all, this is a strong package at a reasonable price.