Consider Buying An Used Kia Picanto
All versions of the Kia Picanto for sale come with five doors as standard and there's a simple engine line-up, plus the option of an automatic gearbox should you prefer one. There’s even an SUV-aping X-Line version, although that’s more about appealing looks than real rough-and-tumble driving.
What it’s like to drive, and how quiet it is
Engine, 0-60mph and gearboxThe Kia Picanto's non-turbocharged 66bhp 1.0 MPi is pretty much the default choice. That's because it's available with the majority of trims and with a manual or automatic gearbox. 0-60mph takes just over 14sec (or 16.6sec for the auto), which sounds slow but it's quicker than the Volkswagen Up and is, actually, fine for pottering around town. It's an engine that thrives on being revved, so, while you need to work it hard on faster roads, it does feel more eager than the numbers suggest.
The reason the auto 'box slows it down is the time it takes to change gear. It's basically the manual gearbox with a robot doing the clutch and gears for you behind the scenes. Every gear change takes a second or so to complete, which can be a bit frustrating but, if you really want an auto and can accept its foibles, it's okay. If not, try the Sandero with its CVT auto. CVT gearboxes aren't always great, either, but they might suit you better. We'd absolutely suggest a test drive in both before you make a decision, though.
The best engine is the turbocharged 1.0 T-GDi with 99bhp. The problem is it's only available with the top trims, so it's expensive, and as a manual. On the plus side, it's a lot more flexible at low revs and feels noticeably swifter when you work it (0-60mph takes 9.9sec).
Suspension and ride comfort
The Picanto doesn't ride as slickly as some rivals, including the Sandero, the Hyundai i10 or the Up. It jostles you around moreover scraggy town roads and has some extra fidget along pimpled sections of motorway.
It's all relative, though. In truth, it’s far from uncomfortable, especially if you avoid the larger 16in alloy wheels that are fitted to top trims. And the good thing is that being a little firmer sprung than its rivals, it doesn't bounce around along undulating country roads.
That Picanto's firm suspension also helps it to corner more keenly than the majority of its rivals. It's right at home on winding country lanes, displaying the kind of agility and alertness that its nearest rivals cannot muster. An i10 or Up, for example, has more body lean.
The i10 steers slightly sweeter, but that's picking holes, really. The Picanto's 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 quite hard, and that these only come with five-speed gearboxes, inevitably leads to a bit of noise. This is nowhere near bad enough to have you reaching for your earplugs, but the 1.0-litre engines are more vocal than an i10's and they also send more vibrations through the pedals and steering wheel.
It's not just engine noise, though; city cars are generally quite noisy at motorway speeds and the Picanto sticks to that stereotype. At 110kmph, just chatting with your passengers will involve raising your voice a tad. Test this out by test driving one of the used Kia Picanto models for sale at a Group 1 Cars near you.
On the upside, 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 automatic ’box that has you nodding gently during every change is less appealing but still betters the aggravating automatic in the Toyota Aygo.
Driving position and dashboard
The only real bugbear with the Kia Picanto's driving position is that – like all city cars – its steering wheel adjusts for height and not reach. Still, its driving position still works well for most people, somehow, and it's certainly better than the Volkswagen Up's, which tends to block the instruments.
The driver’s seat is supportive, despite the lack of lumbar adjustment – another commonality with rivals at this end of the market – and has enough side bolstering to stop you sliding around in corners. Thanks to well-aligned pedals and the driver’s seat height adjustment (on all but the entry-level trim), it's really comfortable, even on a long trip. '3' trim and above even adds a front centre armrest to lean on as well.
Meanwhile, the dashboard layout is as simple as it gets 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 can't have fancy LED headlights on a Picanto, and its halogen headlights aren't the brightest at night, but seeing out of the front during daylight hours isn't a problem, with its slim front pillars and 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 rear passengers are unlikely to feel claustrophobic; the Picanto is relatively bright and airy in the back compared with most city cars.
The rear pillars are chunkier and the rear screen is relatively small, but even so, over-the-shoulder visibility is slightly better than it is in a Hyundai i10 and much better than the Dacia Sandero. It's a shame that rear parking sensors and a rear-view camera are available only on the mid and upper trims, with no option to add them on the cheaper variants.
With '1' and '2' trims you get only an AM/FM radio, Bluetooth and a tiny, 3.8in monochrome screen, although that's better than the entry-level Sandero's system, which doesn't have a stereo.
Fortunately, the higher trim levels get a much more modern 8.0in colour touchscreen that adds a DAB radio plus Apple CarPlay and Android Auto smartphone mirroring. On 3, X-Line S and GT-Line S models, this also includes in-built sat-nav. And it's not a chore to use, because the menus are intuitive and the screen responds quickly to inputs – it's far better than the Up's system and one of the best in the class.
Range-topping X-Line S and GT-Line S models add wireless phone charging, but sadly those trims are bloomin' pricey. '1' trim gets just two stereo speakers, '2' trim has four, and everything else has six speakers as standard.
Quality
Like 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, too, giving the same feeling of solidity that you get from an i10.
As with the i10, the buttons and switches also feel nicely damped, but the i10 does have nicer leather on its steering wheel and plusher gloss-black plastics that knock it up a notch – for perceived quality at least.
Front space
The Kia Picanto's driver's seat slides back a little farther than the Volkswagen Up's, and tall adults will find easily enough head and legroom to sit comfortably. The Dacia Sandero is a much bigger car overall, and the i10 is a little wider, but the Picanto won't leave you feeling hemmed in around the shoulders.
There's plenty of storage dotted around, including two cupholders between the front seats that are big enough for the largest of skinny mochaccinos, plus a tray for your mobile phone, and front door pockets big enough to hold a small water bottle.
The sliding centre armrest – a very rare thing in this class and, as we said earlier, fitted from 3 trim upwards – opens to reveal an extra cubby beneath.
Rear space
All Picantos have five doors but their openings aren't 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 headroom, but will find their knees pressed up against the front seatbacks, especially if anyone tall is sitting in front.
Seat folding and flexibility
City cars don’t usually have clever seating tricks hidden up their wheel arches, and the Picanto's no different. Its rear seatbacks can be split in a 60/40 configuration, but there aren't any sliding or reclining seats like those you'll find in the Suzuki Ignis.
Nor is the front passenger seat height adjustable or available with lumbar support.
Boot space
The Picanto has one of the better boots among city cars. It's bigger than those of the Volkswagen Up or Toyota Aygo and offers more than enough space for a few large shopping bags. We managed to slot in three carry-on suitcases with some space to spare.
There's an enormous lip at the entrance to the Picanto's boot and a step in the extended boot floor when you drop its 60/40 split-folding rear seats. It's a shame that a height-adjustable boot floor isn't available to mitigate this.
Equipment, options and extras
Entry-level 1 trim is as bare as a derelict cottage, with steel wheels and no air conditioning. However, you do get automatic lights, a trip computer, remote central locking and electric front windows.
Move up to 2 trim and you get more of the niceties you might expect in a modern car, including 14in alloy wheels, electrically adjustable door mirrors, air-con, all-round electric windows and a leather-trimmed steering wheel.
However, we reckon 3 is the trim to go for. Its equipment bonanza includes 15’’ wheels, power-folding door mirrors, climate control and cruise control. It doesn’t stop there, either, because you also get the great infotainment package and visibility aids that we've already described.
The Picanto doesn't ride as slickly as some rivals, including the Sandero, the Hyundai i10 or the Up. It jostles you around moreover scraggy town roads and has some extra fidget along pimpled sections of motorway.
It's all relative, though. In truth, it’s far from uncomfortable, especially if you avoid the larger 16in alloy wheels that are fitted to top trims. And the good thing is that being a little firmer sprung than its rivals, it doesn't bounce around along undulating country roads.
That Picanto's firm suspension also helps it to corner more keenly than the majority of its rivals. It's right at home on winding country lanes, displaying the kind of agility and alertness that its nearest rivals cannot muster. An i10 or Up, for example, has more body lean.
The i10 steers slightly sweeter, but that's picking holes, really. The Picanto's 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 quite hard, and that these only come with five-speed gearboxes, inevitably leads to a bit of noise. This is nowhere near bad enough to have you reaching for your earplugs, but the 1.0-litre engines are more vocal than an i10's and they also send more vibrations through the pedals and steering wheel.
It's not just engine noise, though; city cars are generally quite noisy at motorway speeds and the Picanto sticks to that stereotype. At 110kmph, just chatting with your passengers will involve raising your voice a tad. Test this out by test driving one of the used Kia Picanto models for sale at a Group 1 Cars near you.
On the upside, 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 automatic ’box that has you nodding gently during every change is less appealing but still betters the aggravating automatic in the Toyota Aygo.
The interior layout, fit and finish
Driving position and dashboardThe only real bugbear with the Kia Picanto's driving position is that – like all city cars – its steering wheel adjusts for height and not reach. Still, its driving position still works well for most people, somehow, and it's certainly better than the Volkswagen Up's, which tends to block the instruments.
The driver’s seat is supportive, despite the lack of lumbar adjustment – another commonality with rivals at this end of the market – and has enough side bolstering to stop you sliding around in corners. Thanks to well-aligned pedals and the driver’s seat height adjustment (on all but the entry-level trim), it's really comfortable, even on a long trip. '3' trim and above even adds a front centre armrest to lean on as well.
Meanwhile, the dashboard layout is as simple as it gets 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 can't have fancy LED headlights on a Picanto, and its halogen headlights aren't the brightest at night, but seeing out of the front during daylight hours isn't a problem, with its slim front pillars and 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 rear passengers are unlikely to feel claustrophobic; the Picanto is relatively bright and airy in the back compared with most city cars.
The rear pillars are chunkier and the rear screen is relatively small, but even so, over-the-shoulder visibility is slightly better than it is in a Hyundai i10 and much better than the Dacia Sandero. It's a shame that rear parking sensors and a rear-view camera are available only on the mid and upper trims, with no option to add them on the cheaper variants.
With '1' and '2' trims you get only an AM/FM radio, Bluetooth and a tiny, 3.8in monochrome screen, although that's better than the entry-level Sandero's system, which doesn't have a stereo.
Fortunately, the higher trim levels get a much more modern 8.0in colour touchscreen that adds a DAB radio plus Apple CarPlay and Android Auto smartphone mirroring. On 3, X-Line S and GT-Line S models, this also includes in-built sat-nav. And it's not a chore to use, because the menus are intuitive and the screen responds quickly to inputs – it's far better than the Up's system and one of the best in the class.
Range-topping X-Line S and GT-Line S models add wireless phone charging, but sadly those trims are bloomin' pricey. '1' trim gets just two stereo speakers, '2' trim has four, and everything else has six speakers as standard.
Quality
Like 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, too, giving the same feeling of solidity that you get from an i10.
As with the i10, the buttons and switches also feel nicely damped, but the i10 does have nicer leather on its steering wheel and plusher gloss-black plastics that knock it up a notch – for perceived quality at least.
How it copes with people and clutter
Front spaceThe Kia Picanto's driver's seat slides back a little farther than the Volkswagen Up's, and tall adults will find easily enough head and legroom to sit comfortably. The Dacia Sandero is a much bigger car overall, and the i10 is a little wider, but the Picanto won't leave you feeling hemmed in around the shoulders.
There's plenty of storage dotted around, including two cupholders between the front seats that are big enough for the largest of skinny mochaccinos, plus a tray for your mobile phone, and front door pockets big enough to hold a small water bottle.
The sliding centre armrest – a very rare thing in this class and, as we said earlier, fitted from 3 trim upwards – opens to reveal an extra cubby beneath.
Rear space
All Picantos have five doors but their openings aren't 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 headroom, but will find their knees pressed up against the front seatbacks, especially if anyone tall is sitting in front.
Seat folding and flexibility
City cars don’t usually have clever seating tricks hidden up their wheel arches, and the Picanto's no different. Its rear seatbacks can be split in a 60/40 configuration, but there aren't any sliding or reclining seats like those you'll find in the Suzuki Ignis.
Nor is the front passenger seat height adjustable or available with lumbar support.
Boot space
The Picanto has one of the better boots among city cars. It's bigger than those of the Volkswagen Up or Toyota Aygo and offers more than enough space for a few large shopping bags. We managed to slot in three carry-on suitcases with some space to spare.
There's an enormous lip at the entrance to the Picanto's boot and a step in the extended boot floor when you drop its 60/40 split-folding rear seats. It's a shame that a height-adjustable boot floor isn't available to mitigate this.
Equipment, options and extras
Entry-level 1 trim is as bare as a derelict cottage, with steel wheels and no air conditioning. However, you do get automatic lights, a trip computer, remote central locking and electric front windows.
Move up to 2 trim and you get more of the niceties you might expect in a modern car, including 14in alloy wheels, electrically adjustable door mirrors, air-con, all-round electric windows and a leather-trimmed steering wheel.
However, we reckon 3 is the trim to go for. Its equipment bonanza includes 15’’ wheels, power-folding door mirrors, climate control and cruise control. It doesn’t stop there, either, because you also get the great infotainment package and visibility aids that we've already described.
Reliability
Kia is famous for its seven-year/160,000 km warranty, which every Picanto comes with as standard. That's longer cover than you get on any competitor.
Safety and security
Every Picanto gets six airbags as standard, and all trims apart from '1' come with the important addition of a safety pack that brings automatic emergency braking (AEB), which might just prevent you from having a front-end shunt. Thankfully, that pack is a reasonably priced option on '1'.
This safety pack makes all the difference, according to Euro NCAP, because without it, the Picanto gets only a three-star-out-of-five safety rating. That rises to four stars for models with the safety pack; a higher rating than is held by the Aygo or Up.
All Picantos for sale come with an alarm and immobiliser as standard, to help ward off thieves.
Article from https://secondhandvehicles.weebly.com/journal/consider-buying-an-used-kia-picanto
Every Picanto gets six airbags as standard, and all trims apart from '1' come with the important addition of a safety pack that brings automatic emergency braking (AEB), which might just prevent you from having a front-end shunt. Thankfully, that pack is a reasonably priced option on '1'.
This safety pack makes all the difference, according to Euro NCAP, because without it, the Picanto gets only a three-star-out-of-five safety rating. That rises to four stars for models with the safety pack; a higher rating than is held by the Aygo or Up.
All Picantos for sale come with an alarm and immobiliser as standard, to help ward off thieves.
Article from https://secondhandvehicles.weebly.com/journal/consider-buying-an-used-kia-picanto
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