The Picanto has learned from the likes of the Fiat Panda that drivers will forgive a lot inside a car as long as it’s presented in a fun way and is cheap to run. For a first car or something that’s just needed as a runabout, you couldn’t go at all wrong with the Picanto. It’s fun, frugal and feels like great value for money.
It’s not often we’d say this, but the X-Line ‘crossover’ version is worth considering. It gets chunky looks, decent levels of equipment and a slightly more supple ride thanks to its lofty 15mm height boost. Loses none of the urban driving entertainment either. If you want a properly fun little baby supermini though (and one that can cope with the occasional long journey) we’d recommend the sportier looking GT-Line with the more powerful turbo engine and of course a manual gearbox. There might not be a better car to learn how to drive in on the market right now.
Overall the Kia Picanto is an impressive all-rounder, and recent tweaks have only served to make it a more enticing prospect. There’s life in the city car segment yet people.
