Kia reveals updated Picanto city car with tough looks borrowed from the Sportage SUV
The Kia Picanto has been thoroughly updated. This mid-life refresh brings bold new styling with cues from the best-selling Sportage SUV, plus a revised interior with Kia’s latest connectivity and driver assistance features.
Prices and specifications are due to be revealed shortly, with the facelifted Picanto likely to go on sale before the end of 2023. We would expect to see a slight increase over the current car’s £13,665 starting price.
New Kia Picanto styling
You’ll immediately notice the styling changes at the front, where Y-shaped light clusters see the bulbs arranged vertically. A piece of chrome trim links the two headlights above a blocky-looking grille. The back end is familiar but with a new full-width light bar sitting beneath the rear windscreen. Four of the nine available colours are new for the facelift, and there are new wheel designs ranging from 14-16 inches.
The previously six-strong trim level range has been reduced to just two, called baseline and GT-Line. Kia hasn’t revealed much of the equipment list just yet, but all cars will get an eight-inch touchscreen and a digital instrument cluster – big tech for such a small car. Dual Bluetooth connectivity means two phones can be connected at once, and Apple CarPlay and Android Auto are included if you want to use your phone’s apps on the touchscreen.
Kia has also included a host of online features that you probably wouldn’t expect to find in a city car. The Kia Connect system includes live traffic information, weather forecasts and even information on local car parks and whether spaces are available. The sat nav guidance can link to your phone when you leave the car, which will be handy if you need to get to your destination on foot. Additionally, software updates can be actioned over-the-air rather than having to go to a dealership.
The engine range is largely the same as before, meaning you have a choice of 1.0-litre and 1.2-litre petrol engines. While the former promises to be slightly more economical – and it should be cheaper to insure – the 1.2-litre engine will probably be the better choice for motorway journeys or steep hills.
The interior space, including a class-leading 255-litre boot, also remains the same. So you could compare the Picanto against larger superminis like the Dacia Sandero or Suzuki Swift, as well as more traditional city car rivals such as the Volkswagen Up, Hyundai i10 and Toyota Aygo X.
When can I buy the facelifted Kia Picanto from Motorpoint?
With the launch of the updated Picanto likely to take place later this year, you can expect to see new Picantos starting to appear in Motorpoint showrooms in the middle of 2024. For now, take a look at our used Kia Picantos for sale or read our guide to the best small cars.
