The following review was published in the 3rd Dec edition of the Warwickshire Advertiser, p37 and on MotorMartin’s sister site, Blacktopmedia.co.uk recently.
The Picanto SR7 is a good looking, City Car. Kia’s familiar ‘Tiger’ grill, large front fog lights, 14” steel wheels and bright yellow body work combine well together and when added to the strong shoulder crease running the length of the car, rear light clusters, privacy glass and gorgeous chrome door handles, the feeling of quality is perhaps surprising and most welcome.
Step inside and the Kia reveals similar attention to detail. The interior plastics used are more than up to the job and aren’t as cheap feeling as some whilst the metallic paint of the centre fascia provides a welcome contrast with the rest of the dashboard. The premium black cloth upholstered seats are comfortable and supportive enough, with the driver’s side adding height adjustment, it is relatively easy to get comfortable and whilst there is room enough for five, those with the need for booster seats will only be able to fit two such devices in the rear at any one time. With plenty of standard kit, the Picanto provides good value for money, arriving as it did sporting ABS, Hill Start Assist, Automatic Headlights, Daytime Running Lights, Electronically Adjustable and Heated Door Mirrors and Automatic Wipers. Inside the Kia you are just as well catered for with a decent sounding RDS Radio CD including Bluetooth with Voice Recognition and Music Streaming, USB and Aux ports and a trip computer. There’s even a couple of cup holders for those in the front and more than enough pockets and cubby holes providing storage on the go. The boot is a decent size and copes with the weekly shop as long as you don’t over indulge although the rear seats split 60:40 if more space is required. Overall then, not bad at all.
On the road, the surprisingly throaty and charismatic, 1.0L, 3-cylinder engine provides a more than adequate 68bhp at 6000rpm and max torque of 70.2 lb/ft at 3500 which is comparable with the opposition and allows the Kia to hold its own in traffic, on A roads and on Motorways, with the suspension protecting you from the worst of the road surface. The Picanto’s small dimensions and light steering mean that it is extremely manoeuvrable on the daily commute and you soon find yourself enjoying the challenges offered by the traffic.
Over a mixed week, the Kia will be able to return up to a claimed 67.3mpg when driven sensibly and with CO2 emissions of only 99g/km putting the Kia into the all-important tax band A, means that this is a cheap car to run. An annual Road Tax bill of £0 is an important consideration when looking at cars in this particular segment, as it is an area that can offer significant savings over the length of a car’s ownership.
For me, this car offers fantastic value for money. With the Picanto range starting from only £8,695 and this ‘SR7’ edition coming in at £9,845, it’s quite a bargain.
Where will you go?