KIA PICANTO 1.0 5dr (2008)

The Picanto is great value and competent

The Picanto is very capable on open roads. The skinny tyres provide decent grip, and although body control could be kept in better check, it feels competent when pushed hard. It’s stable at motorway speeds too, even if wind noise can be a little intrusive. The ride is less successful, proving a little underdamped. The Kia tends to skip and bounce over potholes and uneven surfaces. There’s little feedback through the steering, but the Picanto is easy to manoeuvre into tight spaces. However, the 64bhp 1.1-litre engine hardly makes it a performance car. Acceleration is not glittering, though in-gear performance is better – even if, at high revs, the unit is short on refinement and not particularly peasant to use. The throttle is also over-sensitive. It’s quieter both at idle and on the move.