Kia Picanto (2023) with 84 hp in the test: is it still worth less?

In terms of price, the rolling city is now a wily old dog

Little kids are getting bigger: What might be fun for parents is now a real problem for drivers with small garages and/or budgets. City runs in the 3.60 meter range are becoming rarer and more expensive. The reason for this is the increasingly strict classification of auxiliary systems and exhaust gas cleaning.

It is not surprising, then, that newer and smaller cars and thus entry-level models are disappearing from the market. We recently discovered just eight new cars up to 15,000 euros at a glance. It’s even more interesting that Hyundai and Kia are sticking with their two i10s and the Picanto. Our test will show how the small price of the Kia stacks up.

What is that?

Since its debut in 2017, the third generation of Kia Picanto, called JA, has always been reserved. A subtle facelift and more integration followed in 2020, and the 1.0-liter 100 hp turbo was dropped in fall 2022.

Since then, the highest impression has been 84 hp, although we would like to test the entry-level engine with 67 hp as well. In our photos you can see the Kia Picanto in the color “Astro Gray Metallic” as the GT-Line. It includes sports bumpers front and rear as well as a flat sports steering wheel and 16-inch alloy wheels. In view of 84 hp, that’s a bit thick, but it suits a car designed for power.

However: Less is more. How do you see the height of 3.60 meters and the width of 1.60 meters in the interior? Well, the driver’s left hand hits the door well. But you two are sitting more comfortably than you think, and the bigger Renault Clio doesn’t feel more spacious up front either. The design and operation are very good, and the fast online navigation deserves an extra credit. It can be tolerated in the back, as long as there is no large seat placed in front of you. Here, as with the trunk (255 to 1,010 liters), the following applies: OK, but manageable.

How does it run?

This can also be transferred to a drive. However, the car meter used for turbo and electric must first be changed. This is freely exploited, so it takes a while for the post to go down. The four-cylinder only produces a full 120 Newton meters at 4,200 rpm. Kia mentions 12.5 seconds from 0 to 100 km / h, which means in practice: off the gear, background noise is included.

You will be able to add the sixth gear to the manual five-speed gearbox, after all, the distance is short and fluid. A common Picanto annoyance remains: the rear gear often proves too stubborn. As an option, Kia has recently offered a five-speed gearbox on the Picanto.

In the city, the Picanto is at its height, above the ground and on the highway it is already difficult. A small kia is not lame, but it does not have a bite, especially when overloading or connecting. The 1.0-liter turbo, which is no longer offered, had a …

consumption and price

So, at the end of the day, is a 67 hp engine enough? That must be explained by looking at the price list, more on that in a moment. First, a word about consumption: Kia says 5.6 liters as the combined value based on WLTP. We decided on 6.4 liters in the test. Is it the missing sixth gear or the driving style? However, five in front of the decimal point seems feasible.

However, the sticking point is the Picanto’s price: in Germany it starts at 16,340 euros. With 67 hp, but it is already fully equipped, such as heated seats, automatic climate control, a reversing camera and even a navigation system. The 84 hp machine is 700 euros more expensive, the extra premium is well invested.

However, our test car was 21,400 euros. It’s already on par with the larger Rio, which is currently (as of April 2023) no longer available on Kia’s German website.

Verdict: 7/10

As a small car, the Kia Picanto is definitely a good choice. But the ever-increasing new prices are becoming more and more of a symbolic ball on his ankle. You can also use the next higher car class. As an electric car, the Picanto will be a good thing. But with that out of the way, my advice to anyone who really wants a small car is to look for a 100hp turbocharged model as a new used car.

Photo gallery: Kia Picanto (2023) on test