2021 Kia Picanto Owner’s Manual

The 2021 Kia Picanto is a city car that aims to outclass its rivals from Volkswagen and Toyota in terms of style and performance. It is certainly the best looking on the market but fails to deliver in some key areas.

This new 2021 Picanto has two engines to choose from. You can go with the cheaper 1.0-litre petrol engine that will deliver just 63 horsepower. Alternatively, you can choose the 1.2-liter engine which will increase your horses to 83. The 1-liter version overall feels very lackluster and can even struggle to get up to motorway speeds. But, for city driving, these figures are just fine.

Inside, drivers will be pleased to see a 7-inch touchscreen infotainment system fitted as standard in the 2021 model. This makes navigation, music control and handsfree calling so much easier, and overall adds to a hassle-free user experience. One drawback of the interior is the lack of steering wheel adjustment. So, if you’re a tall person, you may struggle to get comfortable behind the wheel.

The new Kia Picanto has a safety rating of 3 stars. This is overall pretty good for a small and cheap car. You can also get a safety kit that will bump this figure up to four stars.

its biggest problem is that it faces extremely tough competition. The 2022 Volkswagen Up has quickly become one of the most popular city cars on the market and for good reason. It’s faster, more economical and arguably more stylish than the Picanto. This makes it hard for the South Korean city car to make a mark in the market.

Some users have also reported that the handbrake doesn’t hold the car. This is most noticeable on steep hills but could be a serious safety issue. Another issue is that the engine can be erratic at times, leading to jumpy idling.