• Two engines to choose from
• 1.0-litre is the most economical
• But the 1.2 is much more fun

Petrol engines

This facelift might have changed the Picanto’s looks, but it’s the same car under the skin. As a result, you get the same selection of petrol engines – either a 63hp 1.0-litre three-cylinder or a 78hp 1.2-litre four-cylinder. Sadly, the hugely entertaining 100hp turbocharged 1.0-litre unit available on the pre-facelift car hasn’t made a comeback.

Mercifully, the two remaining engines are pretty good. I’ll start with the 1.0-litre, as that probably makes the best financial sense thanks to its lower starting price and superior fuel economy. It’s surprisingly nippy given its meagre output – and Kia’s slick five-speed manual gearbox means it’s never a chore to row through the gears to get the best from the engine.

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We only managed to catch it out on a couple of occasions. For example, if you’re joining a motorway on a short slip road, you’ve got to hammer it to get up to speed with the traffic on the main carriageway. Still, at least it sounds good.

You can also have this engine with a five-speed automated manual gearbox, but we suggest you avoid it if you can. We’ve tried it in the mechanically similar Hyundai i10 and hated it. It’s slow, unresponsive and jerks between gears like a new driver learning clutch control. If you need a small automatic car, look elsewhere.

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I much preferred the punchier 78hp 1.2-litre engine. Its extra power and additional 19Nm of torque mean it hauls the Picanto around with far greater ease. You’re also rewarded for revving it hard, as all the power is right at the top of the rev range. I appreciate that’s not a very efficient way of driving, but it is a lot of fun.

We’re sad that Kia has dropped the Picanto’s 100hp turbocharged engine. It was a more insurance and wallet-friendly alternative to warm hatchbacks such as the Suzuki Swift Sport and Volkswagen Up GTI – and it was an amazingly likable little car.

What’s it like to drive?

• Entertaining to drive
• Base model is most comfortable
• Doesn’t feel too underpowered

If you like driving, the Picanto has two things going for it. It weighs less than a tonne and it has it has a wheel at each corner (like an original Mini). That bantamweight construction and square stance means it tackles corners very well. It’s properly agile. I had a blast throwing it around Northamptonshire’s twisty rural backwaters.

I quite liked the steering. It’s very light but, because the Picanto is such a simple car, there’s a pleasingly old-school tactility to it. You can feel the steering rack working through the wheel and it does a great job of transmitting the texture of the road into your palms. Not that that’s especially important for this sort of car, but I appreciated it as a petrolhead.

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The Picanto’s ride is a little firm, but you can solve that by opting for the entry-level ‘2’ specification. It gets 14-inch alloys rather than the 16-inch wheels you get on the GT-Line version – and the extra squidge in the tyre sidewall helps to round off the worst bumps.

Obviously, the Picanto’s great around town. Its dinky dimensions, light steering and tight turning circle mean you’ll be running rings around hulking plug-in hybrid SUVs – and because first gear is quite low, it’s quick off the blocks. I managed to catch a few BMW drivers sleeping at junctions and could nose ahead before the next set of lights.

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Last bit of praise before I move on to the all-important running costs. The brakes are great, because Kia decided to keep things simple. There’s no hybrid system to interfere with the way the brakes operate, so they’re linear and predictable. Plus, because the Picanto is so light, they do a great job of reigning it in when there’s an emergency ahead.