• Interior design similar to other Kias
• Attractive and user-friendly
• Plenty of physical switchgear

How is the quality and layout?

With the Picanto, Kia’s taken the lead from larger cars in its range such as the Ceed to create a cabin that’s very straightforward and easy to get to grips with. Dominating the dashboard on most models is an 8.0-inch infotainment system that sits perfectly positioned atop the dashboard to be well within your eyeline but without compromising visibility or distracting the driver.

Lower down you’ll find a climate control panel that could hardly be more straightforward, while additional controls can be found in front of the gear lever. There are some pleasing design touches, such as posh-looking upright air vents and a full-width trim strip that makes the cabin feel wider than it is.

It is resolutely monochrome, though, with the only colour coming from the seat upholstery on higher-up models. Sporty GT-Line S cars get red detailing, for example. And while build quality feels rock-solid, those downsizing from a larger car might not be best pleased with the amount of hard plastic around – though that’s again something shared with all the Picanto’s main rivals. Certainly, it’s the equal of the Toyota Aygo X, and feels a good bit more substantial than a Suzuki Ignis.

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Infotainment and tech

Lower-spec ‘1’ and ‘2’ models get a basic radio with a monochrome display, though even this offers Bluetooth and USB connectivity. For ‘1’ spec cars it’s piped through just two speakers, while ‘2’ spec gets an additional two.

Every other model has a six-speaker system connected to an 8.0-inch infotainment system. We think this is the best available in a city car right now – it’s full featured, with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto as well as a seven-year subscription to Kia’s ‘UVO’ connected services. More importantly it’s slick and very simple to use.

For top-spec cars, sat-nav is built in and you even get a wireless phone charging pad.

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Comfort

It’s hard to argue with comfort levels given the Kia Picanto’s size. Steer clear of ‘1’ spec cars if you want seat height adjustment, but on all other models drivers of all sizes are catered for with plenty of adjustment in the seat. It’s a shame the wheel only adjusts for rake and not reach, but all of our testers were able to get comfortable.

Opt for a GT-Line S car and you even get heated front seats and a heated steering wheel, which are a real boon on cold winter days.

Refinement is acceptable, though the Picanto’s soundproofing naturally can’t match up to a larger, plusher car. At motorway speeds there’s quite a lot of wind noise while the five-speed gearboxes mean the engines can be quite vocal at a cruise.

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