Kia Picanto review - Interior & comfort
Improved materials have raised the Kia Picanto's interior quality a notch or two
The Kia Picanto has come a long way since its humble beginnings. Kia has addressed criticisms of the low quality of its interior in previous generations with the latest model, and there are now many more soft-touch materials to mask what is a budget-friendly interior. These are located in the areas you’re likely to touch the most, such as on the steering wheel which now gets a faux-leather finish as standard.
Kia Picanto dashboard
The Kia Picanto’s dashboard is largely unchanged in the facelifted car and is unlikely to rewrite the rulebook, but one major new addition is a digital gauge cluster as standard, bringing a more hi-tech feel than before. Otherwise there are details such as surrounds on the outer air vents for extra visual interest.
All controls are easy to reach and the general layout is straightforward and easily understood. Those controls that are expected to be used the most often – such as radio controls – are mounted closer to the steering wheel, which is also fitted with control buttons on higher-spec models.
Equipment
Following the facelift, the Kia Picanto is available in five trims: 2, GT-Line, 3, a special Shadow edition and GT-Line S. The 2 models get 14-inch alloy wheels, black seats, a faux leather steering wheel, automatic headlights and wipers, air conditioning, USB-A and USB-C ports, rear parking sensors, a reversing camera and lots of safety kit including forward-collision avoidance, lane-keep assist, hill-start assist and cruise control. There’s even an integrated sat-nav system on the entry-level model’s eight-inch infotainment screen, which feels quite generous for a city car.
GT-Line and up get black and grey faux leather upholstery which adds a slightly more upmarket feel. GT-Line is the next step up in price from 2 and gains sportier styling, 16-inch alloy wheels, LED headlights and tail-lights, electrically adjustable and heated wing mirrors and privacy glass.
3 models get different 16-inch alloys and there’s a greater focus on comfort, rather than sporty looks. It gets heated front seats, a heated steering wheel, automatic air conditioning, a start/stop button and wireless smartphone charging. GT-Line S models get the combination of comfort-focus and sporty styling, as well as a sunroof with tilt and slide function and forward-collision avoidance at junctions as well as blind-spot collusion avoidance.
For a limited time there’s also a special Shadow model that’s exclusive to the 1.2-litre petrol engine. This costs £500 more than the 3 trim it’s based on, but gets an ‘Adventurous Green’ interior and a choice of a paint colour of the same name, along with Astro Grey or Midnight Black for a distinctive look.
