New 2020 Kia Picanto now on sale

• GT-Line and X-Line trims get new bumpers
• Eight-inch touchscreen now offered
• All three petrol engines to be updated

The updated Kia Picanto hatchback is now on sale, with prices starting from £10,745. There are changes to the styling, interior and engine range, and first deliveries are set to take place in the next few months.

2020 Kia Picanto facelift prices and specifications

In the cheapest ‘1’ trim you get electric front windows, auto headlights, DAB radio and split-folding rear seats, while ‘2’ adds to the kit list with AEB (auto emergency braking), air con, electric heated door mirrors, Bluetooth and alloy wheels for £1,500 more. The ‘3’ trim starts from £13,745 and is very well equipped, with cruise control, fog lights, a rear parking camera and an eight-inch sat nav touchscreen included.

Best city cars to buy in 2020

X-Line brings crossover-inspired styling, exclusive faux-leather upholstery and green accents, while GT-Line gets a sporty makeover. Both start from £13,395. You can even choose ‘S’ versions of both these models, with a heated steering wheel, heated front seats, wireless phone charging and a variable-height boot floor added.

Styling

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Kia has given the Picanto’s front and rear lights new LED elements, while the grille has been slightly altered. There are 10 paint colours on offer and alloy wheels measuring either 14 or 16 inches. The sporty GT-Line and rugged-looking X-Line models have been given a little more attention, as both have redesigned front and rear bumpers. GT-Line versions get a wide air intake, red touches and new fake exhaust tips, while the X-Line has raised suspension and silver-painted areas that resemble a 4x4’s skid plates.

Interior

The facelifted Kia Picanto brings a larger touchscreen than before; it’s now eight inches in size, supports Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, and offers the ability to pair two phones at once - one via Bluetooth and the other via USB. Between the dials there’s a new digital info screen, and you get either fabric or faux-leather upholstery depending on trim level. Four interior colour packs are available in red, green, orange or lime.

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Safety features

The new Picanto benefits from a lot of useful extra safety features. You’ll be able to have tech like forward collision avoidance, lane-keeping assistance, a driver attention alert, blind-spot monitoring and lane-following assist. The latter means that some versions can essentially drive themselves on the motorway. You’d expect that from a Mercedes S-Class, but not a city car.

Engines

All three petrol engines are carried over but with updates to meet the latest CO2 emissions targets. The fuel injection and exhaust gas recirculation systems have been improved, and all cars get a new engine management system. Kia says the revisions will also improve fuel economy, with all engines returning at least 52mpg and the lower trim levels managing up to 58.9mpg.

The entry-level engine is a 1.0-litre three-cylinder unit with 66bhp. The GT-Line trim levels will also give you the choice of a turbocharged 1.0-litre engine with 99bhp. A five-speed manual gearbox is standard across the range, or you can pick a five-speed automatic that replaces the outgoing car’s dated four-speed offering.

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The Picanto competes against city cars including the Toyota Aygo, Volkswagen up! and Hyundai i10, while some rivals like the Skoda Citigo and SEAT Mii have transitioned to electric power.

See where the Kia Picanto features on our lists of the best first cars and best reliable small cars.