Kia Picanto hatchback (2011-2017) - Practicality & boot space
Despite its dinky exterior dimensions, the Kia Picanto is surprisingly practical – it’s one of a handful of city cars that’ll accommodate five adults.
Kia Picanto interior space & storage
Size really matters with city cars – buyers want something that's compact enough outside for easy city driving, yet spacious enough inside to carry adults, kids and luggage in comfort. The Kia Picanto's compact dimensions mean it easily fulfils the first of those requirements. Inside, both front and rear-seat occupants enjoy comfortable, supportive seating, plus adequate head and legroom.
It almost goes without saying that the five-door Picanto is the one to choose if you regularly carry passengers in the back seats – whether children or adults. The rear doors, along with a lengthened wheelbase (the distance between the front and rear wheels), make access much easier. The rear seats are good as well, and a pair of full-size adults can sit back there in relative comfort.
There’s no shortage of places to keep their odds and ends, either. The Picanto gets numerous storage areas, including a large glovebox, and higher-spec models have a pair of big cup-holders between the front seats.
All-round visibility is impressive, plus with a wheel almost at each corner of the body, the little Kia is very manoeuvrable. It’s also easy to judge where the edges of the car are when parking in tight spaces or negotiating a cramped multi-storey car park.
Boot space
The Kia Picanto’s roomy cabin comes at the cost of boot space, which is the one major area where the Picanto falls short compared to rivals. It will carry 200 litres of luggage with the rear seats in place, or 870 litres with them folded down. The comparable figures for the Hyundai i10 are a more impressive 252 and 1,046 litres respectively. You can also carry more in the VW up!, Skoda Citigo and SEAT Mii: they can hold 251 litres with the rear seats in place and 951 litres with them lowered. On the plus side, the Picanto does have a wide, well shaped boot opening, which makes loading bulky items into the car easier.
Towing
If you’re looking for a tow car, even a small one, then the Kia probably isn’t for you. With an unbraked trailer you can only haul 400kg, while even with a braked trailer this figure increases to just 700kg.
