Kia Picanto 1.1SE

We bought the Kia picanto at the same time as the Kia Carens. Just like the Carens, the Picanto has been very very reliable. It has now done 50,000 miles and still going strong.

The Picanto is not a performance car neither is it aimed at the upper class. It is just a simple and spacious city car.

It could be noisy at high speeds(over 60 mph) but the stability on motorways is commendable.

I have transported my family (4 of us) from Bristol to London and Manchester on more than 15 occasions and it has never disappointed.

The SE model has a lot of kit for the money. Aircon, Electric windows on all doors, elecrically controlled door mirrors, digital clock, ABS, digital odometer and tachometer,alloy wheels, rear spoilers.

The back seat fold flat and the space it creates is commendable.

The boot is small but can still hold a reasonable amount of luggage

Overall, a spacious and reliable city car if one can get over the badge !

While you'll not make waves in terms of style when behind the wheel of a Picanto, you'll not be missing out on a reliable drive.

As with many small small cars, the big selling point here is the compact size and economy, and, being a Kia, the price isn't half bad either.

The base model, the "GS", isn't short of extras. It gets power-steering, twin airbags, central locking and a CD radio which includes an MP3 player. Colour-coloured bumpers are standard as well, which always helps the car's looks.

Unusually for a bargain super mini, ABS & electronic brakeforce distribution are standard. Sadly, however, there is no spare wheel, and in place of that a bottle of tyre-repair foam can be found in the space beneath the boot floor. With suspension tuned for UK roads, the ride and handling seem far better than on the Euro-spec versions.

Again, you'll not turn heads all that much in a Picanto, but for your money, you're getting a fairly decent small city car. The car may well become a hit with young or new drivers looking for something practical and economical.