Facelifted Kia Picanto goes on sale from £8345

The facelifted Kia Picanto city car has gone on sale with a starting price of £8345. It gets new front and rear bumpers as part of its 2015 facelift, along with an optional 14-inch alloy wheels and a redesigned front grille, as well as an optional sports package.

Inside, the Picanto comes with new chrome trim and upholstery options, while three new option packs add luxries like leather seats and footwell lighting.

There are five trim levels available on the Kia Picanto, called 1, SR7, 2, 3 and 4, although there is also a 1 Air, which adds air conditioning to the entry-level specification. The basic trim comes with four electric windows, remote central locking, 60/40 split folding rear seats and tinted glass.

The SR7 replaces the VR7 and adds air conditioning, steering wheel-mounted controls, electric front windows, Bluetooth and USB and aux ports and rear parking sensors.

The 2 model adds 14-inch alloy wheels, Bluetooth, USB and aux connections and heated front mirrors. The versions with the manual gearbox also come with automatic air conditioning and front foglights. The 3 trim adds 15-inch alloy wheels, LED daytime running lights an upgraded instrument cluster, heated front seats, an upgraded six-speaker stereo and remote audio controls on the steering wheel.

The range-topping 4 tops gets an electric sunroof, keyless entry and start, a heated steering wheel and cruise control.

Kia has also upgraded the Picanto's audio and sat-nav system, which from the third quarter of this year will be available with a larger 7.0-inch touchscreen.

The Kia Picanto's 1.0-litre and 1.25-litre petrol engines have been tuned to meet strict Euro 6 emissions legislation. However, the updated engines will not head to the UK until the autumn.

The 68bhp 1.0-litre petrol emits as little as 95g/km and is capable of 68.9mpg when combined with the stop start system. It manages 99g/km and 67.3mpg without it. It manages the 0-62mph sprint in 13.9sec.

The four-cylinder 1.25-litre petrol emits as little as 100g/km when combined with the 2 trim level. The automatic gearbox has a detrimental impact on economy, with 125g/km in the equivalent 2 trim.

The entry-level three-door Picanto starts at £8345 and the range goes up to £12,545 for the automatic five-door in 3 trim.

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