This is the three-door 1.25-litre Kia Picanto Halo, which doesn’t sound like anything interesting until it becomes evident that the Korean maker is marketing this car as a range-topping model, and is charging £11,695 for it.
So what does the Halo offer to justify its Fiesta-like price? Lots of equipment to go with the marginally sleeker looks, and that’s about it. This Halo edition includes heated steering wheel, front seats and wing mirrors, gloss white dash fascia, reversing sensors and alloy pedals, and various exterior additions such as chrome twin pipes (make your own judgements there).
Oddly, the three-door Picanto is only available in extremes, leaping from the base ‘1’ 1.0-litre model that forms the entry option for the whole line-up, to this 1.25 Halo model.
What’s it like?
Predictably it’s very similar to the five-door model. There are no changes to the mechanicals of the car, only to its cosmetics, but it does feel a touch sharper due to the stiffer body – honestly you’d need to drive it on track to notice.
And honestly there’s no need for any changes. The Picanto three-door is hardly trying to take on the Renaultsport Twingo in the hot microcar stakes, it’s just adding an extra element of appeal to a very well sorted car. So the fact that the brakes are still a little too sharp and the steering touch a too vague is unlikely to matter so much as the fact that it rides well, is nicely finished inside and comes with every extra and more that you could expect.
Should I buy one?
It’s very difficult to justify spending the price of a well-specced Mazda 2 or Suzuki Swift on the smaller and less flexible Kia Picanto. If you value equipment levels above space and you’re in the market for a new ‘mini then feasibly this could be the car for you. But realistically we’d say go for a mid-range five-door 1.25 and save yourself £1500, or buy one of the aforementioned bigger cars for a more practical and rewarding driver’s car.
Kia Picanto 1.25 3dr Halo Ecodynamics
Price: £11,695; Top speed: 106mph; 0-60mph: 11sec; Economy: 65.7mpg; Co2: 100g/km; Kerb weight: 930kg; Engine type: 4cyl, 1248cc, petrol; Power: 84bhp at 6000rpm; Torque: 89lb ft at 4000rpm; Gearbox: 5-spd manual
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My Picanto 2 1.2 auto
Real world MPG is 36 over 3,500 miles from new. Manufacturers knowingly lie about MPG.
My 1979 1.1L Fiesta did 34 mpg! So not much improvement in 40 years.
Tyres are very noisy. When they wear out i will be getting General Altimax tyres fitted.
Brakes are over-servoed and take a while to get used to. This needs to be fixed.
No spare wheel!!! The use of a can of goo to fix a flat is stupid. I purchased a space saver with jack and brace for £50 on ebay. It fits in place of the foam box. But the boot tray needs to be packed out to prevent it bowing. All cars should come with a spare wheel by law.
The 2017 Picanto is much more modern looking inside and out compared to Aygo, C1 and 107. Also, the Picanto has a proper auto box and not an automated manual which some say is prone to wear out the clutch in just 30,000 miles!
Has 4 electric windows unlike the competition.
All in all a good buy.
Great Value
I just bought a Halo Auto 3 door, OTR 9995. So the price can be brought down. It is a enjoyable car to drive and I like the auto gear box. Very quiet and very smooth.
I wanted a small ecomonical car and this suits me down to the ground as I love all the extras that are there to play with. The car is lively enough even with the auto.
I am pleased with choice so far.
Great engine, shame about the car?
The car might not be so appealing, but there's not much wrong with the performance and economy figures. If only the VW Up could match this combination...