Kia Picanto 3dr (2011 onwards)

What - Kia Picanto 3dr
Where - Wetherby, Yorkshire
Date - September 2011
Price - From £7,795
Available - Now
Key rivals -Ford Ka, Chevrolet Spark, Toyota Aygo, Renault Twingo, VW Up!

Summary - Kia's cheapest car gets a sporty new twist in three-door guise, particularly the super-luxurious range-toppers. The high-profile VW Up! will find it a surprisingly accomplished challenger for city car honours.

Read another Kia review on MSN Cars
Gallery: Kia Picanto 3dr (2011 onwards)

We like - Sporty appearance, extremely luxurious and decadent range-toppers, fine 1.25-litre petrol engine, keen prices, overall accomplishment
We don't like - Short boot, model range too biased to higher-spec trims, not that much cheaper than the more practical five-door, needs a sporty range-topper

First impressions

Kia is on a small car roll right now. Earlier in the year, it launched the all-new Picanto five-door city car, to a deserved fanfare: smart, sophisticated and boasting greater appeal than the popular original, it's one of the best budget cars you can buy and is a much more complete all-rounder than rivals such as the Ford Ka.

The firm followed this up with a new Kia Rio supermini, taking the fight to the Ford Fiesta and VW Polo. And now, there's another new small car entrant for the brand: a three-door version of the Kia Picanto, offered in this guise for the first time.

Kia is intentionally marketing this as a sportier, smarter Picanto, with a more upmarket look that has the new VW Up! firmly in its sights. It's marginally cheaper than the five-door, and comes in bespoke trims not offered in more conventional five-door guise.

Kia's mimicking what it did with the Soul here: these 'Equinox' and 'Halo' Picanto three-door models are deliberately stand out, with bright trims and luxurious details. These variants are actually pricier than the five-door cars but have the equipment to match.

It's all wrapped in a semi-bespoke body that's more than simply a five-door with two fewer openings. The Picanto three-door is racier and more individual, with a sportier front bumper, side sills and a unique windowline. The icing is, on some cars, a red stripe to the grille, just like on a VW Golf GTI. Never mind the Golf though: could it really be Kia's VW Up!-beater?

Kia hopes so, and has an added advantage given how prices are more in line with the Up!'s budget sister cars, the Skoda Citygo and SEAT Mii. On sale now, the Kia Picanto three-door will be joined early next year by a Rio three-door, another new variant for Kia. Yes, small cars are where it's at and Kia's range now reflects this.

Performance

Kia offers two petrol engines with the Picanto: the entry-level 1.0-litre three-cylinder is characterful, but we prefer the swifter 84hp 1.25-litre four-cylinder. This comes in standard manual or automatic guise, or the EfficientDynamics trim with engine start-stop.

It's a super engine, proving smooth and sophisticated, punchy in town and comfortable at higher speeds. The gearbox is snappy and it's generally more than able to keep up with bigger cars. It won't blow your socks off for pace, but will still satisfy.

Ride and handling

The Kia Picanto is fun to drive, with a taut feel to the suspension that makes it feel wieldy in corners. It is nimble and agile, while normally over-light steering weighs up in corners too (albeit without any extra actual feel).

The chunky tyres (on Alfa Romeo-style 'teledial' wheels in Equinox trim) are grippy but while they make the ride a bit more jiggly, the Picanto is still able to soak up unsettling back roads well, as well as proving comfortable in town. OK, it's no sports car, but it is a good, well-honed blend of refinement and engagement.

Interior

Kia has gone to town with the interior of the Picanto, which really is a match for the high-profile VW Up! in terms of quality and appeal. It has a classy look and finish with, in the vibrant Equinox guise, a real air of luxury. Standard equipment alone sees to this, with climate control, auto lights and reverse parking sensors all standard.

The real clincher is the red leather seats though. Standard on the Halo, they are truly decadent, with a rich, soft appearance that's set off by miniature Bentley-like pleating in the centre section. Comfortable and supportive with it, these seats are some of the best you'll find in any car costing less than £15,000.

Naturally, the three-door Kia Picanto is less practical than the five-door, but Kia has designed in features to help mitigate this. The passenger seat, for instance, slides forward when reclined, to aid entry into the rear - it's spring-assisted too, making it even more effortless.

There's also a surprising amount of room in the rear, with head and foot room in abundance. This is a real surprise but shows that sporty looks needn't compromise actual practicality. The boot is deep as well, and has a proper rigid parcel shelf, although it's still rather short and thus a bit restrictive. This is one area where the VW Up! has a clear advantage.

Economy and safety

No worries here: Kia doesn't offer a diesel Picanto because the petrol models are economical enough for one to be unnecessary. The test 1.25-litre Equinox model may have produced 84hp but it could also average 60.1mpg and emitted just 109g/km CO2. The Halo is even better: eith EfficientDynamics, it emits just 100g/km CO2.

ESC stability control features as standard on all Picantos, an admirable move by Kia that's supported by front, side and curtain airbags. EuroNCAP awarded it a four-star crash score but only because ESC isn't standard throughout Europe: as it is in the UK, it can be assumed the Picanto would get a full haul here.

The MSN Cars verdict

The VW Up! Is the high-profile city car of the moment, but the Kia Picanto three-door is a very able model too. In many ways, it's just as premium and well-finished as the VW, with a bounty of equipment included in the price. It's bound to be more keenly priced than the VW too, making it an attractive car with surprise appeal.

Become a fan of MSN Cars on Facebook
Follow MSN Cars on Twitter

Read another Kia review on MSN Cars
Gallery: Kia Picanto 3dr (2011 onwards)