Kia Picanto turns 20

• Kia Picanto turns 20.
• First launched in the UK in 2004.
• Success underlines appetite for friendly, lightweight hatchbacks.
• Affordable to lease a Kia Picanto with Select Car Leasing.

Let’s give the birthday bumps to the Kia Picanto as the affordable hatchback celebrates its 20th anniversary.

The Picanto is the third oldest model in Kia’s UK range, after the Sportage and Sorento, having first launched in 2004.

It was a time when Shrek was topping the global box office, Greece’s footy team had just won the Euros, and Mark Zuckerberg was launching Facebook.

In other global markets, this was a car called the ‘Morning’ - but we got the spicy Picanto.

Kia says the Picanto is ‘suitable for all drivers and their needs’ and a major refresh for the hatchback this year means it’s more desirable than it ever was.

It’s got arguably the sharpest looks in the segment with an exterior design that’s now in-keeping with Kia’s higher up the range, including the electric EV9.

A new and more powerful 1.2-litre engine has also been introduced, which makes living with a Picanto even easier.

Paul Philpott, President and CEO of Kia UK Limited, said: “Throughout the past 20 years, the Picanto has established itself as a firm favourite among a growing number of customers. This latest version of the Picanto is no exception, and it continues to impress in the same areas as its predecessors. The Picanto is a statement of our continued commitment to the A-segment, too. We know that there remains a significant appetite for small, lightweight, cost-efficient vehicles, so we’re investing in this important segment of the market to satisfy this demand.”

So, what are you really getting for your monthly lease fee?

Entry-level ‘2’ models come loaded as standard with 14-inch alloys, an 8-inch touchscreen with sat nav and Apple CarPlay/Android Auto connectivity, and a 4.2-inch digital cockpit. You even get rear parking sensors and a reversing camera on this base model.

As you move up the line-up things get even better.

The range-topping GT-Line S models are particularly worthy of note, being a sort of ‘mild’ hatch with sportier styling and an uprated interior.

Rivals to the Kia Picanto include the Hyundai i10, Suzuki Swift and the Toyota Aygo X.

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