Overall rating:

One of the stars of last month's Geneva Motor Show, the Kia Picanto is almost ready to hit UK showrooms. The Korean firm has completely overhauled the budget hatch and transformed it into an altogether more desirable and upmarket small car.

Key Facts

Pricing: circa £8,000
Engine: 1.25-litre four-cylinder petrol/1.0-litre three-cylinder petrol
Transmission: five-speed manual, front-wheel drive
Body style: three/five-door hatchback
Rivals: Peugeot 107, Hyundai i10, Suzuki Alto
CO₂ emissions: 95 - 105g/km
Combined economy: 62.8 - 67.3mpg
Top speed: 95 - 106mph
0-62mph: 14.4 - 11.4 seconds
Power: 68bhp at 6,200rpm (1.0 three-cylinder) 84bhp at 6,000rpm (1.25 four-cylinder)
Torque: 70lb.ft at 3,500rpm (1.0 three-cylinder) 89lb.ft at 4,000rpm (1.25 four-cylinder)

In the Metal:

Edgy styling, courtesy of Kia's design chief Peter Schreyer, has given the Picanto a new lease of life. It's much more attractive than the model it replaces thanks to its concave rear end and bold nose, so it's now a genuinely striking car.

Inside, the twin-spoke steering wheel is a cool, futuristic touch, while the rest of the cabin is functional and easy-on-the-eye. It will be possible to customise the interior when the Picanto comes to market with a vast number of colour and trim options - impressive for an A-segment model. Build quality has moved significantly further upmarket from the previous Picanto, too.

Driving it:

Despite the sub-100g/km incentive of the three-cylinder Picanto (99g/km as standard, 95g/km with the ISG stop-start system), we'd go for the four-pot. The additional running costs of the larger engine amount to a pittance, and it's a much sweeter unit. Willing and great to thrash, the 1.25-litre lump turns the Picanto into an old-fashioned small car in the sense that it's fun to drive all the time. It sits especially well with the slick five-speed transmission.

Though the power/torque difference isn't huge, the 1.0-litre three-cylinder engine feels bereft of punch. Where the 1.25 is enjoyable to drive hard, the 1.0 is an effort and just plain lethargic.

The steering is firm and responsive though not quite as sweet as that of the Hyundai i10. We'd recommend the 14-inch wheels over the larger 15s, as the latter spoil what is otherwise a comfortable ride. The brakes would benefit from a little more bite but they're fine for the kind of use that most Picantos are likely to undergo.

What you get for your Money:

Despite the company's move upmarket, Kia's focus is still on value, so the Picanto will start at around £8,000 when it goes on sale in five-door guise in June (the three-door will follow in September).

Next to a fellow budget rival like the Suzuki Alto, the Kia is almost level pegging on price front (the Alto starts at just under £200 less) but the Picanto is the far more desirable of the two and very cheap to run.

Worth Noting

We're not likely to see it in the UK, but overseas markets will get a bi-fuel version of the Picanto with an 81bhp 1.0-litre engine. It boasts even lower emissions of 95g/km as standard or 90g/km with stop-start. Sadly, the demand for anything internal combustion that isn't petrol or diesel just isn't strong enough in the UK to make it worth Kia's while.

Summary

Kia's new Picanto represents real progression from its predecessor and sums up what the Korean company is up to at the moment. It's much more mature than the outgoing model and has moved upmarket in every way. At the same time, the Picanto remains a very affordable car with exceptionally low running costs, so it's still a thoroughly sensible choice - the difference is that it's now genuinely desirable.