Kia’s Picanto is cheap, easy to drive — and the perfect car for both young and old

IT’S fair to say 17-year- olds and 77-year-olds don’t have a lot in common.

You don’t see a nan in a hoodie and you don’t see a 17-year-old fist-pumping a mate because he’s just hit the jack on a bowls green.

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But there are one or two things that close that 60-year divide.

Like Corrie and EastEnders and a Ruby Murray on a Saturday night. In the car world, you won’t see a teenager in a Honda Jazz and you won’t see a grandad imitating Ken Block outside Halfords.

But you will see young and old drivers at the wheel of a Kia Picanto.

Simply because Picanto is the perfect starter car — especially this high-spec GT-Line at £14,645 — as well as being the perfect last car to see us out.

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Actually, you can slice £2,500 off that sticker price with scrappage of any car or van seven years or older. Finance from £150 a month.

Right, let’s crack on.

My daughter passed her L-test in a Picanto without a single proper lesson.

Partly down to her awesome dad, of course, but mostly because the Picanto is a doddle to drive and even easier to park.

It’s also bloody good fun. As light as a match and powered by a peppy, whizzy 1-litre turbo petrol.

Ticks all the boxes

At the same time, you can nudge 50mpg, so it costs peanuts to run.

Next up, looks. Little nip/tuck for 2021 but still unmistakably a Kia: Bow-tie front grille, ice-cube running lights, more colours than a tube of Smarties. Not quite as cool as a Volkswagen Up! perhaps but the Picanto is cheaper and has way more kit.

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And that’s exactly why you will sign on the dotted line. For the kit.

This is a city car with luxuries from a mid-range Sorento.

I’m talking about buttons to warm your back and pinkies, 8in touchscreen, reversing camera, Apple CarPlay, wireless phone charging and all sorts of anti-crash kit.

They all please. As does that seven-year warranty. The Koreans know exactly what people want from a small car and Picanto ticks all the boxes. In the last few years we’ve seen several big-name models axed as manufacturers struggled to make their entry-level cars pay.

Ford Ka. Vauxhall Adam. Vauxhall Viva. Suzuki Celerio. All gone. Peugeot 108 and Citroen C1 will be going at the end of this year.

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But pound for pound, Picanto is the pick of the bunch.

You could even go halves with your nan.

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KEY FACTS: KIA PICANTO GT-LINE

• Price: £14,645
• Engine: 1-litre 3cyl turbo petrol
• Power: 100hp
• 0-60mph: 9.9 secs
• Top speed: 112mph
• Economy: 53mpg
• CO2: 119g/km
• Out: Now