Car guides

Kia Picanto: common problems, best years and what to check

Cheap, reliable, long warranty; ideal first car. Covers 2008–2024 cars: every popular engine, its known faults with typical UK repair costs, and how each year has held up on Britain's roads.

Updated November 2026 · By the Carnod team · How we build this guide

Is the Kia Picanto a good used buy?

Best buy

2017+ JA 1.0/1.25 manual

Avoid

none notable

Who it suits: City drivers wanting a cheap, reliable small car with a seven-year warranty.

What's good

  • Seven-year warranty transfers
  • Cheap to run
  • Easy to park
  • Well equipped for the price

What's not

  • Slow on motorways
  • Small boot
  • Three-star NCAP for JA
  • Noisy at speed

By the numbers

  • #34 most common model on UK roads, with about 199k licensed (DfT).
  • The biggest surviving year is 2019: 17.1k cars still licensed.
  • 2008 cars survive 29% better than comparable cars of that year.
  • The most expensive common fault: 4-speed auto is slow (up to £0).

Kia Picanto common problems by generation and engine

Kia Picanto TA (2011–2017) · city car

How to spot it: 11 plate to 17 plate. Rounded small hatch with a tiger-nose grille.

1.0 / 1.25 (Kappa, petrol, 2011–2017)

Reliable

Faults on any TA (2011–2017) engine

  • 4-speed auto is slow—any

Kia Picanto JA (2017–) · city car

How to spot it: 17 plate onwards. Squarer and wider with a sporty look on GT-Line.

1.0 / 1.0 T-GDi / 1.25 (Kappa, petrol, 2017–)

Reliable; 7-year warranty

Costs are typical UK independent-garage prices including parts and labour. Main dealers usually charge more.

Best and worst Kia Picanto years

How many Kia Picantos from each year are still licensed today (DfT), coloured by how well that year survives compared with similar cars of the same age.

survives better than similar carsabout averagesurvives worse

Years that outlast similar cars: 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016. No year falls off the road noticeably faster than similar cars.

Kia Picanto MOT pass rate and common failures

First-time pass rate (2025)

73%

Average UK car of the same age

73%all makes, same ages as these Kia Picantos

MOT tests analysed (2008+ cars)

160,507

Kia Picantos pass their MOT first time about as often as the average UK car of the same age.

First registeredPass rateAverage UK car that ageMedian mileage
200852%57%72k miles
200954%58%64k miles
201056%59%65k miles
201157%61%66k miles
201260%63%65k miles
201364%66%58k miles
201469%69%53k miles
201574%72%47k miles
201675%75%42k miles
201780%78%37k miles
201883%81%33k miles
201984%84%27k miles
202086%86%23k miles
202186%87%19k miles
202288%89%15k miles
202391%92%13k miles

Most common MOT failures

  1. Position lamp: not working3.92 per 100
  2. Wipers: does not clear the windscreen effectively3.86 per 100
  3. Rbt (sp): efficiency below requirements3.46 per 100
  4. Tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm2.39 per 100
  5. Rigid brake pipes: excessively corroded2.27 per 100
  6. Parking brake performance: inoperative on one side2.22 per 100
  7. Washers: provides insufficient washer liquid2.11 per 100
  8. Ball joint excessively worn2 per 100

Most common advisories

  1. Tyres: has a tear24.03 per 100
  2. Tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm17.32 per 100
  3. Rigid brake pipes: excessively corroded12.79 per 100
  4. Brake discs: in such a condition that it is seriously weakened9.55 per 100
  5. Brake pads: less than 1.5 mm thick7.78 per 100
  6. Pins and bushes: pin or bush excessively worn7.75 per 100
  7. Service brake performance: excessively binding4.36 per 100
  8. Engine oil leaks: leaking excessively from engine3.94 per 100

Source: DVSA anonymised MOT results for 2025 (normal car tests). First-time pass counts faults fixed during the test as fails. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.

Does the Kia Picanto have a timing belt or chain?

EngineTypeWhenCost
Kappachaindurable£400–£700

Kia Picanto running costs

Road tax (from April 2017)

£200 a year; +£440 for years 2–6 if the list price was over £40,000 (£50,000 for electric cars).

Road tax (before April 2017)

CO2 band tax: £20 (band A–B, up to 110g/km) to £790 (band M). Most petrol and diesel versions sit in bands B–E, £20–£200 a year.

Insurance groups

1–9

Real-world economy

1.0/1.25: 48–56

Servicing (independent)

Minor £120–£180 · Major £200–£290

Tyres

175/65 R14 · set of four £190–£290

Warranty when new

7 years / 100,000 miles, transfers to the next owner

Is the Kia Picanto ULEZ compliant?

  • Petrol and hybrid: compliant if Euro 4 — nearly all petrol cars from 2006, many from 2001.
  • Electric: always compliant.
  • Same standards apply in Birmingham and Bristol Clean Air Zones (which charge private cars) and Scotland's LEZs in Glasgow, Edinburgh, Aberdeen and Dundee (which fine them). Check the exact car on TfL's vehicle checker.

Safety and practicality

Euro NCAP

JA: ★★★☆☆ (2017)

Boot

255 litres

Seats

4

Electric / hybrid

7-year / 100k warranty transfers

Kia Picanto vs rivals

ModelOn UK roadsInsuranceBootBest buy
Kia Picanto199k1–9255 l2017+ JA 1.0/1.25 manual
Hyundai i10269k1–7252 l2014+ i10 1.0/1.2 manual
Toyota Aygo279k2–8168 l2014–2022 Mk2 1.0 manual
Volkswagen up!130k1–10251 l1.0 MPI 75 manual or up! GTI
Fiat Panda70k1–9225 lMk3 1.2 or 4x4
Suzuki Celerio———Guide coming soon

What to check when buying a used Kia Picanto

  • Check 7-year warranty remaining

Kia Picanto FAQ

›Is the Kia Picanto reliable?

Generally, if you pick the right version. Best buy: 2017+ JA 1.0/1.25 manual. Avoid: none notable.

›What is the Kia Picanto MOT pass rate?

73% of Kia Picantos passed their MOT first time in 2025 (160,507 tests), about average for cars of the same age. The most common failure: position lamp: not working.

›What are the most common Kia Picanto problems?

The costliest known faults are . Each one is listed by engine with typical UK repair costs above.

›Does the Kia Picanto have a timing belt or chain?

Kappa: chain.

›What is the best year Kia Picanto to buy?

By DfT survival data, 2009, 2010, 2011 cars have outlasted comparable cars best. Condition and history still matter more than the year.

›How much does a Kia Picanto cost to run?

Real-world economy: 1.0/1.25 48–56 mpg. Insurance groups 1–9. A minor service is about £120–£180 at an independent garage.

›How much is road tax on a Kia Picanto?

Cars registered from April 2017 pay £200 a year (more if the list price was over £40k). Older cars pay by CO2 band, from £20 to £790.

›Is the Kia Picanto ULEZ compliant?

Petrol and hybrid: compliant if Euro 4 — nearly all petrol cars from 2006, many from 2001.

How we build this guide

We combine official UK data with what independent garages see most often on this model.

  • How many are still on the road: DfT vehicle licensing statistics, by year first used. The survival comparison is against cars of the same age.
  • MOT pass rates, failures and mileage: DVSA anonymised MOT results — every normal car MOT in Great Britain for the year, compared with all cars of the same age.
  • Road tax: GOV.UK rates from April 2026. ULEZ: TfL and Clean Air Zone emission standards.
  • Faults and repair costs: known problems by engine code, priced at typical UK independent-garage rates including parts and labour.
  • Insurance groups, mpg, servicing and tyres: typical ranges, not quotes. Your car's exact figures depend on the version and where you live.

This is a buying guide, not a mechanical inspection. A specific car's MOT history tells you far more than any model average — run a free check on it before you go and see it.

Sources: licensed counts and survival from DfT vehicle licensing statistics; road tax from GOV.UK (April 2026 rates). Faults, costs, mpg and insurance groups are typical ranges, not quotes. A guide, not a mechanical inspection.