Kia has unveiled an ambitious sales plan for the Picanto as it aims to account for one in ten city cars sold in the UK and sell 15,000 units next year.
The Korean manufacturer’s aim has been encouraged by a start price of £7,995 making it one of the most affordable city cars on the market in three- and five-door variants.
The Picanto has a more stylised appearance from the outside than its predecessor with a quirky front-end that Kia has termed a ‘tiger face’. It features a wide front grille and two large front headlights which set the model apart from most other A-segment models.
When it launches next month, only the five-door model will be on sale with either a 1.0-litre or larger 1.25-litre petrol engine under the bonnet.
The diminutive engine sizes allow the city car to break the 100g/km CO2 emissions threshold and force its way into Band A for UK road tax and zero VED, that’s thanks to new technology including a start/stop feature.
The three-door version will follow in October when UK managing director, Michael Cole expects the Picanto to appeal to a whole new audience again:
"The three-door will be important because it will open up the Picanto to different buyers. It has a much more sporty, dynamic look which will appeal to younger drivers and, hopefully, more male drivers."
It was also confirmed that the three-door model would come at a cheaper price to its larger five-door sibling.
Askaprice.com holds a wide range of manufacturers and models at the car-quotation website which means you can access thousands of new car quotes from up and down the UK at no cost. Visitors to the website can therefore compare Kia prices and get the best Kia Picanto quotes available.