It’s far too easy to get bogged down in performance stats, power figures and Newton Metres of torque when comparing modern day cars. We get caught up in the finest of details such as driving range, charging times and even boot capacities to the nearest wet or dry litre.

But, somewhere along the way, have we forgotten about how much fun getting behind the wheel of a car can actually be? And do they really need to be load luggers that are large enough to shift a five-a-side footie team along with all the kit? Also, do we really need to have to consider a second mortgage when eyeing up a new car fresh out the showroom?

A day exploring the latest Kia Picanto, provided us with the reality check that was needed and this quirky compact car is guaranteed to put a smile on your face for all the right reasons, including the price.

It will come as little surprise to learn the Picanto is the smallest model in Kia’s line-up and it is now in the third-generation as it enters its 20^th year in production. To put that into perspective, the first Picanto hit the UK roads at the same time Mark Zuckerberg introduced Facebook to the world and Shrek 2 was scooping in the big bucks from movie fans.

But with a quarter of a million UK sales to date, the Picanto may be small in stature, but it’s certainly big on appeal.

And to celebrate its two decades in the spotlight, Kia has given the Picanto a major mid-life refresh with a striking new look that errs towards the aggressive for the first time. There are safety upgrades, along with improvements to the on-board technology, with an ever-present emphasis on maintaining its fun-packed characteristics.

The latest 2024 Picanto is available with the choice of two engines and transmissions. There is a three-cylinder, 1.0-litre 62bhp petrol engine that is available on 2, GT-Line and 3 trim levels, while a more powerful four-cylinder, 1.2-litre 77bhp petrol engine is offered in the high-end GT-Line S specification. Manual or automatic transmissions are available across the line-up and a new Shadow special edition was revealed in June this year and that is powered by the larger engine and on sale with both gearboxes.

Prices start from a very competitive £15,595 and rise to £19,145, with the special edition Picanto Shadow costing £18,045 (manual) and £18,745 (automatic).

The latest Picanto stretches 3.6 metres in length and takes its styling inspiration from the multi-award-winning EV9 flagship model, so boasts a bold, modern and sporty look. A new lightbar, along with a redesigned front bumper, the signature ‘tiger nose’ wing, grille and bonnet all give the vehicle a far more dramatic appearance. There are sweeping light clusters with daytime running lights, new-look tail lights and bumper, plus smart 14 or 16 inch wheels to complete the transformation.

Moving inside this five-door car, Kia’s design team has really raised the bar when it comes to quality with a far improved mix of materials throughout. An eight-inch floating touchscreen offers access to the many on-board features and all the vital driving data is displayed on a 4.2-inch screen behind the wheel.

The Picanto 2 variant features black cloth seats, but anything above that gains black and grey artificial leather upholstery. All versions boast a built-in navigation system, Bluetooth, Apple CarPlay and Android Auto smartphone connectivity, rear parking sensors, a reversing camera, as well as a wealth of safety systems to help protect all occupants and other road users.

We tested a couple of models through a varied road route and they both lived up to the big build up. Firstly, it was the entry-level Picanto 2 with the 1.0-litre 62bhp engine and 93Nm of torque. With a price-tag of £15,595 (some family holidays cost more these days), it could reach 62mph from a standing start in 15.4 seconds, topped out at 90mph and could deliver a combined 54.3mpg with carbon emissions of 116g/km.

This model featured the five-speed manual gearbox and it’s amazing how rare we get to drive cars with proper clutches these days. In fact, many newbie drivers are learning in automatic cars so will never be allowed to test out their clutch control on a hill start. But that’s a whole different story.

The first thing you notice is just how comfortable the seats are with great levels of support. With ample manual seat and steering wheel adjustment, it doesn’t take long to get the perfect driving position and the all-round visibility also impresses.

Admittedly, the acceleration isn’t that rapid from the off but it can hold its own on motorways, cruising effortlessly at 70mph. Then on twisting country lanes, the Picanto is both grippy and confident through tight corners. And having full control over the levels of acceleration via the manual gearbox is a plus point too.

All the on-board tech is simple to operate on the fly and, for once, we have a car that doesn’t beep and ping at every opportunity.

Next it was a step up to the Picanto GT-Line model with the same lower-powered engine and five-speed manual gearbox. This car cost £16,745 and has the larger 16-inch wheels. The performance figures are identical but those upgraded wheels mean the combined fuel efficiency is slightly less at 52.3mpg and carbon emissions are higher at 121g/km.

This model gets our vote on the design front with slightly sportier exterior styling, including upgraded light clusters, a gloss black radiator grille and privacy glass. The interior features the smarter black and grey artificial leather upholstery, which looks and feels really upmarket and you also get a flat-bottomed steering wheel and sporty alloy pedals.

Just like the 2 model, the Picanto GT-Line is a delight to drive and copes well with motorways, B roads and busier town centre traffic. I did find the slightly larger wheels resulted in a bumpier ride quality over poorer road surfaces, but they do look the business. And just like the 2 version, this Picanto also offers impressive levels of comfort with little engine noise filtering into the cabin, unless the gear switches are left very late.

Storage on the Picanto is similar to most city cars with a boot capacity of 255 litres. This is ideal for a large weekly supermarket run and, if extra space is needed, the 60:40 split-folding rear seats can be dropped and the boot limit increases to 1,010 litres. There is a glovebox, a centre console storage box, two front cup holders, door bins and some trays to store bits and bobs.

Back seat space, like any car this size, is quite limited but there is room for a couple of youngsters or three at a squeeze, with the middle occupant relegated to a narrower seat and having to straddle a central hump.

Sometimes, we have to take a step back from all the wizardry in modern day cars and think about what we really need. For me, smartphone connectivity is a ‘must’ but that aside, I don’t need to be bamboozled with data about energy levels, power and torque outputs and be scared witless by siren-sounding warnings if I approach the speed limit or dare to move out of my lane without indicating.

And that is why this latest Picanto, even in the entry level specifications, is a breath of fresh air and really is a great little car that effortlessly drives from A to B, but in a care-free way with bundles of character thrown in for good measure.

Compiled for Regit