KIA has revealed UK pricing and specification of its new Picanto supermini, the most recent recipient of a major mid-life refreshment.

Priced from £15,595 on-the-road, the new Kia Picanto remains one of the most affordable new cars on sale in the UK and is part of Kia's commitment to smaller cars.

While demand remains high for small cars, drivers are now left with fewer choices in this class.

The Picanto makes up a fair proportion of Kia's sales, last year accounting for more than 13 per cent of all Kia models sold in the UK - with sales for the model up 35.1 per cent year-on-year to 14,143 units.

It is the brand's fourth most popular car in the country after the Sportage, Niro and Ceed model families. In 2023 it accounted for more than a fifth of all small new cars sold in the UK.

In August 2023, the Picanto surpassed more than a quarter of a million sales since first going on sale in the UK, across three generations.

The new model features a major exterior redesign and significant updates to the interior, echoing elements of Kia's flagship EV9 and other recent Kia models inside and out.

New vertical headlights and a powerful new lightbar leading into the front air intakes are a feature as is a new rear lightbar.

Inside, the Picanto offers Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, an eight-inch touchscreen navigation and multiple USB charging ports, all of which are standard on every variant in the line-up.

The new Kia Picanto comes with a choice of two petrol engines - a three-cylinder 1.0-litre developing 62bhp or four-cylinder 1.2-litre with 77bhp. Both engines feature improved exhaust gas recirculation lines, optimised intake valve timing, and improved combustion chamber cooling to aid efficiency and economy.

Both engines drive the front wheels via a five-speed manual transmission as standard. An optional five-speed automated manual transmission is also available on all versions: a manual transmission with clutch and gear shift actuators to automate their respective functions.

In the UK, the 1.0-litre engine is available on the ‘2', GT-Line and ‘3' grade variants. The 1.2-litre engine is available only on GT-Line S models.

The updated models will top out from £19,145 for 1.2-litre automatic GT-Line S versions or £18,445 for manuals and the cars will be available for delivery from July.