THE past couple of years have proved an exciting period for Korean carmaker Kia which has seen ever-increasing sales levels leading to a highly impressive 57.9 per cent growth so far this year.
Kia recorded its best-ever August sales - 1,713 units representing a 2.02 per cent share of the market - giving the Pacific Rim manufacturer eleventh place in the carmakers' league table, ahead of its sister company - Hyundai.
On of the major contributors to this record growth is the Picanto supermini, which arrived on the UK scene at the end of May. It has already passed the 2,000 sales figure during its first three months of sale.
The Picanto is Kia's very first five-door supermini and it comes with two petrol engine options, a 60bhp one-litre and a 1.1-litre 64bhp, with a 1.1-litre diesel waiting in the wings for a 2005 arrival.
Available as a four-seater or five-seater car, the Picanto comesw in three trim levels - GS, LX and the range-topping SE - and also offers an automatic transmission option on the 1.1-litre LX model for an added £750 on top of its £6,245 recommended retail price.
Kit levels are generous with all models coming with ABS disc brakes, central locking, front electric windows and a top end sound system with CD player. Starting fprice for the entry level one-litre GS version is less than £5,500.
The test car Picanto SE adds to the standard set-up with a comfort zone which includes air con, electric windows all round, remote central locking, electrically adjustable door mirrors, six speaker sound system, variable speed windscreen wipers, headlight adjustment, front fogs and the rest.
There are some 19 cubbyholes in which to "lose" things and within this well put together interior there is the option of some pretty vibrant fabric colours designed to tempt the young, and perhaps even the not-so-young at heart buyers.
Thanks to a decent amount of glass, there's a light and airy feel to a cabin which is larger than most of its competitors, while there is a quality look and feel to an interior which boasts the quite funky look of a metal grain centre facia as its focal point.
Passenger safety has also been well addressed with side impact steel beams in each door, reinforced front and rear bumpers, twin front airbags and seat belt pretensioners coming as standard.
However, the steering wheel adjusts only for rake and not reach and, as there is also no driver's seat height adjust, it may be wise for taller drivers to try before they buy.
In a market dominated by three-door superminis, the Picanto comes in five-door guise only and I was most impressed with the rear cabin set-up, from where my wife, who has hip problems, was able to swing herself pretty effortlessly in and out.
However, the downside is found in the luggage bay, where accommodation is hardly over-generous and only par for the course for the genre, unless you fold the rear seats down.
Although the grille may need time to grow on some people, the overall exterior look is of a cheerful and stylish city slicker complete with sill extensions and a rear roof spoiler.
Mounted on 14-inch alloys, the Picanto handles well doing, as you would expect from a city car, its best work on the urban trawl.
It is easy on the driver and, via fingertip sensitive power steering, it will slot you neatly into those ever narrowing parking spots so beloved of the town planners, while promising 40-plus mpg around town.
While the 1.1-litre power source is quite refined, it will take around 15 seconds to take you from 0-62mph, en route to a top speed of 96mph.
However, take to the motorways and you will need to resort to the smooth-slotting five-speed manual gear change to stir up the four-cylinder engine and get the best out of the 64bhp on tap.Once in the cruise, however, it feels comfortablenough in fifth gear, with the promise of 57.6mpg, depending on individual driving styles.
This is yet another fine effort from the Pacific Rim carmaker which is currently producing models which tick all the right boxes for the budget conscious carbuyer and the real trump card of the Picanto is in its value for money.
There's much more to tempt the palate of those who have designs on buying their first new car, not least the Group 3 insurance and low CO2 emission levels of 119g/km on the 1.1-litre SE, both of which add further weight to Kia's proud boast of attractively low ownership costs.
FAST FACTS
Kia Picanto 1.1-litre SE
Price: £6,995
Mechanical: 64bhp, 1,086cc, 4cyl petrol engine driving front wheels via 5spd manual gearbox
Max speed: 96mph
0-62mph: 15.1 secs
Combined mpg: 57.6
Insurance group: 3
CO2 emissions: 119g/km
BiK rating: 15%
Warranty: 3yrs/ unlimited mileage