The Kia Picanto II (internal code TA), also known as the Kia Morning in South Korea and Chile, marked a massive leap forward for the Korean brand in the A-segment. Designed under the direction of Peter Schreyer, it introduced a much more mature, European-focused design, vastly improved interior quality, and enhanced safety features compared to its predecessor. Available in both 3-door and 5-door body styles, it was offered with a 7-year/150,000 km warranty in Europe, which heavily contributed to its success. The model received a minor update in 2014 and a more significant facelift in 2015, which brought updated bumpers, a revised tiger-nose grille, and Euro 6 compliant engines. It remains one of the most reliable and sensible used city cars on the market.
The Kia Picanto II (TA) is an outstanding choice in the used city car market. It avoids the complex downsizing trends of its era, relying instead on robust, naturally aspirated engines with timing chains. If your driving is strictly urban, the 1.0 MPI is perfectly adequate and incredibly cheap to run. However, the 1.25 MPI is the sweet spot, offering much better versatility for occasional highway trips without a significant penalty in fuel economy. Avoid the 4-speed automatic if possible, as it blunts performance and increases fuel consumption. Look for a well-maintained manual 1.25 MPI for the best ownership experience.