Kia Picanto vs Fiat 500

Robisere

All I can tell you about the Kia Picanto, is based upon my 21 yo granddaughter's experience in 2 years of driving a '55 plate car. She is a big girl with a bigger BF and they have driven it for over 30K miles with no problems. She has it serviced regularly and expects to get at least another 2 years out of it. I know nothing about the Fiat, but would certainly recommend a Kia Picanto.


Why lease or buy new? Look for a nearly new car and see if you can get a bank loan.

RichardD1970

Robisere wrote: »

All I can tell you about the Kia Picanto, is based upon my 21 yo granddaughter's experience in 2 years of driving a '55 plate car. She is a big girl with a bigger BF and they have driven it for over 30K miles with no problems. She has it serviced regularly and expects to get at least another 2 years out of it. I know nothing about the Fiat, but would certainly recommend a Kia Picanto.


Why lease or buy new? Look for a nearly new car and see if you can get a bank loan.

I think t is all part of a deal that includes insurance, geared to new drivers. Something like this.

mr_accountant

is the kia 1.0 the 3 cylinder engine, if so i would be wary of it, i drove an i10 (new shape) with the same engine and the engine was horrid, unrefined and not very powerful round town, i presume on the motorway it would need lots of gear changing for overtaking.

i would recommend the 1.25 kappa engine, had in my i10 (old shape) at 77bhp and it was excl lent. also have in my i20 as an 85b hp version and is actually quite rapid, lots of power for motorway overtaking (very rarely do i need to downshift to overtake). its also smooth and refined with variable valve timing to give power at lower revs, good for town journeys.

don't know the price variation but i guess it will more expensive than the 1.0 version but well worth the extra money.

walwyn1978

Assuming you're buying used at around a three year mark when depreciation has begun to flatten off a bit, at three years old the Kia will still have another 4 years of warranty to go. That alone should swing it - imagine how much money you'll save in repair costs as and when something still under warranty goes wrong...

cubegame

The Fiat 500 is a shocking car. Built entirely for it's cute looks.

I've had a few as hire cars and despite low mileage they were all a bit crap and felt like high milers. The clutch seems especially bad but it's the best manual I've found to practice your clutchless gear changes in.

I presume most people realise how easy this is and this is how the hire cars get knackered.

[Deleted User]

mr_accountant wrote: »

is the kia 1.0 the 3 cylinder engine, if so i would be wary of it, i drove an i10 (new shape) with the same engine and the engine was horrid, unrefined and not very powerful round town, i presume on the motorway it would need lots of gear changing for overtaking.

i would recommend the 1.25 kappa engine, had in my i10 (old shape) at 77bhp and it was excl lent. also have in my i20 as an 85b hp version and is actually quite rapid, lots of power for motorway overtaking (very rarely do i need to downshift to overtake). its also smooth and refined with variable valve timing to give power at lower revs, good for town journeys.

don't know the price variation but i guess it will more expensive than the 1.0 version but well worth the extra money.

The 3 cylinder engine is actually more refined than the 4 cylinder job, not sure why you found yours "horrid" (was it a hire car?). If I did a lot of motorways I'd probably go for the 1.25L but around town the 1.0L trumps it every time. Unless it's some muppet boy racer next to me there's certainly never an issue i keeping up with traffic.

BTW, on the motorway you wouldn't want to drop to 4th anyway as it'll be revving it's little nuts off. As with any small engined car you just need to be mindful of the traffic in front and behind, the 1.25 isn't excused from this.

mr_accountant

Colin_Maybe wrote: »

The 3 cylinder engine is actually more refined than the 4 cylinder job, not sure why you found yours "horrid" (was it a hire car?). If I did a lot of motorways I'd probably go for the 1.25L but around town the 1.0L trumps it every time. Unless it's some muppet boy racer next to me there's certainly never an issue i keeping up with traffic.

BTW, on the motorway you wouldn't want to drop to 4th anyway as it'll be revving it's little nuts off. As with any small engined car you just need to be mindful of the traffic in front and behind, the 1.25 isn't excused from this.

it was a courtesy car with around 5k miles on it, having driven both the 4 cylinder kappa is by far the smoother and more refined, very very quiet at idle, whereas the 3 cycling could still hear the engine and feel vibration through the wheel. the 1.25 is far better all rounder.

Jackmydad

Those "includes insurance" deals look like the insurance is for the first 12 months.
You will still have to find the next year's insurance (Unless some offer insurance for the lease term?)
I'll echo what the others have said. First car, buy secondhand with a loan if necessary.

jase1

If you like the Fiat, the Ford Ka might be a slightly cheaper (and easier/cheaper to insure) alternative. It's fundamentally the same car, the 500's plain sister.

I find the steering to be far too light but they're a nice enough car to drive.

GunJack

or...

..buy a cheapie car (£500-ish) that'll cost less to insure, and save what you would spend on leasing towards your insurance..new drivers spending £1000s on first cars is barking IMHO, as when you prang it you're left in an often unaffordable situation..write-off a £500 car, just go get another..

oh, and buy heavily-weighted to insurance costs, i.e. pick a car that'll save you £3-400 on your first year premium, which will have paid for the car.

Did the above for the oldest - got a suzuki wagon R+ for £450, as the insurance was minimum £500 lower than other (fiesta, corsa, polo, 206, etc.) so effectively paid for the car. He bought the car, first-year insurance and tax, and still had change from £1900, with no black-box needing fitting either. He put it through it's second MoT last month, for in total £250. So, 2 and a half years of car for £700.

Compare that to your leasing costs