Not long after its 19th birthday in May this year, the Kia Picanto surpassed 250,000 cumulative sales in the UK. One of the favourites of its class in the UK and the lowest priced brand-new car on sale at £13,665, the Picanto is not alone in surpassing a sales milestone, with the Kia Niro also selling significantly having passed 100,000 cumulative UK sales.

Released in three separate iterations, the Kia Picanto originally went on sale in the UK on 25 May 2004, coinciding with the 60th anniversary of the South Korean manufacturer. It immediately garnered attention for being competitively priced, spacious for its class and with a generous spec list. Production of the first-generation Picanto was ended in 2011 - after a minor facelift in 2007 – with a total of 83,935 UK sales in its lifetime.

That same year, the second-generation Picanto made its debut at the 2011 Geneva Motor Show and went on sale in the UK on 17 June 2011. Featuring Kia’s newly introduced ‘tiger nose’ grille, the new Picanto also received a new generation of Kappa engines that were designed to reduce CO2 emissions and improve efficiency. Earning several motoring awards, it impressed UK journalists with its low starting price, efficient powertrain and refined driving experience. It received a minor facelift in April 2015 and has built on the success of its predecessor, selling 82,407 units in the UK.

On May 1st 2017, the third generation of Picanto was released in the UK, with significant enhancements to both the exterior and interior. The most technologically advanced car that Kia had ever produced, the ‘GT-Line’ grade was also introduced for the first time. Equipped with a sporty exhaust, bold front and rear bumpers, an aggressive front grille and ‘GT’ inspired red body details, it was coupled with an all-new 1.0-litre turbocharged engine producing 99bhp and a six-speed manual gearbox. A minor refresh in 2020 added to its popularity and combined with positive reviews, the third-generation Picanto has reached 84,762 sales.

Kia Niro Passes 100,000 sales

Despite only having been introduced in July 2016, the Kia Niro recently this month surpassed 100,000 cumulative sales. Offering high fuel economy and low CO2 emissions and was Kia’s first dedicated hybrid designed from the ground up. A year later, the Niro Plug-in Hybrid was introduced to the range being the first PHEV compact crossover to go on sale in the UK. It offered an EV range of 36 miles and a potential fuel economy of over 200mpg.

Kia eventually decided to go solely electric, and the e-Niro made its European debut at the 2018 Paris Motor Show. Released in the UK on April 1st 2019, it became the first ever electric car to be named What Car?’s ‘Car of the Year’.

In July 2022, the second-generation Niro went on sale in the UK, once again available as a hybrid, plug-in hybrid or full EV. The second-generation Niro contributed to incredibly strong 2022 sales figures that saw electrified models account for almost 50% of Kia UK’s total annual sales.

Production Ends on the Kia Rio

First launched in the UK in 2001, the Kia Rio has been officially withdrawn from sale in the UK market following its final month of production in May 2023. Four generations of the car have been on sale throughout its lifetime, and it has accounted for more than 150,000 cumulative UK sales. It was joined in 2017 by its sister model, the Kia Stonic, which remains on sale in the UK as a popular B-segment crossover.

The Picanto, however, remains the priority for Kia and on 4 July 2023 the new facelift for the vehicle was unveiled, with a proposed sale date of early 2024 in the UK. The newly updated Picanto will feature a striking re-design, giving the third-generation Picanto an entirely new EV9-inspired face, as well as a re-structured specification line-up.

Words: Mike Booth
Pictures: Kia