Kia's perky Picanto offers a fun and nippy drive in the big city, says RAY MASSEY

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How better to welcome sizzling August than with the spicy new Picanto city-car from Kia that celebrates the model's 20th anniversary in the UK.

The tiny Picanto is ideal for motorists seeking an affordable new car that offers value for money and isn't electric.

Mine had a frugal 1-litre, 3-cylinder 62bhp petrol engine linked to a slick 5-speed manual gear-box that delivered a whopping 52.3mpg fuel-efficiency and low-tax CO2 emissions of 121g/km. How's that for saving the planet. And not a plug or charger in sight.

It's all bundled up into a four-door five-seater 'GT-Line' package with a decent amount of kit that sells for £16,745.

It's not the cheapest supermini on the forecourt, but prices start from £15,595 for the entry-level Picanto '2' trim whose fuel-efficiency stretches to 54.3mpg.

Zippy: The tiny Picanto is great on country lanes, too

Running on 16in tyres, compared to 14in standard base models, my perky Picanto offered a fun and fizzy drive, despite a slight reduction in power on the previous model. It's made for cities, with a tight turning circle of just 9.4 metres, commuter runs, and whizzing between villages, though is pretty good on long runs around country lanes, too.

But don't expect supercar performance. Acceleration from rest to 62mph is a leisurely 15.4 seconds, though early low-end acceleration feels quite nippy. Top speed is a more than adequate 90mph. It struggles a little initially on steep inclines, but is fine once it gets into its stride. At a fraction over 3.6m long, it has everything you need in a compact package including a smart exterior and new LED headlights.

While inside, there is an 8in digital sat-nav screen and 4.2in driver display with a decent interior and sporty seats.

The clever boot has a removeable floor into which you can pop shopping bags. If you need more space, the rear seats fold down.

The rear-door opens wide and there is room inside for two in comfort and three at a squeeze. For a bit more oomph, there's a more powerful 1.2-litre petrol 77bhp version from £18,045 which cuts zero to 62mph acceleration to 13.1 seconds and raises the top speed to 113mph. Automatic versions are also available.

Ray's Picanto had a frugal 1-litre, 3-cylinder 62bhp petrol engine linked to a slick 5-speed manual gear-box that delivered a whopping 52.3mpg fuel-efficiency

Acceleration from rest to 62mph is a leisurely 15.4 seconds

Inside, there is an 8in digital sat-nav screen and 4.2in driver display with a decent interior and sporty seats

Standard driver aids include hill-start assist, rear-parking sensors and a reversing camera

‹ Slide me ›

The clever boot has a removeable floor into which you can pop shopping bags - if you need more space, the rear seats fold down

Standard driver aids include hill-start assist, rear-parking sensors and a reversing camera. The car also comes with Kia's seven year/100,000 warranty and 12 months' roadside assistance. 

Apple and android smart-phone connectivity is standard on all models, with wireless mobile charging available on higher spec versions.

Picanto was launched in the UK in 2004 – the same year as Facebook – and more than 260,000 have been sold here since, making it Kia's 2nd biggest seller after the Sorento SUV.

The Korean car-maker sees its smallest car as a 'gateway' to the brand whose range stretches to from the little Picanto supermini to the large Sorento and the big boxy all-electric EV9 SUVs.

With the holiday season in full flow, here are some tips for families looking to enjoy UK motoring events

• British Motor Show: running for four days from August 15 to 18, in Farnborough, Hants. It promises stunt driving and arena displays, supercars, classics and new car test drives (thebritishmotorshow.live).

On the beat: The British Motor Show runs for four days from August 15 to 18

• CarFest: stars, cars, food and a picnic-style pop festival are among the attractions at the three-day CarFest held over the August Bank Holiday weekend (August 23 to 25) at Laverstoke Park Farm, Hampshire. The event raises funds for charities including Children In Need (carfest.org).

• Car museums: the British Motor Museum at Gaydon, Warwickshire is a great pitstop for cars and a coffee along the M40 (british motormuseum.co.uk); the Coventry Transport Museum (transportmuseum.com) and the National Motor Museum Beaulieu (beaulieu.co.uk) also organise summer events.