Kia Picanto vs Hyundai Inster
Figures updated
The Hyundai Inster is a new rival to the Kia Picanto, one of the UK's most popular city cars. We compare the Mk3 (2017–) Picanto and the Mk1 (2024–) Inster on price, size, boot space, performance, safety, official economy and running costs.
The short answer
Pick the Kia Picanto for the lower price, or the Hyundai Inster for the bigger boot and more performance.
- The Kia Picanto is the cheapest to buy new: from £17,095, £5,900 less than the Hyundai Inster.
- The Hyundai Inster has the biggest boot: 280 litres, 25 more than the Kia Picanto.
- Euro NCAP safety: Kia Picanto 3 stars (2017), Hyundai Inster 4 stars (2025). Ratings from different years aren't directly comparable, as the tests get tougher.
- No MOT reliability comparison yet: the Hyundai Inster is too new for MOT records (cars first take an MOT at three years old).
- Watch the brakes on a Kia Picanto: it fails on them 2.1 times as often as the average car.
| Figure | Kia PicantoMk3 (2017–), 5-door hatchback | Hyundai InsterMk1 (2024–), 5-door SUV |
|---|---|---|
| Price and practicality | ||
| Price newUK list prices, across the range | £17,095 to £20,645October 2026 price list (best) | £22,995 to £28,245August 2026 price list |
| Body | 5-door hatchback | 5-door SUV |
| Seats | 5 (best) | 4 |
| BootSeats up / folded | 255 litres / 1,010 | 280 litres / 1,059 (best) |
| Length | 3,595mm | 3,825mm |
| WidthWithout mirrors | 1,595mm | 1,610mm |
| Height | 1,485mm | 1,575mm |
| Performance | ||
| Power | 68 PS | 97–115 PS (best) |
| 0–62mph | 14.6–17.2 sec | 10.6–11.7 sec (best) |
| Safety | ||
| Euro NCAP ratingTests get tougher each year | ★★★★★ (2017) | ★★★★★ (2025) |
| Economy and emissions | ||
| Fuel types | Petrol | Electric |
| Official economyVersions of this generation | 48.7–58.9 mpg | – |
| CO2 | 109–136 g/km | – |
| Electric range | – | 203–230 miles |
| Running costs at 7,500 miles a year | ||
| Petrol or hybrid171.4p a litre, today's UK average | £1,117 (52.3 mpg) | – |
| Electric, charged at home26.3p per kWh standard tariff | – | £548 (4 mi/kWh) |
| Cheapest version to fuelWhichever fuel costs least | £1,117 (petrol) | £548 (electric) |
| Car tax a yearCars registered from April 2017 | £200 | £200 |
| Reliability from real MOT tests | ||
| Reliability score | 81Well below average | Too new for MOT data |
| Failed MOT first time (ages 3–20) | 29.5% | – |
| Failed at 3 years old | 12.1% | – |
| Failed at 5 years old | 16.3% | – |
| Failed at 10 years old | 30.8% | – |
| Most common MOT fault | Rbt (sp) (3.7% of tests) | – |
| Fails more than average on | Brakes (2.1×), Visibility (1.6×) | – |
| MOT tests analysed | 181,715 | – |
| About the cars | ||
| Type | City car | City car |
| Owners' average miles a year | 5,200 | – |
| On sale | 2017 on | 2024 on |
Green marks the better figure where the difference is more than 3%. Reliability figures cover every version of each model tested in the year. Running costs use the typical official economy of recent versions (WLTP where available); real-world economy is usually a little worse for every car.
More comparisons
Frequently asked questions
›Is the Kia Picanto or the Hyundai Inster more reliable?
It's too early to say from MOT records: the Hyundai Inster is too new, as cars take their first MOT at three years old. The Kia Picanto has a reliability score of 81 (100 is average) from 181,715 MOT tests in 2024.
›Which is bigger, the Kia Picanto or the Hyundai Inster?
The Hyundai Inster is 230mm longer (3,825mm against 3,595mm). The Hyundai Inster has the bigger boot: 280 litres against 255.
›Which is cheaper to buy, the Kia Picanto or the Hyundai Inster?
The Kia Picanto: new prices start at £17,095, £5,900 less than the Hyundai Inster (from £22,995). These are manufacturer list prices; dealers and brokers often sell for less.
›Which is safer, the Kia Picanto or the Hyundai Inster?
Euro NCAP gave the Kia Picanto 3 stars (2017) and the Hyundai Inster 4 stars (2025). Euro NCAP makes its tests tougher every few years, so ratings from different years aren't directly comparable.
›Should I buy the Kia Picanto or the Hyundai Inster?
Pick the Kia Picanto for the lower price, or the Hyundai Inster for the bigger boot and more performance. The comparison above sets out price, space, performance, safety, running costs and reliability side by side.
Sources: manufacturers' UK specifications and price lists and Euro NCAP (listed on each model's page); DVSA anonymised MOT tests 2024 (Open Government Licence v3.0); Vehicle Certification Agency car fuel data, © Crown copyright, VCA cannot accept liability for its accuracy; fuel prices from the GOV.UK Fuel Finder scheme. Photos from Wikimedia Commons, credited under each picture.