CarCostCheck

KIA PICANTO (2018)

Running costs, common problems, and reliability data based on 26,080 real MOT tests in 2024.

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MOT Pass Rate

90%

Total Tests (2024)

26,080

Avg Mileage

31,324 mi

Est. Annual Cost

£1,400

Is the 2018 KIA PICANTO reliable?

Excellent reliability. Very few MOT failures. That's 8 points above the national average of 82%. It also outperforms the KIA brand average of 86%.

At 6 years old, 90% of KIA PICANTOs from 2018 passed their MOT first time in 2024. That's based on 26,080 tests across the UK. The average mileage at this age is 31,324 miles.

How does the 2018 KIA PICANTO compare?

Rank among all 2018 cars324th out of 649(top 50%)
Rank among all KIA models218th out of 472(top 46%)
vs national average+8% (82% avg)
vs 2018 cars average+1% (89% avg)
vs KIA average+4% (86% avg)

Mileage Analysis

The average 2018 KIA PICANTO has 31,324 miles on the clock, which is below the expected 44,400 miles for a 6-year-old car. This suggests lighter use than average, which generally means less wear on major components.

Best year to buy a KIA PICANTO?

The most reliable year is the 2022 model with a 94% MOT pass rate, while the 2005 model has the lowest at 66%. The 2018 sits between the two at 90%.

How much does a 2018 KIA PICANTO cost to run?

⛽Fuel (Petrol, 998cc)
£955
🏛️Road Tax
£190
🔧MOT Test
£55
🛠️Predicted Repairs
£200
Total per year£1,400
Per month£117/mo

Based on 7,400 miles/year (UK average), current fuel prices, and repair likelihood from MOT pass rate data. Insurance not included.

KIA PICANTO by Year

YearPass RateTestsAvg Mileage
202294%58118,487 mi
202193%16,05617,202 mi
202092%14,78220,924 mi
201990%25,92725,468 mi
201890%26,08031,324 mi
201787%21,49036,325 mi
201684%20,56140,782 mi
201582%22,30546,768 mi
201481%24,34352,546 mi
201377%21,89358,821 mi
201275%23,45964,866 mi
201173%18,88666,885 mi
201072%23,57867,207 mi
200971%23,14867,485 mi
200869%6,04674,547 mi
200768%5,06172,737 mi
200666%7,60573,767 mi
200566%6,56276,655 mi
200469%3,21777,908 mi

Checking a specific KIA PICANTO?

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About the 2018 KIA PICANTO

The 2018 KIA PICANTO is a city car with a 998cc petrol engine. 26,080 of these vehicles were MOT tested in 2024, making it one of the most commonly tested cars on UK roads. Among all cars from 2018, the average MOT pass rate is 89%, and this model beats that benchmark.

With an average of 31,324 miles at 6 years old, KIA PICANTO owners tend to use this car less than the typical driver.

2018 KIA PICANTO Fuel Costs

The modest 998cc petrol engine keeps fuel costs low, which is a real advantage for a city car. Expect around 50 mpg in mixed driving, which works out to roughly £955 per year at current petrol prices of 142p per litre (based on 7,400 miles per year).

What does it cost to own a 2018 KIA PICANTO?

Total estimated annual running cost is £1,400 (£117/month), broken down as £955 fuel, £190 road tax, £55 MOT, and £200 predicted repairs. The low repair estimate reflects the excellent 90% pass rate. These cars rarely fail their MOT, so unexpected bills are less likely.

KIA PICANTO Reliability Trend

Newer KIA PICANTOs show better MOT pass rates than older ones, with an average improvement of 17 percentage points.

Buying a Used 2018 KIA PICANTO

At 6 years old, the KIA PICANTO offers good value with plenty of life remaining. Most manufacturer warranties will have expired, so a pre-purchase inspection is worth the cost. If you're flexible on year, the 2022 model has the highest pass rate at 94%. With 26,080 MOT tests in our data, there's strong statistical confidence in these figures.

Alternatives to the 2018 KIA PICANTO

The KIA PICANTO is actually the most reliable option among similar petrol city cars from this era. Here are comparable petrol cars with similar engines: