Sister-brand rivals that insure almost identically, so the real decision comes down to two things: the Picanto is the cheaper buy, and Kia's 7-year warranty beats Hyundai's on length. The i10 edges it on child-protection NCAP specifically; the Picanto edges it on adult protection. A genuine toss-up, not a clear winner.
Group 1 to 10. Real quotes across the range come in under £100 a month standard cover.
Group 2 to 11. A real quote came in notably lower than the typical estimate, so get an exact quote for the specific car.
Typical used price
£7,600 to £15,200 on the used market
£5,800 to £10,000 on the used market
Road tax
Around £200 a year on models registered since 2017
£20 to £200 a year depending on registration date
Fuel economy
50 to 60 mpg combined
50 to 67 mpg combined
Euro NCAP rating
3 stars on the current trims, 69% adult / 75% child / 52% pedestrian protection
3 stars on the current generation, 79% adult / 64% child / 54% pedestrian protection
Why choose this one
Hyundai's long warranty is one of the strongest in the industry, and the range stays consistently cheap to insure regardless of trim. Scores better than the Picanto on child protection specifically (75% vs 64%).
Kia's 7-year warranty is the longest in the industry by a wide margin, longer than Hyundai's on the i10. Typical asking price is notably lower than the i10's, despite the closely related platform.
Sources: First Car Scout vehicle listing and insurance-group data (July 2026).
The catch
These two are close enough on insurance that the badge genuinely doesn't matter much there, both stay cheap across nearly their whole range. Where they actually differ: the Picanto's typical used price (£5,800 to £10,000) runs meaningfully below the i10's (£7,600 to £15,200), and Kia's warranty is longer. On safety, it's a genuine split, not a clean win for either: the i10 scores better on child protection (75% vs 64%), the Picanto scores better on adult protection (79% vs 69%). Worth deciding on budget and warranty terms rather than assuming one badge is safer than the other.
