BMW 4 Series vs Kia Picanto
What's the difference?

BMW 4 Series

$39,888 - $89,990

2022 price

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Kia Picanto

$15,190 - $24,990

2024 price

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Lamborghini Aventador

Mercedes-Benz A-Class

Mercedes-Benz A35

Mercedes-Benz A45

Mercedes-Benz AMG GT

Mercedes-Benz C-Class

Mercedes-Benz C43

Mercedes-Benz C63

Mercedes-Benz CLA-Class

Mercedes-Benz CLS-Class

Mercedes-Benz E-Class

Mercedes-Benz E53

Mercedes-Benz S-Class

Mercedes-Benz SL-Class

Summary

2022 BMW 4 Series

2024 Kia Picanto

By James Cleary

By Tom White

Safety Rating

Engine Type

Turbo 6, 3.0L

Inline 4, 1.2L

Fuel Type

Premium Unleaded Petrol

Unleaded Petrol

Fuel Efficiency

7.8L/100km (combined)

5.0L/100km (combined)

Seating

Likes

Dynamic performance
Value
Quality

Affordable
Available as a manual!
Deceptively well equipped

Dislikes

Slender door handles
Low roof for ingress/egress
Overly keen 'Lane Departure Warning'

Minimal interior upgrades for 2024
Feeling its age
Fuel consumption is so-so

2022 BMW 4 Series Summary

Without a whole lot of fanfare BMW has slipped yet another model into its Australian line-up.

Sitting alongside existing coupe and convertible variants, the new 4 Series Gran Coupe follows the template established by the previous gen version.

A sports luxury four-door with a sleek, fastback twist, it provides a more adventurous alternative to its close 3 Series cousin.

Offered in three grades, this is the M440i xDrive, the 3.0-litre, six-cylinder, all-wheel drive 4 Series Gran Coupe flagship.

It competes with premium all-wheel drive four-doors like Audi’s S5 Sportback, the Jaguar XF P300 R-Dynamic HSE, and the Mercedes-AMG C 43.

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2024 Kia Picanto Summary

If you're feeling the cost of living sting, there's a good chance you've scaled back your ambitions for your next new car. You may have even looked at some of Australia's most affordable brand-new vehicles and the Kia Picanto is one of them.

It's one of the few brand-new options left with a before-on-roads starting price of under $20,000 and it's one of the few non-performance models left which can still be chosen as a manual.

It's one thing to be affordable, though, and quite another to be good value - so does the freshly updated 2024 Picanto have what it takes to stack up against more expensive options? Let's take a look.

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Deep dive comparison

2022 BMW 4 Series 2024 Kia Picanto

Verdict

The BMW M440i xDrive Gran Coupe manages to combine sleek design with a fun-to-drive personality and surprising practicality. It’s a rapid premium, four-door, five-seater offering extra flair, and in this part of the market, good value. But more than anything else it’s got a cracking in-line six under the bonnet.

Verdict

Australians are moving into ever-larger vehicles when really we should be embracing the small car now more than ever. It's great Kia is still here, with its Picanto showing what can be offered in such a compact form-factor.

While it's not as affordable as it once was, it looks like it won't be long before Kia is the last torchbearer of sub-$20k starter cars. Even so, this is a great choice for buyers on strict budgets.

BMW 4 Series vs Kia Picanto What's the difference?

Summary

Deep dive comparison

Verdict

Verdict

BMW 4 Series vs Kia Picanto
What's the difference?