Holden Astra vs Kia Picanto
What's the difference?

Holden Astra

$4,500 - $20,990

2018 price

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Kia Picanto

$15,190 - $24,990

2024 price

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Maserati Quattroporte

Mazda 2

Mazda 3

Mazda 6

Mercedes-Benz A-Class

Mercedes-Benz A35

Mercedes-Benz A45

Mercedes-Benz C-Class

Mercedes-Benz CLA

Mercedes-Benz CLA-Class

Mercedes-Benz CLS-Class

Mercedes-Benz E-Class

Mercedes-Benz EQS

Mercedes-Benz S-Class

Summary

2018 Holden Astra

2024 Kia Picanto

By Peter Anderson

By Tom White

Safety Rating

Engine Type

Turbo 4, 1.4L

Inline 4, 1.2L

Fuel Type

Premium Unleaded Petrol

Unleaded Petrol

Fuel Efficiency

5.8L/100km (combined)

5.0L/100km (combined)

Seating

Likes

Good to drive
Good looking
Well-specced

Affordable
Available as a manual!
Deceptively well equipped

Dislikes

Missing rear seat amenities
Smallish fuel tank
Awkward pedal position

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

2018 Holden Astra Summary

Holden's current Astra is the second go the car has had in this country, after first being badged an Opel to the sounds of crickets from the buying public. That hubristic exercise was followed by a brief withdrawal from the Australian market before returning, rather more sensibly badged (and sensibly-priced) as a Holden.

It chugged along quite nicely in 2017. It didn't break any records, no, but regularly broke the 1000 units per month mark to end up with about five percent of the small car market, which it shares with some serious competition from Europe and Japan.

The + in R+ means more safety, but also more money. Safety is good, but do you get anything else for your money?

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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

2018 Holden Astra 2024 Kia Picanto

Verdict

The Astra's biggest problem is probably the Holden badge. Despite the company's best efforts, some buyers are wary of the company's longevity and some of the other cars in the range do the Astra no favours - Trax, Colorado and Barina feel cheap, because they are. The Astra isn't cheaply made and holds up very well in excellent company.

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.

Holden Astra vs Kia Picanto What's the difference?

Summary

Deep dive comparison

Verdict

Verdict

Holden Astra vs Kia Picanto
What's the difference?