A small engine keeps some of the Kia Picanto's yearly costs low in Singapore, road tax most of all. This page sets out what the Picanto costs to keep, item by item, using our price page and LTA's formula. It covers road tax, car insurance and the COE.
The new-car list has no Picanto on sale now, so a buyer today is buying used. All insurance prices are examples for one stated driver, read on 20 October 2026. They are a guide, not a quote.
The versions on our form
Our quote form lists two:
- Picanto 1.0: 999cc
- Picanto 1.1: 1,086cc
The insurance figures below are for the 1.0, which most insurers quote. There is no list price, since the new-car list has no Picanto.
Which COE it needs
For the Picanto 1.0, with its 999cc engine, the category turns on power. The price page's COE section says it needs a Category A COE if its power is 97kW (130bhp) or less, and a Category B COE if it is more.
In the October 2026 1st round, Category A closed at S$130,001 and Category B at S$130,100. Results change each round, so look at the COE page for the latest. For a used Picanto, check the COE expiry date. It decides how long you can keep the car before you must renew or deregister.
Road tax
This is where a small engine helps. For the 1.0's 999cc engine, LTA's formula gives S$390.80 a year, before any age surcharge. The 1.1 has a slightly larger engine, so check it on the road tax page.
The age surcharge applies once the car is past 10 years:
- Over 10 years: +10%
- Over 11 years: +20%
- Over 12 years: +30%
- Over 13 years: +40%
- Over 14 years: +50%
Insurance for the standard driver
The Kia Picanto price page prices this case:
- Car: Picanto 1.0, registered 3 years ago, private use, comprehensive cover
- Driver: aged 40, married, office job, driving 10 to 19 years
- Record: 50% no-claim discount (NCD), no claims
- Repairs: authorised workshop, no add-ons
13 insurers price the Picanto. The lowest premium is S$569.36. The insurer whose lowest plan is dearest asks at least S$1,002.84. That is S$433.48 more, or 76% on top. All prices include 9% GST.
Three insurers that price cars online have no online price for the Picanto. For one, the model is not on its online quote; the other two have no online price for it yet.
The excess on these plans
The excess is what you pay on each claim. Half of the 20 plans on this page, ten in all, carry S$600. Three ask S$500 and three S$800. Three more ask S$2,500, and one asks S$3,000. No plan here has a zero excess.
With a S$2,500 or S$3,000 excess, you pay that much of any claim yourself, and a minor repair may cost less than the excess. Weigh that against any saving on the premium.
How the price changes
The price page shows the lowest premium with one thing changed:
- No NCD (0%): S$823.85, S$254.49 more
- 20% NCD: S$823.85, S$254.49 more
- Driver aged 27, 3 years' driving, 30% NCD: S$823.85, S$254.49 more
- Driver aged 65, 20 or more years' driving: S$569.36, the same
- New car, registered this year: S$586.41, S$17.05 more
- Car 8 years old: S$545.00, S$24.36 less
The NCD has the largest effect. With none, the lowest price is 45% higher. A 27-year-old with 3 years' driving lands on the same figure. If a newer driver will use the car, that is the figure to plan around.
The 65-year-old pays the same as the base driver. Car age has only a small effect: a new car costs S$17.05 more and an 8-year-old one S$24.36 less. These are lowest prices; dearer plans may react differently.
Against similar small cars
The price page compares six similar cars at the same driver and car age:
- Chery A1: S$774.43
- Daihatsu Copen: S$718.87
- Audi A1: S$660.69
- Audi Q2: S$660.69
- Citroen C3: S$604.07
- Chery QQ: S$545.00
Their average lowest price is S$660.63. The Picanto costs 14% less. Only one of the six, the Chery QQ, is cheaper to insure. The Chery A1 and Daihatsu Copen are each priced by just 7 insurers, against 13 for the Picanto. The Kia car insurance page covers the rest of the range, and the cheapest cars to insure page ranks models across the market.
Costs that depend on you
We do not give figures for these, as they vary by owner:
- Parking: season parking at your HDB block or condo, and parking at work and in town.
- Petrol: depends on how far you drive and the pump price.
- ERP: depends on where and when you drive.
- Servicing and repairs: follow the maker's schedule. On a used car, ask for the service history.
- Depreciation: depends on what you pay and the COE years left.
Summary of yearly costs we can show
For the Kia Picanto 1.0, dated as shown:
- Road tax: S$390.80 a year, before any age surcharge (LTA's formula, checked 2026-10-19)
- Insurance, standard driver: from S$569.36 a year (20 October 2026)
- Insurance, no NCD: from S$823.85
- Insurance, car 8 years old: from S$545.00
For reference, the October 2026 1st round closed at S$130,001 for Category A and S$130,100 for Category B.
Before you buy: car insurance for the Kia Picanto
Before you drive off, get your car insurance through Shenton Brokers. Compare car insurance for the Kia Picanto to see today's prices from every insurer we compare and how they change with the driver and the car's age. Or get a quote with your own details.