The Kia Venga is a visually small car on the outside, but once you sit inside it you will be amazed by the spacious feeling that it gives. The Venga would be in the same segment as the likes of the Roomster from Skoda and even the B-Class from Ford. This is a small MPV that’s certainly worth a look if you’re contemplating a mini family car. Its price is fair when you compare it to the likes of the B-Max – and of course with Kia you do get the seven year warranty.
If you’re looking for a high performer then you’re on the wrong page. MPVs of all sizes aren’t generally famed for their high power and speed – but with that said you will find a few that are. The Venga has two petrol engines and one diesel engine available to the Irish market. The diesel choice is the 1.4 litre, this offers 89 bhp and a maximum torque of 220Nm at between 1,750 and 2,750rpm. On paper it has a maximum speed of 167 km/h and it should get you from 0-100km/h in 14.5 seconds. The petrol choices include a 1.4 litre engine. The 1.4 litre engine’s top speed is also 167 km/h and it will get you from 0-100km/h in 12.9 seconds. This engine offers a maximum torque of 137Nm at 4,000rpm. We’ve been told that there is also a 1.6 litre petrol engine available. The diesel offering is sluggish, whereas the petrol engine offers a bit more life.
Like in the Kia Picanto, the suspension is soft and it deals nicely with bumps and minor road imperfections. The Venga grips well but gives more body roll on corners in comparison with the likes of the Ford B-MAX, and unfortunately the steering is lifeless by comparison.
Both the diesel and petrol models tend to make some noise while you’re trying to get to a comfortable cruising speed on the motorway. The petrol engine calms down once you get to a steady 100 km/h, but the diesel maintains its grumblings. Road and wind noise is not terrible, but it’s still noticeable.
Visibility within the Venga is very good, one of the reasons for this is down to the ride height within. Both L and EX trims come with some good features like USB connectivity and steering wheel controls. We were surprised to learn that the “L” trim didn’t come with Bluetooth as standard. Apart from that the plastics are of good quality.
In 2010, after a reassessment, the Venga received four stars in the Euro NCAP. It scored 79% for adult occupancy and 85% for child occupancy. For pedestrian safety they scored 64%. Each Venga comes with a good selection of safety features. As standard you will find 6 airbags, impact sensing automatic door unlocking (unlocks your vehicle’s doors in the case of a crash), ABS & BAS, and ISOFIX anchor joints.
One of the most practical points about the Venga is that regardless of what engine you go for it will be fuel efficient. Kia claims that the 1.4 petrol can return a combined fuel economy of 5.6l/100km and the 1.4 diesel can return 4.5l/100km.
Space within the Venga is excellent for the size of the vehicle and it has a boot capacity of 440 litres.
Arrange a