Review: Kia Venga

There's no doubt that Kia is an innovative manufacturer rapidly making deep inroads into the market writes Syd Taylor.

The latest from this Korean company that so confidently backs its products with an all encompassing seven-year warranty, is the Venga - a non- conventional mini-MPV with modest dimensions which insists on treating its passengers in the grand style.

Compact, modern and functional, it is an alluring design with a chunky originality that isn't a slave to the usual mini-MPV look. Space and comfort are plentiful so you're soon into an expansionist frame of mind, but a lean and practical exterior allows it to slip into the gaps in traffic and take prime place in the parking stakes.

You'd be forgiven for thinking that you're behind the wheel of a much larger car and delighted to discover just how practical its external dimensions happen to be. You get family space in just four metres of car thanks to brilliant packaging - and the sheer convenience of the Vengas cabin is terrific.

Split rear seats can slide to allow passenger accommodation to be further stretched when maximum luggage capacity is not needed and if you do need more luggage space you can remove the floor of the two-tier boot. If that's not enough the rear seats fold into the floor to give a van-like load deck.

Generous

Every seat has generous legroom, the driving position espouses splendid ergonomics and the instrumentation and ventilation are spot- on. Everything about the interior is slick, cohesive and well put together.

Seven variants are available, with prices starting at £11,495, rising to £15,395. You certainly get a lot for your money when you compare Kia prices to other manufacturers' price structures.

Trim choices are badged Venga1, 2 or 3 and diesel models have EcoDynamics badging to show that they are the most fuel-efficient vehicles in the range with the Intelligent Stop and Go (ISG) system that switches the engine on and off appropriately in heavy traffic conditions .

All versions are highly specified and have air conditioning, electric front windows and a decent sound system: and it goes without saying that all the safety features are there as well, including six airbags, brake assist, traction control and electronic stability control.

That sense of integrity and solidity is detectable on the road, too. The Venga feels like a car you can trust and what made the test car good to drive was the excellent combination of the new 1.4 89 bhp diesel, the six-speed manual gearbox and the well sorted suspension (two other lusty 1.4 and 1.6 petrol engines are offered and there's the option of manual or automatic transmission).

Enthusiastic and flexible, the new diesel lets you gather speed respectably, taking you to about 105mph should you so wish, yet easily returning a most creditable 60mpg.

This fuel efficiency means it's more eco-friendly than Farmer Palmer's Massey Ferguson so you are rewarded by the Ministry of Fiscal Theft in that you are only robbed to the tune of £35 in vehicle excise duty (with an empty Treasury this magnanimity surely can't continue. I forsee a Government initiative to reintroduce black diesel fumes so that they can justify punitive VED to fill their coffers. Readers remember - you read it here first!).

A surprising pleasure with the Venga is the way everything gels on demanding roads. The suspension inspires confidence, coping well with poor road surfaces, and you experience a pliant yet tightly-controlled ride plus handling that is nimble and comfortingly viceless. A trip to Wales with aged passengers brought nothing but praise for the Venga's comfort levels.

The engine's warm slug of torque in the middle of the rev range makes for a relaxant in every type of driving from the overtaking lane of the motorway to duck-and-dives about suburbia - and there's certainly enough punch to make the Venga rewarding to drive quickly.

When pushed there's a muted raspy growl which is acceptable in that it lets you know that all is "alive" and working well. You can tackle serious journeys in a Venga.

Family motoring never came in such a user- friendly package and the versatility of the design serves to make this a car for many seasons, many purposes and many objectives.

In other words it's an eminently reasonable purchase for the motorist who wants a little bit extra where it counts.

See our photo gallery to the right