Venga no drivers’ car — but it’s practical and economical

By Declan Colley

Friday, May 07, 2010

The mini MPV segment is one which is only recently coming into vogue and you cannot but be impressed with the manner in which certain companies have reacted to its inception.

The mini MPV segment is one which is only recently coming into vogue and you cannot but be impressed with the manner in which certain companies have reacted to its inception.

Kia, in particular, has been well on the money and its recent release — the Venga — is a decent and stylish addition to the genre.

I spent some time recently with the car and while I did have issues with certain aspects of the car, there were plenty of positives to note.

It is, as I said, a very good looking car and it also offers a level of practicality which belies its size.

There is decent interior space for four adults and a big boot and the bias of the boot space/rear passenger area can be changed thanks to rear seats which slide forwards and back.

The interior is also a decent place to spend time and while there are one or two dodgy plastic surfaces, the overall quality of the design and the switchgear is impressive for a budget car. So too is the kit level, what with air con, remote central locking and a host of other gear which belies the ‘budget’ status of the Venga.

Another impressive element is the level of safety kit and it is worth noting that not alone is ABS standard, but so too a stability control system.

On the engine front we had the diesel version and while it has to be said this is not the most sophisticated unit we’ve ever driven, it has one massive plus point: it will return some 4.1l/100km over the combined cycle — in excess of 60 mpg.

Kia’s automatic start/stop system as standard is also a big plus.

The engine itself produces some 89 bhp and will achieve a top speed of 167km/h, while the 0-100km/h hash time is a tardy 14.5 seconds gives you an indication that you won’t be looking for class honours at the Bonneville Speed Week anytime soon.

The inclusion of handling is comfortable if unsettled over rough surfaces and the steering is pretty devoid of feel. Grip levels are good, but there is a lot of body roll, which pretty much rules out over-enthusiastic driving.

All told the Venga is a practical machine and while it is not a car which will appeal to many drivers, it has definite plus points for anyone in the market for an attractive and useful small car.