Kia Venga Ten Point Test

Auto Trader Ten Point Test rating: 79%

The Kia Venga is an all-new car for Kia, which places the manufacturer in the ultra-competitive supermini arena for the first time.

It's not aimed squarely at the sales-topping Ford Fiesta and Vauxhall Corsa though – its spacious interior and big boot put it toe-to-toe with models like the Honda Jazz.

Looks | Looks Inside | Practicality | Ride and Handling | Performance
Running Costs | Reliability | Safety | Equipment | X-Factor

1. Looks

With a relatively tall roofline, long wheelbase and the widest body in its class, the Venga looks substantial on the road. It's far-apart headlamps and wide lower grille give it a sporty nose, while bold side swage lines help disguise its height by breaking up the profile of the car.

8/10

2. Looks inside

It's the feeling of space which is most impressive, especially in the range-topping Venga 3, with its full-length glass roof. You sit high up - like in a Honda Jazz - so the view of the road is good. This is also helped by thin A-pillars and extra glass to keep blind spots to a minimum.

8/10

3. Practicality

Thanks to its relatively large size and clever interior packaging, the Venga offers almost as much cabin space as a C-segment Golf or Focus, in a car with a smaller footprint.

The 444 litre boot is incredibly large, and it can be made bigger. The rear seats can be slid backwards and forwards by 130mm to trade rear legroom for boot space. Use the extra space under the removable boot floor and it expands to 570 litres. For even more space the rear split 60:40 seats can be folded flat against the floor, giving the Venga 1,253 litres of space.  Kia  claims front and rear legroom and hip space are both class leading.

10/10

4. Ride and Handling

The right-hand drive UK cars we've driven benefit from their own suspension and steering tweaks. Compared with European Vengas the steering is slightly heavier and the handling more responsive. It might not be as much of a drivers' car as the Ford Fiesta or Mazda 2, but the Venga is a convincing drive. It feels light on its feet and body roll isn't an issue, despite its tall roof.

7/10

5. Performance

There are three engine choices, all of which major on running costs rather than performance. The 89bhp 1.4-litre petrol is the sweetest to drive and feels quicker than its 12.4 second 0-60mph time suggests. It's fitted with a five-speed manual gearbox. The 1.6-litre is only available with a four-speed automatic, but it's still the quickest, reaching 60 in 11.8 seconds thanks to 124bhp.

The 1.4 litre diesel equals the smaller petrol for power, and produces 90 per cent of its torque from only 1,500rpm. It comes with a six-speed manual as standard. Last-minute software changes have made the diesel engine quieter than in the first Vengas driven by journalists, but it's still the petrol which has the edge if you're after a quiet car to drive.

6/10

6. Running Costs

We expect the 1.4-litre petrol to be the biggest seller, and it's capable of 45.6mpg while emitting 147g/km of CO2. The 1.6-litre auto has disappointing economy figures of 40.4mpg and 167g/km, making it expensive to tax (£150 in 2010) and run for a B-segment car.

For a purchase premium of £1,300 the diesel leads the way, returning 62.8mpg and emitting only 117g/km of CO2.

7/10

7. Reliability

While the Venga is an all-new model, it's build quality and use of proven technology lead us to believe it will be trouble-free. If anything does go wrong Kia's unique seven-year warranty should provide a reassuring safety net.

9/10

8. Safety

The Venga is loaded with standard safety kit, including ABS, stability control, traction control and a full complement of airbags, so the Venga is expected to achieve a five-star score when it's EuroNCAP crash tested.

8/10

9. Equipment

There are three grades of Venga, simply called 1,2 and 3. Venga 1 has Driver's seat height adjustment, fully adjustable steering wheel, front passenger airbag deactivation, electric front windows, remote central locking, tinted glass and a six-speaker CD player with USB and iPod connectivity.

Venga 2 has 16-inch alloy wheels, body-coloured door handles, electric and heated door mirrors, iPod connection cable, metallic interior trim highlights and a leather steering wheel with stereo controls. The 1.6-litre automatic is available only as a Venga 2.

The 3 adds unique black cloth seats with silver stitching, climate control, rear electric windows, panoramic electric sunroof, rear privacy glass and front fog lamps.

8/10

10. X-Factor

The Venga takes on the Honda Jazz by offering the interior space of a family hatchback in a supermini package, with the price to match. Starting at £11,495 it's a lot of family-friendly car for the money, buoyed by good-looks and that seven-year warranty.

8/10