Kia has made waves in the car market over the last few years, with cars such as the Sportage crossover and the Cee’d its biggest hits.

But when it comes to the MPV segment and Kia’s Venga model, the South Korean brand’s popularity has been a little more subdued.

The Venga is much more compact than Kia’s other MPV, the seven-seater Carens. Its aim is to provide small but practical method suited for getting around town.

There are plenty of rivals to consider, including the Ford B-Max, Citroen C3 Picasso, Nissan Note and Hyundai ix20.

Performance

The 114bhp four-cylinder 1.6-litre diesel we tested was mated to a slick six-speed manual gearbox and can complete the 0-60mph sprint in 11.1 seconds.

However, this doesn’t translate too well in the real world, as power in the low gears is lacking. The 260Nm of torque it claims to offer feels rather optimistic.

This is disappointing as most 1.6-litre diesel engines manage to give you that nice torquey feel low down the gears. Even the likes of the larger Citroen Grand C4 Picasso with a 1.6-litre diesel has more pull to it.

Other engines in the Kia Venga range include a 1.4-litre petrol unit and a 1.4-litre diesel which both produce 89bhp. There’s also a 1.6-litre petrol unit with 123bhp, which offers the quickest performance figures, including a 0-60mph sprint time of 10.6 seconds with the manual gearbox.

Ride and Handling

The ride, meanwhile, is smooth on city roads and the suspension does a decent job of soaking up minor bumps. It can feel lumpy on Britain’s poorer quality roads.

In the first few moments, the Venga’s steering feels very adept, thanks to its good weighting. However, spend a little time with it on the road and feedback is evidently vague. There is also a fair bit of body roll in the corners. On the plus side, refinement is quite impressive, with supple suspension and minimal cabin noise. The ride, meanwhile, is smooth on city roads and the suspension does a decent job of soaking up minor bumps. It can feel lumpy on Britain’s poorer quality roads. One thing’s for sure, the Venga’s drive still has a long way to go before it rivals the Ford B-MAX.

Interior and Equipment

The Kia Venga is built on the same platform as the Hyundai i20 supermini and Hyundai ix20 compact MPV.

The materials used inside are very plasticky but built to last, something which works in favour of family buyers who have kids. Entry-level models gives you some good kit like front electric windows, a leather-trimmed steering wheel and front, side and curtain airbags. Bear in mind though, air-con is not fitted as standard. Those who upgrade to the top-of-the-range 3 Sat Nav trim will get bonus features include privacy glass, partial-leather heated seats and sat-nav. When it comes to practicality and convenience, the Venga is a bit of a mixed bag. Storage compartments in the cabin are a little disappointing as they are only small, but rear passenger space in the back is great – thanks partially to its clever seats that can slide back and forth as well as recline. And yes, head and leg room is plentiful too. Visibility for the driver is good as well, with massive door mirrors and large rear windows to tackle blind spots. The boot is another plus side, with 440 litres behind the rear seats, to 570 by removing the small floor space divider. Finally, fold the seats down and you get 1,253 litres. The Venga’s storage space isn’t as generous as something like the Nissan Note and its 1,465 litres, but it still has plenty of flexibility.

Cost

Running costs are pretty average in the Venga, the 1.6-litre diesel – which is the most efficient unit in the Venga line-up, emits 117g/km in CO2.

The Kia Venga’s price is somewhere in the middle when it comes to compact MPV competition. Its starting price is cheaper than the Ford B-MAX and Citroen C3 Picasso but pricier than the Nissan Note. The Venga is a couple of grand cheaper than the Hyundai ix20 however – the model it shares a platform with – so bear that in mind when weighing up your options. Running costs are pretty average in the Venga, the 1.6-litre diesel – which is the most efficient unit in the Venga line-up, emits 117g/km in CO2. Its official combined fuel economy is 64.2mpg but during testing we got figures in the mid to low fifties. Both the Ford B-MAX and Nissan Note can offer engines which emit less than 100g/km in CO2. Last but certainly not least is Kia’s seven year warranty. Kia leads the market in this department, so if a decent warranty is important, then it’s a very appealing proposition.

Our Verdict

The Venga will keep many family car buyers happy when it comes to practicality and price. Also, Kia’s seven year warranty will give family car buyers peace of mind. Driving dynamics on the other hand are unimpressive. In town it’s smooth enough but on higher-speed countryside roads the vague steering, significant body roll and lack of pulling power are all more noticeable. You could argue, however that those looking for a compact MPV are not concerned with how it drives. Some rivals, particularly the Ford B-MAX and Nissan Note, are more fun and have a more versatile interior. Still, if you’re looking for a small family car on a tight budget, then the Venga does enough of what you’d expect to be worthy of consideration.