This is arguably the most important category in this particular road test, because above all else it is interior space and flexibility that the Venga promises. And in terms of pure centimetres it delivers. Up front there is a good range of driving positions, with a height-adjustable seat plus steering reach and rake movement being standard on all trim levels.
There is also an impressive array of cubbyholes of varying sizes, a number of which nestle between the front seats and which will collectively swallow a remarkable amount. The arrangement is not particularly attractive but it is at least functional.
But it is in the rear that the Venga impresses most. The rear seats are split and both recline and slide. We doubt the recline function will be of great benefit to users, but the ability to trade boot space for leg room is useful. However, even with the rear seats set to a median position there is adequate space for adults, and with the seats set as far back as possible even long-legged adults are unlikely to complain. Especially as the Venga’s high roofline ensures plenty of head room.
Further back, the boot is usefully uniform in shape and size. With the rear seats fully back it has a capacity of 444 litres, which is more than in a Honda Jazz, Skoda Yeti or Nissan Note, if not quite as much as the Citroën C3 Picasso. An underfloor storage area, divided to keep small items secure, adds a further 126 litres. Lower the rear seats – an easy operation that doesn’t require the headrests to be removed – and the seats fold flat to the boot floor.
While there is nothing in the Venga’s operation that rewrites the rulebook, what it does it does well.
The only disappointment with the Venga’s cabin is that for its functionality and ease of operation, its design provides little in the way of excitement. With the exception of the indicator stalks, which look like relics of Kia’s past, material quality is passable, but like the exterior the overall ambience is uninspiring.
Prices for the Venga start at £11,495 for the petrol 1.4 in trim level 1. It is at this point that the Venga makes most sense, given that six airbags, air-con, ESP and electric front windows are all included. Trim level 2 (seen here) is less convincing, partly because the only notable additions for the extra £1200 are alloy wheels and a leather steering wheel complete with audio controls, but also because this pushes the Venga into competitive territory.
A mid-spec Nissan Note is available for less and a Honda Jazz only fractionally more. Only Citroën’s C3 Picasso is dearer. Kia admits it would like to charge less for the Venga, but because it is made by sister company Hyundai, it has restricted flexibility.
We were also disappointed with its measured fuel economy; on paper it’s on par for the class, but we averaged a poor 31.3mpg. Other running costs should be low, though, with group eight (out of 50) insurance and Kia’s seven-year, 100,000-mile warranty.
