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Kia Venga buyers are being asked to contact their local dealer to have a safety modification fitted.

A problem with the Venga's restraint system was highlighted during recent Euro NCAP crash tests. After the frontal impact test, Euro NCAP discovered a cut in the webbing of the driver’s seatbelt, and concluded that this had been caused by ‘interaction’ with the seat runners.

See the Kia Venga frontal impact photo

In total, around 2100 Kia Vengas are affected.

To solve the problem, Kia has produced a polypropylene sleeve to be added to the belt, and is asking all owners to return their car to the dealer to have this fitted, as well as delaying delivery of all new cars until the modification is fitted.

Despite this, the Venga earned a four-star rating in the tests, but Dr Michiel van Ratingen, secretary general of Euro NCAP, said: "Any reduction in the performance of the seat belt not only poses a serious risk to the driver and passenger, but also compromises the validity of the Euro NCAP rating awarded to the car. Customers must ensure that the modification is fitted, so that the four-star rating applies."

Following the organisation’s introduction of higher standards for its star ratings this year, only the Toyota Verso scored the maximum five stars in the latest tests.

The Seat Exeo and Nissan Cube scored four-star ratings. The Seat did well in protecting pedestrians and infants in the rear, but was criticised for stiff structures in the dashboard. The Nissan Cube was let down by its child occupant protection during the frontal impact test.

The Citroen Nemo Multispace, a commercial vehicle-based family car, earned just three stars overall. Itts score of 59 per cent for adult occupant protection was attributed to the lack of standard curtain airbags and poor whiplash performance of the seats.

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