Kia Venga (2010 – 2019) Review

Kia Venga (2010 – 2019) At A Glance

Honest John Overall Rating

The Kia Venga is a sound small family car, but one that doesn’t deliver much in the way of driving pleasure due to the bumpy, soft-set suspension.

Spacious back seats and wide-opening doors. Easy to drive and park. Good visibility. Decent boot capacity.

Not a keen handler. Engines feel underwhelming.

Insurance Groups are between 8–15
On average it achieves 79% of the official MPG figure

The Kia Venga shares almost all of its bits with the Hyundai ix20 and, as with that car, it offers a perfectly decent way to carry the family for not much expense. As a used buy, it’s a reasonable bet, but don’t expect any of the driving fun you get in a Ford B-MAX or quite the same cabin quality and versatility found in a Honda Jazz. Read on for our full Kia Venga review.

Practicality and ease-of-use were obviously top priorities for the designers behind the Kia Venga. Despite its small size, the Kia Venga is spacious, with sliding rear seats, wide-opening back doors and a high-up driving position.

It’s easy to get in and out of, and unchallenging to drive – but the Honda Jazz does everything a little bit better.

There are two petrol and two diesel engine options. The 1.4-litre and 1.6-litre petrols are old-fashioned and naturally aspirated, meaning they need to be worked hard to give their best, unlike modern turbo petrol engines.

Emissions are fairly high – 130g/km for the 1.4-litre means tax isn’t as cheap as you’d expect.

The diesel engines are a better bet, unless you’re a low-mileage driver. The 90PS 1.4 CRDi is responsive at low engine speeds and emits 119g/km, but surprisingly the more powerful 114PS 1.6-litre diesel is marginally more economical and has lower emissions.

Sensibly designed rear seats make the Kia Venga very family-friendly. They can be slid back and forth and reclined, depending on whether boot space or legroom is a priority, plus they split and fold for bulky loads.

Furthermore, the rear doors open very wide, which makes life easy when strapping in child seats.

The boot is wide and flat, with a reasonably low load deck and a false floor, covering some little storage areas for small odds and ends. Volume with the seats up is 440 litres, and sliding the rear seats forward increases this a little. Folding the rear seats down makes a nice flat load area, with 1253 litres of capacity.

All of this makes the Kia Venga a perfectly acceptable choice as a compact family car. The only real flaw is that there are better alternatives that leave the Venga looking very much like a runner-up in this corner of the used car market.

Reviews for Kia Venga (2010 – 2019)'s top 3 rivals

Hyundai ix20

Cheap to run. Good visibility. Plenty of rear passenger and boot space. Better engines and transmissions...

Ford B-MAX

Sliding side doors and no central pillar mean unimpeded access. Five star Euro NCAP rating. Engines include...

Vauxhall Meriva

Practical and easy to get in and out of. Facelifted 2014 models get impressive new 1.6-litre CDTi engine.

Kia Venga (2010 – 2019) handling and engines

Driving Rating

Comfort is the main focus for the Kia Venga, but this does come at a cost, as it means you can expect to encounter a lot of body roll in corners.

Engines range from 1.4 CRDi EcoDynamics to 1.6 Automatic
Readers report Real MPG to be between 23–66 mpg

Kia Venga (2010 – 2019): Handling and ride quality

The Kia Venga is easy to drive and the steering is nicely weighted, while the gearchange and clutch are light and slick.

The high-up seating position means visibility is quite good, which is handy on narrow country roads. The suspension is soft and comfortable, which is great in town, but means there is some body roll in bends.

That said, there is a good amount of front-end grip through corners. Unfortunately, if you tend to drive on very bumpy or broken back roads, the soft suspension struggles to settle down, which makes the car far from enjoyable or relaxing on potholed lanes.

But for town driving, motorways and better-surfaced B-roads, it’s a perfectly capable little car.

Kia Venga (2010 – 2019): Engines

The Kia Venga was sold with four different engine choices – two petrols and two diesels.

The basic 1.4-litre petrol produces 90PS and is reasonably economical, with an official figure of 50.4mpg. Unfortunately, it’s not a particularly punchy performer.

It’s an old-fashioned, non-turbocharged engine, meaning it needs to be worked quite hard outside of a 30mph limit. When pushed, it gets quite loud and coarse – so if you cover a lot of distance out of town, it’s probably best avoided.

The other petrol alternative is a 1.6 and a little better, but still on the coarse side and not particularly economical.

A diesel engine suits the Kia Venga better. There are two to choose from – a 1.4-litre with 90PS and a 1.6-litre with 115PS.

The latter is the better choice for long-distance driving and motorways, but the smaller 1.4 CRDi works fine if you spend more time on country roads.

Kia Venga (2010 – 2019): Safety

When the Kia Venga was first tested by Euro NCAP, it scored only four stars. It was then retested and gained a five-star rating, after Kia made changes to the seatbelts and crash structures of the car.

This result has now expired, but the Kia Venga remains a decently safe car of this period.

All models come with twin front and side airbags, but curtain ’bags were an option.

Traction control and two Isofix child seat mounts in the rear seats were fitted, but there was no lane keep assist or automatic emergency braking, even as an option.

Kia Venga (2010 – 2019): Towing

The Kia Venga is not the most obvious choice for towing, but it can manage a reasonable 1300kg braked trailer. With an unbraked trailer, the maximum is 550kg.

Engine	MPG	0-62	CO₂
1.4	46–50 mpg	-	130 g/km
1.4 CRDi	63–64 mpg	14.0 s	119 g/km
1.4 CRDi EcoDynamics	63–64 mpg	14.0 s	117–119 g/km
1.6	44 mpg	-	139 g/km
1.6 Automatic	41 mpg	-	150 g/km
1.6 CRDi	64 mpg	-	117 g/km

Real MPG average for the Kia Venga (2010 – 2019)

Real MPG was created following thousands of readers telling us that their cars could not match the official figures.

Real MPG gives real world data from drivers like you to show how much fuel a vehicle really uses.

Average performance

79%

Real MPG

23–66 mpg

MPGs submitted

570

Kia Venga (2010 – 2019) interior

Interior Rating

The versatility of the Kia Venga’s cabin is its major selling point, and owners won’t feel short-changed when it comes to space, too.

Boot space is 440–1253 litres
Euro NCAP rating of five stars

Dimensions
Length	4068–4075 mm
Width	1765 mm
Height	1600 mm
Wheelbase	2615 mm
Full specifications

Kia Venga (2010 – 2019): Practicality

The Kia Venga is among the more cleverly-packaged small cars on sale. It might not be much bigger than a Ford Fiesta, but the interior is very spacious indeed.

The rear seats are more than capable of accommodating adults thanks to generous head and legroom, plus they slide and recline.

Despite the ample rear seat space, the load area is a good size at 440 litres. Sliding the seats forward frees up a little more room, plus there is a false boot floor with small storage areas underneath.

The load deck is reasonably low and has no lip, so sliding objects in and out is straightforward.

Folding the rear seats down creates a flat load area with a maximum volume of 1253 litres.

As small cars, go it’s among the most practical available, but if maximum versatility is top of your buying criteria, the Honda Jazz is better still, with its cleverly-designed ‘magic’ seats providing a wider variety of load-carrying arrangements.

Kia Venga (2010 – 2019): Quality and finish

Build quality in the Kia Venga is very good, with sturdy, hard-wearing plastics that don’t creak or rattle.

The centre stack layout looks dated, though, with a tiny display for audio information and somewhat fiddly controls for flicking through menus to set up Bluetooth or choose a radio station.

This isn’t a problem in higher-spec models, which come with a seven-inch touchscreen system including navigation.

If you’re not keen on the idea of a pricey, high trim level, more basic variants are still fairly well equipped. Most versions of the Kia Venga have air-conditioning, and all come with hill start assistance, a USB socket and Aux connectivity.

Kia Venga (2010 – 2019): Infotainment

The Kia Venga’s launch predates a time when most cars were fitted with some sort of infotainment screen.

In fact, the most basic trims miss out on Bluetooth, so you need to choose carefully or be prepared to listen to the radio or CD player.

An update in 2018 saw the 3 trim gain a seven-inch infotainment touchscreen that is also used in the Kia Soul and the Kia Ceed of the same era.

While not as slick as the latest generation of infotainment, it works well thanks to short-cut buttons on either side of the clear display, and the menus are logically arranged.

Kia Venga (2010 – 2019) value for money

Value for Money Rating

Most costs are well contained with the Kia Venga, although road tax can be pricier than you might expect for some versions.

Kia Venga (2010 – 2019): Prices

With a 10-year production lifespan, there is a Kia Venga to suit almost every budget.

Go for an early example that’s in good fettle with around 80,000 miles, and you’ll spend about £2500. There are a fair few cars out there in this bracket, so you needn’t feel restricted to the first you see.

At the other end of the scale, a six-year-old Kia Venga in a higher trim with 20,000 miles on the clock can command £13,000.

Kia Venga (2010 – 2019): Running Costs

Many will look to a petrol version of the Kia Venga if they don’t cover a high annual mileage.

The 1.4-litre motor is the more frugal of the petrol pair, offering a claimed 50.4mpg, although this was recorded under the previous testing method.

Go for the 1.6 and its best is a claimed 47.9mpg. Our Real MPG data suggests these figures are more likely to be in the mid-30s for both engines.

If it’s economy you’re after, the diesel engines in the Kia Venga are a better bet.

Both have a claimed combined average of 64.2mpg, and our Real MPG info shows mpg in the mid-50s is easily possible.

The diesels are also better when it comes to carbon dioxide emissions. Any version registered before 1 April 2017 will pay just £35 in road tax at the time of writing, as both the 1.4-litre and 1.6-litre emit the same 115g/km.

With the petrol engines, the 1.4 produces 130g/km of CO2 and the 1.6 generates 139g/km, so you’ll pay £150 and £180 respectively. Post-1 April 2017 models all pay the same £180 rate.

With insurance for the Kia Venga sitting in groups 9 to 18, getting cover won’t be too pricey, while servicing shouldn’t trouble your finances very much.

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Kia Venga (2010 – 2019) models and specs

The range kicks off with the Kia Venga 1 model that came with 15-inch steel wheels, front electric windows, 12-volt sockets in the cabin and boot, a USB socket, aux input, steering wheel audio controls and hill start assistance.

In addition to this, there was the Kia Venga 1 Air, which also offered air-conditioning.

In 2014, the Kia Venga SR7 added 16-inch alloy wheels, red upholstery stitching, Bluetooth connectivity and reversing sensors.

Go for the Kia Venga 2 model and you’ll find electric rear windows, metallic finish interior details and an iPod cable.

The Kia Venga 3 trim has front foglights, tinted rear glass, wiper de-icer, LED running lights, automatic air-conditioning, heated front seats, half leather upholstery, gloss black interior details, cooled glovebox, cruise control, speed limiter, a seven-inch touchscreen with navigation including European mapping, plus a reversing camera.

At the top of the tree sits the Kia Venga 4 with its LED tail-lights, keyless entry and start, and heated steering wheel.

Dimensions
Length	4068–4075 mm
Width	1765 mm
Height	1600 mm
Wheelbase	2615 mm

Miscellaneous
Kerb Weight	1253–1445 kg
Boot Space	440–1253 L
Warranty	7 years / 100000 miles
Servicing	10000–20000 miles

Spare Wheel
Standard	Space-saving spare wheel

Costs
List Price	£12,960–£19,575
Insurance Groups	8–15
Road Tax Bands	C–F
Official MPG	40.9–64.2 mpg

Euro NCAP Safety Ratings
Adult	-
Child	-
Pedestrian	-
Overall	5

On sale until December 2020

Hatchback
Version	List Price	MPG	0-62
1.4 89bhp 1 Air 5speed ISG 5dr	£13,760	50.4 mpg	-
1.4 89bhp 1 ISG 5speed 5dr	£12,960	50.4 mpg	-
1.4 89bhp 2 ISG 5speed 5dr	£14,860	50.4 mpg	-
1.4 89bhp SR7 ISG 5speed 5dr	£13,755	50.4 mpg	-
1.4 CRDi 89bhp 2 6speed 5dr	£16,200	64.2 mpg	-
1.4 CRDi 89bhp SR7 6speed 5dr	£15,055	64.2 mpg	-
1.6 123bhp 2 Auto 6speed 5dr	£16,945	40.9 mpg	-
1.6 123bhp 2 ISG 6speed 5dr	£15,625	43.5 mpg	-
1.6 123bhp 3 Auto 6speed 5dr	£18,425	40.9 mpg	-
1.6 123bhp 3 ISG 6speed 5dr	£17,065	43.5 mpg	-
1.6 123bhp 4 Auto 6speed 5dr	£19,520	40.9 mpg	-
1.6 123bhp 4 ISG 6speed 5dr	£18,160	43.5 mpg	-
1.6 CRDi 114 4 ISG 6speed 5dr	£19,575	64.2 mpg	-
1.6 CRDi 114bhp 3 ISG 6speed 5dr	£18,480	64.2 mpg	-

On sale until January 2015

Hatchback
Version	List Price	MPG	0-62
1 1.4 CRDi 89 5dr	£13,095	62.8 mpg	14.0 s
1 Air 1.4 CRDi 89 5dr	£13,895	62.8 mpg	14.0 s

On sale until January 2012

Hatchback
Version	List Price	MPG	0-62
3 1.4 5dr	£15,675	45.6 mpg	-
3 1.4 CRDi EcoDynamics 5dr	£16,975	62.8 mpg	-

Model History

September 2009: Kia Venge revealed
January 2010: Kia Venga prices announced
October 2010
March 2012
January 2014: High value SR7 versions of Venga announced
January 2015: Kia Venga updated
December 2015

September 2009

Kia Venge revealed

4,068mm long x 1,765mm wide x 1,600mm high the Kia Venga features an unusually long wheelbase for its class of 2,615 mm - and a high roofline to maximise cabin space. Offers levels of interior space typical of a larger C-segment vehicle, but within a B-segment footprint.

Every engine in the Venga line-up will be available with Intelligent Stop and Go technology and will comply with Euro 5 emission standards. Europe only model. Choice of two 1.4-litre and 1.6-litre petrol and diesel engines, generating between 75 and 115 ps.

Sliding 60/40 split rear seat that also folds flat into the floor to create a spacious cargo bay and, a twin-level boot floor and depending on model a tilt-and-slide all-glass panoramic roof.

Diesel Engines

1.4 CRDi 90 ps (75 ps low-power version)
Name ‘U2’
TypeDOHC, four-cylinder in line, with WGT
Capacity 1.4-litres, 1,396 cc
Max power 90 ps (66.2 kW) @ 4000 rpm
Max torque220 Nm (22.5 kg.m) @ 1750-2750 rpm
Emissions class Euro Stage 5

1.6 CRDi 128 ps (115 ps low-power version)
Name ‘U2’
TypeDOHC, four-cylinder in line, with VGT
Capacity 1.6-litres, 1582 cc
Max power 128 ps (94 kW) @ 4000 rpm
Max torque260 Nm (26.5 kg.m) @ 1900-to-2750 rpm
Emissions class Euro Stage 5

Gasoline Engines

1.4-litre 90 ps
Name ‘Gamma’
Type DOHC, four-cylinder in line, with CVVT
Capacity 1.4-litres, 1396 cc
Max power 90 ps (66.2 kW) @ 6000 rpm
Max torque 137 Nm (14.0 kg.m) @ 4000 rpm
Emissions class Euro Stage 5

1.6-litre125 ps
Name ‘Gamma’
Type DOHC, four-cylinder in line, with CVVT
Capacity 1.6-litres, 1591 cc
Max power 125 ps (91.9 kW) @ 6300 rpm
Max torque 156 Nm (15.9 kg.m) @ 4200 rpm
Emissions class Euro Stage 5
*Lower power versions available in some markets to meet local taxation regulations

1.4 high output and 1.6 diesels come with 6 speed manual transmissions.
1.4 75PS diesel, 1.4 petrol and 1.6 petrol come with 5 speed manual ttansmissions.
4-speed torque converter automatic optional on 1.6 petrol.
1.4 petrol: 105mph, 0-81.5mph 23.9 secs, 45.6mog comb, 147g'km CO2
1.6 petrol: 114mph, 0-81.5mph 18.6 secs, 42.16mpg comb, 155g/km CO2
1.4 diesel: 105mph, 0-81.5mph 26 secs, 60mpg comb, 124g/km CO2 or 117 g/km with ECO Pack
1.6 diesel: 114mpg 0-81.5mph 20 secs, 57.6mpg comb, 129g/km CO2 (119g/km CO2 with Eco Pack)

195/65 R15 tyres, 205/55 R16 tyres, space-saver spare. Venga 1, Venga 2 and Venga 3 trim levels offered in the UK.

January 2010

Kia Venga prices announced

Venga 1 1.4 petrol £11,495
Venga 1 1.4 CRDI EcoDynamics £12,795
Venga 2 1.4 petrol £12,695
Venga 2 1.4 CRDI EcoDynamics £13,995
Venga 2 1.6 petrol automatic £14,095
Venga 3 1.4 petrol £14,095
Venga 3 1.4 CRDI EcoDynamics £15,395

Available in the UK from 1st February 2010. Built at the new Hyundai factory at Novisice, Czech Republic under plant sharing arrangement with nearby KIA factory in Solvenia.

October 2010

Intended for production late 2010, the new Eco Venga is equipped with Kia's 1.4-litre, 75 ps diesel engine, plus many of the technologies from the Eco cee'd concept. In addition, low-friction engine oil, special low-torque taper roller bearings in the transmission and low-rolling resistance, high pressure tyres help to reduce CO2 emissions to 114 g/km.

March 2012

Kia started offering the Venga with the 1.6 CRDi diesel engine in February 2012.

January 2014

High value SR7 versions of Venga announced

Every SR7 has a higher specification than the 2014 VR7 special-edition models. LED daytime running lights, cornering lights, front foglights, automatic headlight control, privacy glass, UV-reducing solar glass, dual-zone automatic air conditioning and roof rails are the highlights of the equipment additions, depending on model. There are also new alloy wheels and colour options.

The Venga SR7 is available with 89bhp 1.4-litre petrol and diesel engines. ISG is fitted to the petrol unit. The SR7 sits between ‘1 Air' and ‘2' trim grades and has automatic headlight control and privacy glass on the rear windows and tailgate in addition to the VR7 key features of air conditioning, reversing sensors, Bluetooth, USB and AUX ports, electrically adjustable heated door mirrors and electric windows. The upholstery is the striking new Houndstooth cloth with red stitching from the facelifted Venga ‘1' and ‘1 Air', with the stitching echoed in the leather-trimmed steering wheel and gearshifter. The stylish 16-inch alloy wheels are the same as those fitted to Venga ‘2', ‘3' and ‘4' grades, while the one solid paint option (Arctic White) and three metallics (Silver Storm, Phantom Black and Infra Red) are those offered with the latest Venga ‘1' and ‘1 Air'.

All SR7 models are identified by sporty model designation logos on the lower half of each front door. The SR7 models are available exclusively to retail customers as 7 th January 2015.

Venga SR7 - pricing and insurance groups

Model

OTR price

Insurance group

1.4 89bhp petrol 5-speed manual ISG

£13,595

1.4 89bhp diesel 6-speed manual

£14,895

January 2015

Kia Venga updated

Restyled front and rear ends. New-style alloy wheels. Two new paint options. Refreshed interiors. 5 trim grades topped by new premium Venga 4 model. Tyre Pressure Monitoring now standard. Automatic lights added to top grades. Choice of economical 1.4 and 1.6 litre petrol and diesel engines.

New line-up is based on five trim grades - 1, 1 Air, 2, 3 and 4 - and four engines, giving a choice of 11 models. 1.4- and 1.6-litre petrol and diesel engines are carried over from the previous Venga and give potential fuel economy of up to 64.2mpg, with CO 2 emissions as low as 117g/km. Intelligent Stop & Go (ISG) - Kia's fuel-saving, CO 2 -cutting engine stop/start technology - is standard on all but one manual transmission version. Venga built at Kia's plant at Žilina in Slovakia.

The 90PS 1.4-litre petrol engine is offered with 1, 1 Air and 2 trim grades, while the 90PS 1.4-litre diesel is reserved for Venga 2. The two 1.6-litre engines with manual transmission are available with grades 3 and 4. The 1.6 petrol engine is also offered with a four-speed torque converter automatic gearbox in grades 2, 3 and 4.

For 2015 exterior styling changes include KIA logo relocated to the bodywork. The lower air intake has been redesigned to house daytime running lights (LED with grades 3 and 4) next to the fog lights, which now sit in high-gloss black housings joined by a chrome strip. There is also now a chrome strip linking the rear light units, which are LED on Venga 4. Another premium touch with Venga 4 is the chrome exterior door handles.

For grades 2 and above, there are New-style 16-inch alloy wheels with five triple spokes. 15-inch steel wheels with five-spoke embellishers on Grades 1 and 1 Air. Grades 2 and above are also offered with two new metallic paint colours - Planet Blue and Dark Gun Metal - which replace Space Blue and Sirius Silver.

Interior improvements include new black Houndstooth cloth for entry-grade models, while grade 2 continues with black Beat cloth and level 3 again has black Bamboo part-leather and part-cloth upholstery. This is also fitted to the new Venga 4. There is a new Grey Metal Grain paint finish for the centre fascia of Venga 1, 1 Air and 2, while high-gloss black continues to adorn Venga 3 and is replicated in the new Venga 4.

Tyre Pressure Monitoring is fitted to all versions, warning the driver of any potentially serious loss of pressure via a symbol in the instrument cluster. Automatic Light Control is now standard with Venga 3 and 4, and Venga 4 also has ‘welcome' and ‘follow-me-home' lighting.

Other unique features to Venga 4 are a smart key with engine start/stop button, a heated steering wheel activated by a control switch on the right-hand wheel spoke to complement the heated front seats fitted to Venga 3 and 4, and a panoramic sunroof. Venga 3 and 4 are also equipped with a 7-inch touchscreen satellite navigation system with European mapping and a Traffic Messaging Channel (TMC). The full-colour touchscreen also includes a reversing camera. The infotainment system, which is also accessed via the touchscreen, no longer includes a CD player due to the increasing trend among customers of using portable devices to play music. The high-quality six speaker audio system includes RDS radio, full MP3 compatibility and AUX and USB ports.

Standard across the range are driver's seat height adjustment, tilt and telescopic steering wheel adjustment, electric front windows, remote central locking, tinted glass, steering wheel-mounted audio controls, a front passenger armrest, body-coloured handles and door mirrors and electrically adjustable heated door mirrors.

Venga 2 models add alloy wheels, an iPod cable, Bluetooth hands-free mobile phone operation with music streaming, rear electric windows, folding door mirrors and reversing sensors. Venga 3 versions come with climate control, front and rear electric windows, front fog lamps, privacy glass on the rear windows and tailgate and cruise control with a speed limiter.

All Vengas have six airbags (front, side and curtains), active front head restraints and two ISOFIX child-seat mounting points.

All benefit from KIA's unique seven-year/100,000-mile warranty, subject to terms and conditions covering wear-and-tear items. It is transferable to future owners should the car be sold during the period of the warranty.

The two petrol engines are 1.4-litre 90PS and 1.6-litre 125PS units from Kia's Gamma family. The 1.4 is mated to a five-speed manual gearbox, while the 1.6 is available with either a six-speed manual transmission or a four-speed automatic.

The 1.4-litre 90PS U2 CRDi diesel engine made its debut in Venga and is offered alongside a 114bhp 1.6-litre version. Both were designed and engineered at Kia's research and development facilities near Frankfurt in Germany and are manufactured at Žilina.

The running gear benefits from Venga's unusually long wheelbase and wide track. Venga therefore has a lively, fun-to-drive character while delivering excellent comfort and refinement.

Motor-driven electronic power-assisted steering (MDPS) is standard as a further fuel-saving measure, and all models have an all-disc braking system with anti-lock (ABS) and electronic brake-force distribution (EBD). Also standard is electronic stability control (ESC), traction control (TC) with brake assist (BAS) and Vehicle Stability Management (VSM) to ensure the car always remains under control, even in the most difficult conditions, and can stop in the shortest possible distance in an emergency. Hill-start assist control (HAC) is also fitted. This holds the car for two seconds when setting off on inclines to prevent it rolling backwards.

The 2015 Kia Venga range:

Model	Power PS	Torque Nm	MPG Comb.	CO 2 g/km
‘1' 1.4 5-speed manual ISG	90	137	50.4	130
‘1 Air' 1.4 5-speed manual ISG	90	137	50.4	130
‘2' 1.4 5-speed manual ISG	90	137	50.4	130
‘2' 1.6 4-speed auto	125	156	43.5	154
‘2' 1.4 CRDi 6-speed manual	90	220	62.8	119
‘3' 1.6 6-speed manual ISG	125	156	47.9	139
‘3' 1.6 4-speed auto	125	156	43.5	154
‘3' 1.6 CRDi 6-speed manual ISG	115	260	64.2	117
‘4' 1.6 6-speed manual ISG	125	115	47.9	139
‘4' 1.6 4-speed auto	125	115	43.5	154
‘4' 1.6 CRDi 6-speed manual ISG	115	260	64.2	117

Pricing and insurance groups

Model	OTR price	Insurance group
'1' 1.4 84bhp 5-speed manual ISG	£11,995	8
'1 Air' 1.4 89bhp 5-speed manual ISG	£12,795	8
'SR7' 1.4 89bhp 5-speed manual ISG	£13,595	9
'SR7' 1.4 89bhp CRDi 6-speed manual	£14,895	10
'2' 1.4 89bhp 5-speed manual ISG	£13,895	9
'2' 1.6 123bhp 4-speed auto	£15,810	11
'2' 1.4 89bhp CRDi 6-speed manual	£15,195	10
'3' 1.6 123bhp 6-speed manual ISG	£16,190	13
'3' 1.6 123 bhp 4-speed auto	£17,290	13
'3' 1.6 114 bhp CRDi 6-speed manual ISG	£17,475	14
'4' 1.6 123 bhp 6-speed manual ISG	£17,285	13
'4' 1.6 123 bhp 4-speed auto	£18,385	12
'4' 1.6 114 bhp CRDi 6-speed manual ISG	£18,570	14

December 2015

Kia Venga automatics are now being delivered with a 6-speed torque converter transmission rather than the previous 4-speed torque converter automatic. On Venga 4, 7 year warranty also includes 7 free annual map upgrades for the SatNav. Traffic warnings are accurate and the recalculation speeds are almost instantaneous.

Connectivity improved with integrated My Music with 1 GB storage, the USB, AUX, Bluetooth connectivity, the new generation of the audio system with iPod connectivity and several other tweaks.

Choice of two petrol and two diesel engines: 1.4 90PS and 1.6 125PS petrol. 1.6 offered with new 6-speed torque converter automatic transmission. Diesels are 1.4 77PS or 90PS, which the 1.6 develops 115PS or 128PS, all with 6-speed manual transmissions.

UK gets 1.4 litre Blue Drive 90PS petrol engine. Both SE Nav and Premium Nav trims feature a more powerful 1.6 CRDi 115PS Blue Drive engine or a 1.6 litre petrol with 6-speed dual clutch automatic transmission that replaces the previous 4-speed torque converter auto..

What to watch out for

01-01-0001:

One report of a central locking fault with the rear doors preventing them from being opened from the inside (nothing to do with the child locks).

17-05-2011:

Report of repeated problems with the power steering.

18-05-2011:

With the automatic, over-sensitive software means that the slighterst touch on the brake pedal causes the engine to lose power.

10-06-2011:

Incurable "throttle lag" reported on 1.4 CRDi diesel.

16-08-2012:

11 Reg Hyundai iX20 1.4 CRDi Style with 8,500 miles (basically same as Venga). Rear brake caliper jammed in the 'handbrake on' position. Car taken to Benfield Hyundai, Newcastle on 8-8-2012 but told calipers and discs on back-order, to arrive 14th September. Numerous complaints of this.

21-08-2012:

Informed by Kia that brake parts shortage is being rectified.

14-09-2012:

Bundle of problems reported on 1.4 diesel by a reader who claimed to have done 25k miles in two of them, so 50k miles altogether: 1st stank of diesel in the cab. Found a loose screw on the filler cap housing, tightened, gone. Electrical problems, ISG off, Power steering off, no dash lights: remedied by turning engine off an on. Radio jammed, very common again: switch off on to fix it. Very common complaint of putting your foot down and nothing happening. Most complaints on the Kia website about this. It goes after 15k. Kia initially blamed it on supermarket diesel (understandable) but since admitted the problem. Done away with ISG which only worked sporadically and never in London traffic jams for some reason. Parcel shelf collapsed.

09-10-2013:

Complaint of front brake pads rattling in their calipers and the solution of a sticky pad to hold them in place lasting no more than a few days.

17-05-2014:

Complaint of gear shifter of 2010 Kia Venga automatic sticking. Owner found had to use more force to engage reverse, then later found that in the Park position the car would not start. KIA dealer diagnosed stretched cable and fixed it but problem returned in 2018.

03-09-2014:

Second failure of electric power steering of 2010 Kia Venga reported. Fixed under 7 year warranty.

12-04-2015:

Fuel gauge of 2 year old Venga became unreliable, then failed.

26-03-2016:

2010 Venga reported as having an intermittently sticking starter motor, forcing the owner to rock the car in gear to free it off. Never happens at the dealers and dealer diagnosts cannot show anything unless the fault is present when the diagnostics are applied.

20-04-2016:

Sticking central locking reported on Venga, age not disclosed.

12-12-2016:

Report of poor starting of (identical) 2011 Hyundai ix20 1.4bCRDi when ambient tremperatrure below 3C.

30-05-2017:

Engine noisy on start-up reported in 70,000 mile 2010 Kia Venga 1.6 GDI.

06-06-2017:

Report of timing chain tensioner of Kia Venga GDi breaking, resulting in smashed valves and head having to be rebuilt.

28-11-2017:

Complaint of occasional hesitation when exiting side roads in Kia Venga 1.6 GDi DCT.

02-02-2018:

Complaint of stiff transmission selector lever in 2010 Venga 1.6 4-speed torque converter auto. Owner took it to Kia dealer who reported: " “Checked gear operation, found very stiff on operation. Removed gear selector cable from gearbox selector shaft to test cable. Cable moves freely without resistance. Inspected selector shaft on the gearbox and found high resistance due to the shaft being seized in its housing. Removed inhibitor switch from selector shaft for further inspection. Found surface rust on shaft caused by water ingress through inhibitor switch. Cleaned and lubricated selector shaft. Sealed inhibitor switch to prevent further water ingress, reconnected gear selector cable and tested gear selector. Now all gears can be selected with ease. Checked for diagnostic trouble codes in the ECU memory – none stored. Noticed battery slightly low in charge, charged battery overnight. Road tested vehicle the following morning. All ok.”

22-09-2018:

Report of two problems with Kia Venga of unspecified age: F aulty fuel gauge and failed hatchback gas strut.

24-10-2018:

Report of glass sunroof of Kia Venga shattering.

23-01-2019:

Report of rusting fuel tank in 2012 Venga diesel leaking fuel. Kia dealer told owner there was a waiting list and the part was difficult to get hold of. One member of the Kia Owner's Club suggested that "there is a bracket to secure the breather...under which is a 4mm gap. This gap traps water and from the factory the rust proofing / undersealing is poor. Corrosion had resulted in pin holes from where the fuel was seeping."

09-04-2019:

Report of radio/reversing camera/satnav touch screen of March 2015 Kia Venga "losing its sensitivity" in October 2018 to the extent the driver could not enter addresses, post codes or change between FM and AM and "barely see the radio display." This is not a "major component" covered by the 7 year warranty; only by a 36 month warranty. Still works when warm. New replacement is £1,733, or £792 for a refurb. Happily, by 27th May 2019, after an exchange of emails, Kia replaced the unit as a goodwill gesture, even with a 36 months warranty. A very good recommendation for their after sales service.

15-04-2019:

Intermittent starting fault reported with 2010 Kia Venga. Refused to start. Ignition switch checked and OK and putting a coil on a hand-held oscilloscope showed the switch interrogating the fob and the fob responding. Using the spare key made no difference. A Launch 431v fault code scanner showed a P1693 error. It also showed the immobiliser warning light is turned off and doesn’t show any faults with the immobiliser. Car was taken to local KIA dealer who asked for both sets of keys. The fault turned out to be a rare failure of both keys, fixed for £239.89, bargain. So if a Kia Venga won't start and if the immobiliser light stays unlit, the chances are that both keys are faulty.

29-04-2019:

Report of electric power steering failing on 2010 Kia Venga.

10-08-2021:

K ia Venga petrol tank corrosion on 2013 car with 65,000 miles. MoT advisory: 'excessive corrosion on fuel on fuel filter housing. Owner quoted £ 629 for the repair but Kia UK and the dealer agreed to cover the cost due to the car having a full Kia service history.