Venga is another arrow in Kia's quiver

There's a definite shift towards smaller cars, and small emissions cars, at a global level, writes Brian Byrne. That's partly due to increased pressure from regulators in relation to CO2 footprints, and from the ongoing research being carried out by car companies themselves in face of rising oil prices and consumer demands for greater efficiency.

It is happening in Ireland too. For instance, 70 percent of cars sold here this year were in the A and B tax rating segments. Interesting thing, though, that the bigger chunk of sales are compacts of the Focus size rather than the supermini and smaller.

Still, even though there's a bit of a lift in the car sales business at the moment, it isn't the easiest time to bring a brand new model to market.

Especially a niche one, and a small niche at that. Well, the small MPV segment is small here, but in more general European market terms it is growing as the trend to downsize gathers pace.

Also, Kia's new Venga slots the brand into an extra level for them, and in these times every extra vehicle sale is important.

So, maybe it's a good time to launch a new car, after all.

I liked the Venga on my quick introduction at the international launch. But it wasn't really enough time to get to know it. That situation has been resolved.

The Venga is a bit of a crossover. With a footprint not much larger than a supermini, but a people carrying ability of a compact and then a tad more, certainly in the roominess department.

Stylewise it is smart without trying to make a statement, which is often the surest way to making a car old before its time. Yet it has a subtle edginess that puts it comfortably here at the end of the first decade of the 21st century.The front end is particularly well put together, while the tallness of the car is camouflaged by its stance.

The inside is the quality finish we're now expecting from Kia, and the detail work is bright and cheerful. The single main dial in the instrumentation is almost a style cue, and the layout of the controls on the centre console is sensible along with a touch of zing.

The driving position is quite sit-up, but doesn't feel overdone thanks to the high screen. And the review car had the dual glass roof panels, so in daytime this was a very airy car, even on a dull day.

Shoulder room is good, and the space for the rear passengers is more than adequate, with no leg-room compromising even when tall people are up front. Even three could fit in the back with significantly less intimacy than in much of the competition.

There are a variety of powertrains available in other markets, but the only one so far available here is based on the new 1.4 diesel designed and built within the Hyundai/Kia family environment.

This is is an interesting approach, because although the overall diesel penetration in the Irish car market has gotten close to 60 percent, at the supermini level petrol still rules in most people's thinking. Partly because the extra cost of the diesel engine itself isn't as much diminished by the VRT difference in our CO2 ratings.

The Venga's small diesel is decently frugal, though not the quietest at idle compared to the brand's 1.6 oilburner as used in the cee'd. Nor as refined as Ford's 1.4, available in the Fiesta. Once on the run, though, it is as smooth as you could wish for. There's a 6-speed gearbox which is tidy to work, and overall this is a very good package for the price. That said, I have a niggler about the performance, which shows itself in a tendency to slow down on motorways unless you consciously keep pressure on the accelerator. And in traffic it likes to have the revs a little higher than you might expect at first, but you get used to it.

The ride is fine on the highway, good on the bad stuff. It's never going to be a car for chucking about, and its buyers aren't going with that expectation, so in that department it is scratch for the need.

The car comes with Kia's 'intelligent' stop/go system as standard. Which is fine in overall economy terms, but there's something noisy about a diesel restarting (not a problem peculiar to the Kia) that jars in constant city traffic travel. I suspect many owners will switch it off.

So, do I still like the Venga as much as I did at first blush? Actually, yes. I like it a lot. It does what it is supposed to do well. It will certainly be right for the family in transition from toddlers to pre-teens. It will be reliable and won't cost much to run. And it is visually good enough that downsizers won't feel they're slumming down too.

I hope they bring a petrol option in eventually, though. There's a market out there of people who don't need to go to diesel.