New Kia Venga MPV revealed, priced from £11,995
Kia breathes life into Venga MPV in 2015 with light facelift and new range-topping trim
The Kia Venga supermini-MPV has been treated to a mid-life nip and tuck for 2015, adding revised exterior styling, new alloy wheel designs and a more luxurious interior.
First seen at the Paris Motor Show in October, the revised Venga will be available in a choice of five different trims – including an all-new ‘4’ variant – with previously unattainable features now standard on top-spec cars.
Cosmetically, Kia has played it safe with the Venga facelift. At the front the smoother design features a new bumper and high gloss black grille with chrome trim. The Kia badge has been moved up and the lower air intake has been redesigned to house the LED daytime running lights on higher spec cars. Other than this the changes are slight, limited to new front foglight housings and a horizontal chrome strip on the boot. Range-topping models gain LED rear lights.
Even less has changed inside, with the tweaks limited to some new black cloth upholstery and grey metal-effect trim on the dash. It’s worth noting that the latter is only standard on basic cars – with Venga ‘3’ and Venga ‘4’ models continuing to sport a high gloss black fascia.
All models, including the entry-level ‘1’ specification now include heated door mirrors, electric front windows and a steering wheel that adjusts for both height and reach. As before, if you want air-con you’ll need to upgrade to the ‘1 Air’ model, while things like alloy wheels, reversing sensors and Bluetooth connectivity are reserved for the ‘2’ trim and above.
The new ‘4’ specification boasts kit such as alloy wheels, a panoramic sunroof, follow-me-home lighting and LED daytime running lights. Inside you’ll find climate control, a heated steering wheel and part-leather heated seats. There’s keyless go, cruise control and a seven-inch touchscreen sat-nav too.
Safety is good throughout the range, with all cars getting a raft of airbags, electronic stability control and hill-start assist.
The four engine options remain, offering buyers a choice of 1.4 and 1.6-litre petrol and diesel engines. As before, the most economical engine on offer is the 1.6 CRDi diesel, with emissions of 117g/km and combined fuel economy of 64.2mpg. The thirstiest model is the petrol-powered 1.6 auto, managing just 43.5mpg on the combined cycle.
All new Kia Venga models are on sale now, arriving in showrooms towards the middle of the month. Prices start from £11,995 – around £1,800 more than before – with the range-topping diesel priced at £18,570.
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