KIA Venga

The first half of 2015 allowed the South Korean company Kia to bring several restyling machines to Russia at once. KIA Venga is no exception and not so successful, but still quite interesting and original representative of the company – KIA Venga. It is a typical city car, which is produced in an unchanged form for more than 4 years, so this restyling turned out to be very useful. It is worth noting that there is no mention of any change of generations, the pure change of restyling. The car of 2016 does not have any cardinal changes, however, they are still present.

Despite the fact that the South Korean company is working hard to expand the range of its cars, it does not forget about the old models. The new product debuted in 2009 during the Frankfurt Motor Show, however, mass production and sales began only in 2010. Due to the fact that the vehicle is designed mainly for European customers, the power units meet Euro-5 standards. The whole model range is Kia.

Exterior

The design team of the KIA Venga 2016 has awarded the new KIA Venga 2016 with a new, distinctive grille of a false radiator, corrected headlights, a new front bumper with obvious aerodynamic elements and an increased lower air intake, where fog lamps with stylish LED lighting corners for daylight have been integrated.

The nose part came out as if the car under its own weight spreads out over the road area and is about to catch a “lip” on the asphalt.

Speaking in general, the front of the car came out stylish and attractive, although everything is quite simple. The side of the car was left unchanged, there is still a high roof line, sharply rising to the rear window sill line, short front and rear overhangs, “inflated” wheel arches.

The updated car has saved the bodywork acceptable streamline, which provides unattainable aerodynamic properties for most competitors. Muscular shapes can be noticed, although they are not inherent in this class of cars at all. In general, despite the fact that the car is from Korea, the car does not look like it is made in Asian style.

Perhaps, in part, it is because of the European designers who worked on creating the image of a compact van. Perhaps this explains the fact that the car is mainly sold to European consumers. Also, the car looks much smaller than it is in reality. So when you get behind the steering wheel, you realize how spacious it is.

The aft part of the Kia Venga 2016 compact van is distinguished by its new LED taillights, which are connected by a chrome jumper and a slightly modified bumper shape. In general, these are all the existing changes. Peter Schreyer was able to design an attractive, stylish and original car from the very beginning.

Therefore, sometimes it is only necessary to make small changes and improvements in appearance to refresh the car, which happened with the compact van. It’s hard to say whether the Korean has become better or not, but it’s worth noting that the car hasn’t gotten worse.

The company sells the same pretty car, where you can’t find any obvious design mistakes, which is ideal for driving in the hustle and bustle of the city. The appearance of the stop-signal on the spoiler, which has been integrated into the roof, has improved the back of the car, and the roof itself can become, incidentally, panoramic.

Interior

The interior of the KIA Venga 2016 restyling machine has a five-seater layout and has acquired improved materials for seats, front panels and door maps. There is also a stylish central console with a modern air-conditioning unit, or climate control, or an advanced multimedia installation with a 7-inch color screen, where you can control the music, phone, display the picture from the rear camera and navigation system KIA AVN.

Don’t forget the rudder rim heating function. It’s a pleasure to be able to get to any row of Korean seats without any difficulty, which is achieved with the help of a high roof. The interior itself has been able to transform itself well. Plastic has also become much better.

The instrument panel KIA Venga has standard 3-cylinder sensors, white design, near which there is an on-board computer. A little to the right of the instrument panel you can see the start button of the power unit. Front seats have lumbar support, which is a guarantee for the back, in terms of painlessly overcoming long distances.

The KIA Weng driver’s seat can be adjusted not only longitudinally, but also in height. The steering wheel is duplicated by the control buttons of the main services of the machine, which includes the on-board computer and audio system. There are also small drawbacks, for example, because of the posts installed in front, visibility is reduced, as well as when landing on a chair, the body position is too vertical, which does not allow you to enjoy comfortably in the front seat.

On top of that, manufacturers have forgotten the side support function, which is very important. The interior of the compact van can comfortably accommodate the driver and 4 people. The legs of the passengers who sit in front are 1 080 mm, and behind – 901 mm. There is plenty of free space in the width, with 1,388 mm ahead and 1,367 mm behind.

There will be no discomfort above the head, because the height on the first row is 1 020 mm, and on the back sofa is 980 mm. The luggage compartment does not want to break records, so there are only 440 liters of usable space.

An option is available that can move the rear seats separately by 130 mm, allowing for an increase in luggage space of up to 570 litres when needed, while allowing the rear passengers to sit down. If a more bulky load is required, the backrests of the rear seats can be folded together, resulting in a flat floor that is greater than 1,550 mm long and with a capacity that is increased to an acceptable 1,253 litres of free space.

Generally speaking, the interior of the car has not changed since KIA Venga 2010. There is an abundance of quite hard and cheap plastic (but it can be “diluted” if you order as a separate option colored bezel of deflectors and screen).

In addition to the unusual “climate wheel surrounded by buttons”, the central console has not received any design flair. Although the top version of the Korean car has a multifunctional steering wheel, full electric package, large LCD screen and rear view camera with parktronic, Bluetooth, cruise control and so on.

It’s nice to know that all the devices are installed at a special angle in relation to the driver. Thanks to this, the owner of the car will not be distracted by unimportant processes during movement.

It’s also nice that the seats in front have a full heating function. There is also a positioner. It is worth saying that restyling was able to improve the interior of the hatchback. It’s nice that the multifunctional steering wheel was set at the optimal height.

In addition, it can be adjusted in two ways. The dashboard, which is located in an easily accessible place for the owner, in the basic version has only a radio and temperature regulators.

As a separate option, you can purchase an improved version of KIA Venga 2016, which already has a multifunctional navigator and a modern multimedia system with a color screen that supports touch control. However, despite the neat and beautiful interior design, cheap plastic spoils everything.

Specifications

Mower unit

This may surprise, but the technical component of the South Korean compact van KIA Venga 2016 is quite diverse. It is possible to install any engine that operates on diesel fuel as well as on gasoline. In addition, any engine meets the strict criteria and standards of Euro 5.

But for the Russian market, there will be two engines. The weakest will be the 1.4-liter petrol engine, which produces 99 horses. It will allow you to reach a mark of 100 km/h in 12.8 seconds, and the maximum speed is 168 km/h. Do not forget that we are not looking at a Formula 1 car.

The second power unit has a capacity of 1.6 litres and produces 125 horses. The engine will reach 100 km/h in 11.8 seconds and the maximum speed will be 180 km/h. It also operates on gasoline. This is a pity, but there is no diesel variant for Russians. It is necessary to tell at once that on capacity, the given engine is far from sports and racing.

And this was to be expected, because Kia Wengo’s car was not designed for competitions. A nice gift was the installation of an electronic assistant for the mechanical box, which tells when to switch the speed better.

In addition, there is a Stop & Go system that will jam the engine at idling speed and start it if you click on the clutch. These solutions were made for excellent fuel economy. In the combined mode, depending on what the power pack will stand, the model will eat about 6-7 liters per 100 km.

If you go to the country road, the gasoline consumption will drop to the level of 3-4 liters for every hundred kilometers. Therefore, if you buy this car, you will not need to visit the filling stations often.

Transmission

It’s only a pity that these economical motors are synchronized with the outdated five-speed manual gearbox and 4-speed automatic. However, they function very productively. But for the version with a turbocharged diesel engine, the company has provided a 6-speed automatic. In total, 5 engines were developed for the Korean.

Carriage

Kia Venga 2017 has an independent spring suspension type McPherson in front, where there is a transverse stabilizer and a rear independent lever-spring suspension with a transverse stabilizer.

As a braking device, the designers have provided disk mechanisms on all wheels, and in front of them they are ventilated. The car can be driven by an electric booster. All torque is transmitted exclusively to the front wheels.

Dimensions

It is worth mentioning the size of this car. It is 4 075 mm long, 1 765 mm wide, 2 615 mm high wheelbase. The height of the ground clearance is 156 mm. If you install 15-inch wheels, the track in front will be 1,553 mm, and the rear will be 1,557 mm. The 16 inch variant will look like this, with 1,547 mm in front of the track and 1,551 mm at the rear.

K to the consumer’s choice will be available a palette of 10 colors of enamel for car body painting: white, 3 shades of silver (Sirius, Machine and Pegasus), two variants of blue (Space and Planet), red, sand, dark metal and black.

If we speak for the wheels, they are steel, a diagonal of 15 inches with decorative caps, or 16-inch of light alloy. As a separate option you can buy light alloy rollers, designed for 17 inches.

Safety

The Kia Venga 2016 is equipped with a productive protection system. This machine has all the necessary means for active safety. Thanks to the anti-block brake system (ABS), it is possible to fight skidding, emergency braking booster (BAS), improves the braking force in case of emergency situations.

There is a directional stability system (ESC) that automatically brakes individual wheels, thereby compensating for excess or insufficient manoeuvre of the machine. The system is still able to regulate the engine power until the full restoration of control over the car.

The Mountain Start Aid (HAC) function works to help avoid problems when the machine starts up and down. We’ve done a good job of providing excellent impact protection with high body stiffness and well thought-out placement of deformation points. In the event of a collision, they are the ones who absorb the full force of the collision, softening the collision as much as possible.

There is a list of passive airbags, which includes six airbags (a pair of front, front side and curtain-type airbags along the entire length of the cabin, which protect all passengers). The front seats are equipped with active head restraints that prevent head injuries in rear-end collisions. All five seats have three-point safety belts.

Security systems can include:

• All alarms;
• Remote switch and central lock;
• Immobilizer.

K Passive safety enabled:

• Frontal airbags.

Active safety and suspension are:

• Anti-block brake system;
• System that warns of emergency braking;
• System that helps with emergency braking.

Crash test

As it has become clear, the microwave has excellent passive safety. Back in 2010, the car was tested by Euro-NCAP, which allowed the car to gain the required 70 points to get 5 stars. However, already in 2010, the commission’s standards were tightened in terms of safety, so the compact car scored only 4 stars.

But a year later, the engineering staff of the company was able to improve these results, which affected the level of safety of adult passengers and children. Kia Venga car has passed the same crash test again, but has already improved its adult and child safety factor from 79% to 89% and 66% to 85% respectively. Therefore, when buying this car, do not worry much – the car is officially safe.

Complete sets and prices

The updated KIA Venga 2016 car will be available in three versions. All 3 modifications look quite solid. The starting equipment is called Comfort, followed by Luxe and Prestige. The standard equipment has a presence:

• Immobilizer;
• Audio system designed for 6 speakers;
• ABS and BAS security systems;
• Emergency Brake Lighting Systems;
• conditioner (only available for 1.6-liter motor).

For an extra fee of 50,000 rubles, you can get more front seat heating, steering wheel heating, windshield heating, multifunctional steering wheel, Bluetooth support and power windows at the back.

The suite will already have an active VSM control system, lift start assistance system, ESP system, fog lights, rear parktronic, airbag scattering, active head restraints and climate control. The Prestige version also features LED rear lights, LED daytime running lights, powertrain starting system with a button, keyless access system, cruise control and panoramic roof.

But Kia did a little strange, allowing the installation of a 7-inch touch screen and a new navigation system for a separate fee (10,000 rubles). The cheapest car will be equipped with 1.4 Comfort MT with manual 5-speed gearbox for $13248. The most expensive model will be available for the sum of $16540, where there will be a 1.6-liter gasoline engine that develops 125 horsepower with an automatic 6-speed gearbox.

 Owner’s Reviews

Many car owners buy this vehicle for urban travel. Based on feedback from Korean car owners, it is very spacious inside, despite the fact that it looks small outside. There are no serious questions about the level of comfort. It is interesting that even tall people can comfortably fit in this small “machine”.

The good news is that there is plenty of free space on the back row – the knees do not touch the front seats. Drivers talk about a rather sharp engine, which allows you to easily maneuver in the rapid city traffic. Fuel consumption is at a moderate level, which again will be a good help when choosing a vehicle for the city. It is important that the model is not very expensive, if you compare it with the competitors.

When driving at speeds of up to 120 kilometers per hour, everything is fine, however, it is worth to speed up more, the car begins to drive a little bit. When hitting the bumps, the car is a little harsh. The visibility is not bad, however, the presence of a dead zone because of the double arch in front, everything spoils. It’s also unpleasant that it prevents pedestrians from noticing.

Some owners talk about rather modest size of the luggage compartment, but it should be understood that it has been made so for the sake of comfort of the passengers of the second row of seats. In addition, in Korea, everything is not so bad – back seats can be folded into a flat floor, where there will be only a small step.

Seats are far from German, so when you travel long distances your back will get tired. Though the power unit is rather sharp, the owners would not refuse more powerful “engine”, however, it is necessary to understand that the fuel consumption will increase essentially.

Comparison with competitors

When a driver chooses a vehicle, he wants to compare it with his opponent to make sure he has made his own choice. The competitors for the “Korean” are Skoda Roomster and Peugeot Partner. In comparison to Skoda, Kia has lower fuel consumption, more powerful powertrain and better acceleration.

Venga loses in the volume of the luggage compartment and a more modest power reserve. Kia Wengo is better than the “Frenchman” in terms of dynamics, increased power reserve, stronger engine, but at the same time reduced gasoline consumption. However, Peugeot is better in terms of trunk and fuel tank volume (which is not so important).

In addition, Kia Venga is also a competitor of Kia Soul and Nissan Note. If you look at this question together, then Kia Venga is not only distinguished by its cost, but also by its technical characteristics, which is often the decisive moment when choosing a car.

Pluses and minuses

Summing up

Korean car Kia Venga and before the upgrade was very attractive and successful, but after restyling demand for it should increase, at least, this is hoped in the management of the company. The car has a small size, which does not affect its capacity and freedom inside.

The design is very fresh, young and at the same time stylish. The side part has stylish punches, which give a special charm to the compact van. The only thing that is a little embarrassing is the low overhang of the front, which sometimes makes it possible to cling to the edges. The rear part has found new lamps with LED filling, which, by the way, appeared on the nose, but as daytime running lights.

Everything’s nicely packed inside. It is clear that here are not so expensive and refined materials, because the price of the car is not so great, but, nevertheless, the design staff tried to make in the car their own ergonomics, and they have succeeded. Everything in its place, to all controls is easy to get, everything is intuitively clear.

There are three massive wells on the dashboard, as well as an interesting central console, which can be installed for a fee 7-inch screen that supports the touch screen and navigation system. Sitting in front is quite convenient, but there is not enough side and lumbar support. At the back, despite the small size, as we have already said, three people will be able to sit down, and they will not feel uncomfortable.

The seats can be moved by 13 cm. There is plenty of room in the legs and above the head. The luggage compartment has a solid volume, as for such a small car, which can be increased if necessary, while adding backrests of rear seats. KIA Venga has various assistants who are designed to help the driver on the road.

Powertrain units, which are not so powerful, but can cope with their tasks, are installed, even if they are not so powerful. Safety is not a major concern, as the front and curtain side airbags are installed. Programmed deformation points are provided in the vehicle frame, which will reduce the energy of impact.

It turns out that the car is ideal for city mode, it is very spacious and has a solid luggage compartment. It’s nice that the automobile company KIA not only produces new models, but also takes care of the existing ones, improving them.

We advise you to read the article: Kia Motors History

KIA Venga photo

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