Kia has totally transformed its range in recent years - to look at its complete offerings now compared with ten years ago you would think that you were looking at a different company.
So much more effort has been put into making the cars half decent to look at and they are specifically targeted at various profitable segments, rather than just importing whatever was being produced in Korea at the time.
Occasionally the cracks do start to show through again - take the Kia Venga, for instance. It's a very sharp-looking supermini MPV that fills out a nice little niche in the company's line-up, sitting just above the Picanto and just below the Soul and the Ceed. The design is modern, quite unlike the contrived and awkward designs of old. Unfortunately, as with the Soul, the Venga's promising exterior belies something perfectly dull and ordinary underneath.
Where that supermini MPV stance promises increased practicality and useability, once you get inside you quickly find that this is not the case. Storage is quite limited throughout the cabin, with none of the usual cubbies and trays that you would expect to find. Normally the area between the two front seats is prime real estate, but all you will see are two cupholders. That said, passengers themselves do get plenty of room from the seats.
Points must be given to Kia for the practical solution in the boot, whereby the floor is a false one with storage opportunities underneath it. The only problem there is that the false floor is unsecured and free to clatter about when driving over heavy bumps. Fit and finish throughout the car is solid, but the interior does feel quite cheap.
Given that the city is the Venga's home turf you would expect it to excel here and, whilst the steering is suitable light for urban driving, the ride is far too hard and telegraphs every single bump and rut in the road, sending tremors through the cabin. It dents your confidence in the car's abilities.
For many buyers it will be the price itself and the fact that Kia offers a seven-year warranty with its cars that will be the main driver behind the decision to buy. With many other cars in the Kia range we would applaud that, but the Venga would give us second thoughts. There are too many compromises to make when the competition is this good.