Oil burning ambition

AS car buyers, we like our preconceptions. Without them, how would we possibly make sense of the monumental range of choice we're faced with? There are just too many cars out there and it's really useful if we can dismiss some of them out of hand, based on what we think we know about the companies that make them.

Now get ready for the bad news, if you don't occasionally revise these prejudices towards certain makes or models, you might end up missing out in a big way.

For example and like it or not, anybody looking for a small family car with a diesel engine should at least consider the Kia Venga 1.4 CRDi.

Bayern Munchen

It's the diesel Venga we're concerned with here, a model that will be crucial to the car's success in its intended European heartland.

The engine is a 1.4-litre CRDi common-rail injection unit with 89bhp at 4,000rpm and 163Nm of torque between 1,750 and 2,750rpm.

On power, it's competitive against other engines of its type but the torque, which gives you the low-down pulling that's so handy in stop-start motoring, is a little down. The diesel returns close to 63mpg on the combined cycle with emissions of 117g/km.

This doesn't make it the cleanest car in the sector, but it comes close.

Acceleration from 0-62mph takes 14s which is far from lively, but the engine gives up its power in a smooth manner with good flexibility.

It's not the most refined unit, filling the cabin with booming sound when pushed hard and coming over a little coarse on part throttle.

The cabin is what it's all about here and the Venga's is certainly roomy with plenty of legroom and a boot of 440-litres. Kia has put particular thought into how owners will accommodate their luggage and the boot area can be extended to 570 litres by sliding the rear seat forward or through the two-tier boot floor, even before folding the rear seats down.

When you are forced to employ watches-r Kia's Fold & Dive seating system, which operates with a reassuring solidity, the 60:40 split rear seats drop to create a flat load floor with a 1,552mm load length and a 1,253 litre capacity.

Before it began clambering up market, Kia was known for low prices and lots of equipment. You still get a fair bit of kit for your money in the Venga, but the prices reflect Kia's desire for parity with mainstream rivals.

The trim levels are handily dubbed 1, 2 and 3. The entrylevel 1 featuring basics like electric windows, a CD stereo, the Fold & Dive seating system and a centre armrest. The car comes in a single five- door bodystyle with six-speed gearboxes for the diesel models featured here.

The car has good looks and a spacious, well-thought out cabin, but aspects of the build quality do fall slightly short of the standards we'd expect at the very top of the class, especially as Kia's asking prices are on a par with the best alternatives. The diesel engine is competent, but it's up against some superb units LED flood light and is let down by its torque and refinement.

On the plus side, the car rides well and is perfectly straightforward to drive in an urban setting.

At A Glance CAR: Kia Venga 1.4 CRDi PRICES: Pounds 12,760 - Pounds 15,360 - on the road INS: 2 CO2: 117g/km PERF: [1.4 CRDi] top speed 114 mph / 0-60mph 14s CONS: [1.4 CRDi] 62.8mpg (combined) SAFETY: Six airbags,
Other articles:
http://mnbvfghe.blog.sohu.com/157107698.html
http://14386357.blog.hexun.com/51939893_d.html