Car guides

Kia Venga: common problems, best years and what to check

Tall, practical small MPV with a long warranty. Covers 2010–2019 cars: every popular engine, its known faults with typical UK repair costs, and how each year has held up on Britain's roads.

Updated November 2026 · By the Carnod team · How we build this guide

Is the Kia Venga a good used buy?

Best buy

1.4 petrol manual

Avoid

none notable

Who it suits: Older drivers and small families wanting easy access.

What's good

  • Tall, easy access
  • Reliable
  • Practical
  • Excellent DfT survival

What's not

  • Discontinued
  • Dull to drive
  • Dated
  • Thirsty automatic

By the numbers

  • #142 most common model on UK roads, with about 46k licensed (DfT).
  • The biggest surviving year is 2015: 6.1k cars still licensed.
  • 2012 cars survive 11% better than comparable cars of that year.

Kia Venga common problems by generation and engine

Kia Venga Venga (2010–2019) · small MPV

How to spot it: 10 plate to 19 plate. Tall box with a tiger-nose grille.

1.4 / 1.6 petrol (Gamma, petrol, 2010–2019)

Durable

1.4 / 1.6 CRDi (U2, diesel, 2010–2015)

Costs are typical UK independent-garage prices including parts and labour. Main dealers usually charge more.

Best and worst Kia Venga years

How many Kia Vengas from each year are still licensed today (DfT), coloured by how well that year survives compared with similar cars of the same age.

survives better than similar carsabout averagesurvives worse

Years that outlast similar cars: 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017. No year falls off the road noticeably faster than similar cars.

Kia Venga MOT pass rate and common failures

First-time pass rate (2025)

71%

Average UK car of the same age

71%all makes, same ages as these Kia Vengas

MOT tests analysed (2010+ cars)

41,156

Kia Vengas pass their MOT first time about as often as the average UK car of the same age.

First registeredPass rateAverage UK car that ageMedian mileage
201054%59%85k miles
201155%61%79k miles
201259%63%72k miles
201363%66%66k miles
201464%69%59k miles
201575%72%52k miles
201679%75%45k miles
201784%78%39k miles
201888%81%32k miles
201989%84%25k miles

Pass rate by fuel

Petrol

74% 31,231 tests

Diesel

63% 9,945 tests

Fuels differ in age and mileage mix, so treat this as a pattern rather than a like-for-like comparison.

Most common MOT failures

  1. Track rod end: ball joint has excessive play6.88 per 100
  2. Position lamp: not working6.13 per 100
  3. Stop lamp: not working4.05 per 100
  4. Ball joint dust cover no longer prevents the ingress of dirt2.97 per 100
  5. Brake pads: less than 1.5 mm thick2.46 per 100
  6. Tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm2.12 per 100
  7. Washers: provides insufficient washer liquid1.87 per 100
  8. Wipers: does not clear the windscreen effectively1.56 per 100

Most common advisories

  1. Tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm21.22 per 100
  2. Tyres: has a tear19.21 per 100
  3. Brake discs: in such a condition that it is seriously weakened17.06 per 100
  4. Brake pads: less than 1.5 mm thick10.44 per 100
  5. Rigid brake pipes: excessively corroded5.91 per 100
  6. Coil spring: corroded5.46 per 100
  7. Brake discs: significantly and obviously worn4.7 per 100
  8. Track rod end: ball joint has excessive play4.69 per 100

Source: DVSA anonymised MOT results for 2025 (normal car tests). First-time pass counts faults fixed during the test as fails. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.

Does the Kia Venga have a timing belt or chain?

EngineTypeWhenCost
Gammachaindurable£500–£900

Kia Venga running costs

Road tax (from April 2017)

£200 a year; +£440 for years 2–6 if the list price was over £40,000 (£50,000 for electric cars).

Road tax (before April 2017)

CO2 band tax: £20 (band A–B, up to 110g/km) to £790 (band M). Most petrol and diesel versions sit in bands B–E, £20–£200 a year.

Insurance groups

6–11

Real-world economy

1.4 / 1.6: 40–46

Servicing (independent)

Minor £130–£190 · Major £220–£320

Tyres

195/65 R15 · set of four £260–£380

Warranty when new

7 years / 100,000 miles, transfers to the next owner

Is the Kia Venga ULEZ compliant?

  • Petrol and hybrid: compliant if Euro 4 — nearly all petrol cars from 2006, many from 2001.
  • Diesel: compliant only if Euro 6 — generally cars first registered from September 2015; earlier diesels pay £12.50 a day in London's ULEZ.
  • Same standards apply in Birmingham and Bristol Clean Air Zones (which charge private cars) and Scotland's LEZs in Glasgow, Edinburgh, Aberdeen and Dundee (which fine them). Check the exact car on TfL's vehicle checker.

Safety and practicality

Euro NCAP

Venga: ★★★★★ (2010)

Boot

440 litres

Seats

5

Kia Venga vs rivals

ModelOn UK roadsInsuranceBootBest buy
Kia Venga46k6–11440 l1.4 petrol manual
Hyundai ix20———Guide coming soon
Vauxhall Meriva66k5–14400 l1.4 Turbo manual
Ford B-Max52k6–15318 l1.0 EcoBoost 100 manual (later)
Honda Jazz277k3–15354 l2015–2020 Mk3 1.3 i-VTEC or 2020+ e:HEV
Nissan Note123k3–12325 l2013–2017 E12 1.2 manual

What to check when buying a used Kia Venga

  • Warranty may still apply on late cars

Kia Venga FAQ

›Is the Kia Venga reliable?

Generally, if you pick the right version. Best buy: 1.4 petrol manual. Avoid: none notable.

›What is the Kia Venga MOT pass rate?

71% of Kia Vengas passed their MOT first time in 2025 (41,156 tests), about average for cars of the same age. The most common failure: track rod end: ball joint has excessive play.

›What are the most common Kia Venga problems?

The costliest known faults are . Each one is listed by engine with typical UK repair costs above.

›Does the Kia Venga have a timing belt or chain?

Gamma: chain.

›What is the best year Kia Venga to buy?

By DfT survival data, 2011, 2012, 2013 cars have outlasted comparable cars best. Condition and history still matter more than the year.

›How much does a Kia Venga cost to run?

Real-world economy: 1.4 / 1.6 40–46 mpg. Insurance groups 6–11. A minor service is about £130–£190 at an independent garage.

›How much is road tax on a Kia Venga?

Cars registered from April 2017 pay £200 a year (more if the list price was over £40k). Older cars pay by CO2 band, from £20 to £790.

›Is the Kia Venga ULEZ compliant?

Petrol and hybrid: compliant if Euro 4 — nearly all petrol cars from 2006, many from 2001. Diesel: compliant only if Euro 6 — generally cars first registered from September 2015; earlier diesels pay £12.50 a day in London's ULEZ.

How we build this guide

We combine official UK data with what independent garages see most often on this model.

  • How many are still on the road: DfT vehicle licensing statistics, by year first used. The survival comparison is against cars of the same age.
  • MOT pass rates, failures and mileage: DVSA anonymised MOT results — every normal car MOT in Great Britain for the year, compared with all cars of the same age.
  • Road tax: GOV.UK rates from April 2026. ULEZ: TfL and Clean Air Zone emission standards.
  • Faults and repair costs: known problems by engine code, priced at typical UK independent-garage rates including parts and labour.
  • Insurance groups, mpg, servicing and tyres: typical ranges, not quotes. Your car's exact figures depend on the version and where you live.

This is a buying guide, not a mechanical inspection. A specific car's MOT history tells you far more than any model average — run a free check on it before you go and see it.

Sources: licensed counts and survival from DfT vehicle licensing statistics; road tax from GOV.UK (April 2026 rates). Faults, costs, mpg and insurance groups are typical ranges, not quotes. A guide, not a mechanical inspection.