WITH room for all the family, the Kia Venga may be compact on the outside but there's an abundance of space inside.

In fact, there is room for a family of five to travel in comfort - or four in extreme style.

Admittedly, the Venga is not exactly the best looker in class due to its box-like shape, but that extra high roofline is a practicality and results in lots of extra headroom for back seat passengers.

The rear seat occupants have been given plenty of consideration by this vehicle's design team and they are even given seats that can slide independently too.

But make no mistake, there are a number of eye-catching features including privacy glass, 16-inch alloys, a rear spoiler, and a massive electrically-operated double panoramic sunroof that stretches the entire length of the vehicle. This results in a very bright and airy cabin environment.

And once you take your seat behind the leather, multi-function steering wheel, there is plenty of on-board technology to be admired.

The central stack is the main focal point as it houses all the air conditioning and audio system functions with iPod, AUX and USB connections underneath.

There is a somewhat simplistic interior layout, but that's no criticism as it means all the dials, control and read-outs are perfectly positioned for driver usability.

Elsewhere, the predominantly black dashboard and doors are complimented by flashes of brushed aluminium.

The Venga boasts a generously-sized boot complete with an under-floor storage option and the 60:40 split folding rear seats mean carrying larger loads is no problem.

The driver benefits from good all round visibility thanks to the high-seated driving position, although at times I did find the windscreen pillar was a bit of an obstruction.

But that minor gripe aside, the Venga was a pleasure to drive. It accelerated smoothly through the six manual gears and there were prompts from the Eco gear shift indicator to help maximise fuel efficiency.

The 1.4-litre diesel-driven engine produced ample power both in and around town and out on the faster roads and road-holding was very good even in wetter conditions.

The cabin noise is not the quietest, but it's not too loud either.

The Venga also has an array of safety features such as anti-lock brakes, electronic brakeforce distribution, traction control with brake assist, electronic stability control, numerous airbags and lots more besides.

All in all, the Kia Venga is extremely good value with an attractive price-tag, excellent fuel efficiency and also comes with Kia's seven-year/100,000 warranty package.