Kia Responds Promptly to Venga Seatbelt Issue

Earlier today, the European New Car Assessment Programme published a new set of crash test scores. Out of the five models included in the latest test batch, the Kia Venga caught our attention, as it showed an unusual issue: during the crash, the driver's seatbelt was partially sectioned by the lower seat rail.

This fact - that is also the reason why the car got a 4 star rating and not a 5 five star one - seems incredibly dangerous, as in the real world people tend to drive at much higher speed that the ones used in the Euro NCAP tests and an on-the-road crash might lead to a complete cut and thus a failure of the Venga’s seatbelt.

Fortunately, such a situation seems improbable, as Kia has responded promptly to a notification sent by the Euro NCAP: the manufacturer launched a service campaign through which it will fit a polypropylene sleeve to the seatbelt in order to prevent the damage. 2100 cars will be affected, of which 1100 are already on the road and 1000 are used by the company’s dealers.

Kia Motors UK released an announcement, describing the way in which the company handles the problem.

“We immediately suspended deliveries and have asked our dealers to carry out the modification which involves fitting a protective sleeve to the belts and takes around 15 minutes.”, Michael Cole, Managing Director of Kia Motors UK. "Our factory production process has been changed to incorporate the fitting of the modified sleeve. We have already contacted the four customers who had taken delivery of their Vengas and we have carried out the modification on their cars," he added.