Kia Venga unlikely to be replaced after current generation

FiveAlive wrote:

Personally I usually prefer MPVs to similarly-sized SUVs and so it is a shame that the Venga is doomed. As well as more intelligent use of the available space, an MPV's styling is more 'grown up'; sometimes dull, admittedly, but usually just the right side of understated for my taste.

I wonder how much of the move from MPVs to SUVs is related to people being attracted to cars with assumed better tolerance to potholes?

Surely there is an element of that, plus SUVs are seen as more exciting and less utilitarian, rightly or wrongly, while retaining a shape that grows in height rather than length, thus being easier to park (but less aerodinamic than a hatch or estate). It seems that few punters are buying into the "compact and roomy" argument. The original (and best) a-class is no more, the verso-s and b-max were always a rare sight, the idea/musa siblings were poorly executed (lack of a very good autobox), now the Venga is going and probably taking its more successful ix20 twin with it. Only the Note, Jazz and 500x are left then.