Kia Ceed | Video Review | CarsIreland.ie

Published on 19 September, 2018

Kia's answer to the Ford Focus and Volkswagen Golf makes a strong case for itself in the competitive family hatch market

Overview

Overview

Kia's answer to the Volkswagen Golf and Ford Focus is back and better than ever. It might be down an apostrophe but it's up on just about everything else, including comfort, space and standard equipment. The sharp new look and much improved interior mean it might just be a serious contender in the family hatch segment this time around.

Interior Gallery

It's longer, lower, and wider than before. One of the areas this is most evident in is in the boot, where luggage capacity has grown to an impressive 395 litres. This is larger than both the Golf (380l) and the new Ford Focus (375l).

The seats in the back have been lowered slightly, which makes it feel more spacious back there than it did before, and Kia are claiming class-leading rear legroom. A small transmission tunnel means the middle seat passenger has only a very small hump in the floor to contend with, and it does feel wide enough to fit three - for a short journey anyway.

The interior is where the most impressive changes have been made. The previous model fell down a bit here in comparison to some rivals but we're happy to see that it has been addressed this time around, and addressed quite well. There's a more intuitive cabin layout with higher quality materials and better ergonomics that make it feel at the very least on par with most of its rivals now, with the exception of the Volkswagen Golf which still sets the bar here. It's a huge improvement all the same.

Spec is a serious Kia strongpoint. There are four trim levels available labelled, oddly enough, K2 to K5. We imagine there is a K1 somewhere but we just didn’t get it.  The result is that the entry level equipment on the K2 is shockingly good. Standard features include air-conditioning alloy wheels,  a 7 inch touchscreen with Apple Car Play and Android Auto, a reversing camera, and wireless phone charging. Most of those features would be optional extras on some of its rivals top spec models. On top of that, the standard safety kit is also incredibly generous with cruise control, lane keep assist and forward collision alert all preloaded on the K2 which starts at under €23,000.

There’s a €1600 price walk to the mid spec K3 which will add half leather upholstery, SatNav, and parking sensors. The K4 model gets some more upgrades including larger 17 inch wheels, automatic air conditioning, rain sensing window wipers and a larger 8 inch touchscreen display.

There is a top-spec K5 model that only comes paired with the higher powered 1.4 litre petrol engine and starting at €28,600 will get the full works including full leather heated seats with electric adjustment and ventilation, lumbar support and a heated steering wheel.

If you're waiting for the catch - it's certainly not on the road. The new Kia Ceed is great to drive. Our test car was powered by the 1.0l GDI turbo charged petrol engine which has a power output of 120 PS, and is a fantastic example of what is becoming a very popular power train in the C-segment. It’s smooth and refined and actually offers more power than the VW group’s 1.0l option.

The handling is also excellent. It feels light and agile, the steering is nice and direct and it’s got a great planted feel which sees it take corners really nicely. The independent rear suspension helps it cope surprisingly well with poor road surfaces and potholes, and when it comes to soaking up lumps and bumps it’s as good as any so called crossover we've driven lately with very little unsettling the cabin.

Fuel economy for the petrol is decent at a claimed 5.5l per 100km, and it’s a great option once you’re not doing massive mileage. If you are, there's also a 1.6l diesel available, or that higher powered 1.4 l petrol if you want a bit more poke.

Like all Kias, the new Ceed comes with a comprehensive seven year warranty. While this might once have been its major draw, it's now just the icing on top of a very complete package.

Those expecting a middle-of-the-road car here are going to be pleasantly surprised, because this new Ceed is far from middle-of-the-road. In fact, it does enough things right to make it an excellent, no compromise family hatch, and one we think those shopping in this segment would be mad not to consider.

Facts & Figures

Sinead McCann

Sinéad is our resident car tester who has the unenviable (-ok, slightly enviable) task of reviewing all the latest new cars to hit the market. You can follow her on Twitter @smcani and on Instagram @whatshedrives