Kia’s new Cee’d cuts quite a dash
The first thing you’ll notice with this car is its styling. It’s a product from Kia, a car brand that used only to attract the most rational of buyers: one that excelled at value, rather than glamour. Their cars only appealed to drivers who were focused on budget, rather than image. But its latest Cee’d family car could change that.
The South Korean company is on a roll right now. Sales have been spurred by a revolution in its car design – led by Peter Schreyer, Kia’s German-born design chief (who came up with the Audi TT) – and by an industry-leading seven-year, 100,000 mile warranty, which means many owners won’t ever pay for repairs: a very attractive proposition in these financially insecure times. It’s a strategy that’s working – Kia has sold 450,000 Cee’ds in Europe and almost 55,000 of them in the UK.
Its new Cee’d has been designed and engineered entirely in Europe, for European buyers. And it shows. The new car looks sportier and more athletic and feels like a premium product. Narrower and lower than its predecessor, it has a more rakish (read: sporty-looking) roofline. From a styling perspective, Kia has beaten Mercedes-Benz and Volvo to market with a shape that immediately makes me think of the forthcoming A-Class and V40. So it looks utterly contemporary – the Cee’d is a handsome car.
On sale with a choice of four engines (1.4-litre and 1.6-litre petrol and 1.4-litre and 1.6-litre diesel) and five trim levels. I drove the manual 1.6-litre CRDi diesel model in “level 2” trim, which is likely to be a big seller in the UK, and the fancier “4 Tech” GDi petrol (with a twin clutch DCT transmission) on the Swiss roads around Geneva.
In 4 Tech trim, the car looks pretty special. In the driveway of the Le Mirador Kempinski in Montreux, the chrome accents, Xenon headlamps and LED running lights of a Cee’d 4 Tech glitter in the Swiss sunshine. This is one very lush hotel and Kia’s latest introduction looks entirely at home. That, in itself, is a surprise.
The Tech moniker indicates a profusion of gizmos, which come as standard, including adaptive headlamps, a full-length sunroof, ambient lighting, lane departure warning and even a park assist system. It’s the pick of the bunch from an indulgence perspective but then in 4 Tech spec it’s also a £5,000 hike on the level 2 model.
Inside, the Cee’d is quite Volvo-like: sophisticated and actually more stylish than many of its competitors. The interior feels solid and well built – it’s comfortable and spacious, with leather and chrome trim and bright, simple instrumentation. A flexible steering system means you can switch between Comfort, Normal and Sport depending on your mood.
On the hills around Lake Geneva, the Cee’d felt slightly less adept. It is let down a bit by its engines, which lack oomph – most apparent on an incline, when a lack of power can require you to shift down a gear. It’s a shame, particularly when you put this in the context of rest of the car, which is very good.
Though I enjoy the manual and dual clutch transmissions, the DCT gearbox in the 4 Tech model hangs onto the gears a little. The gear shifts – whether in automatic or manual (via the steering paddles) – are smooth, though, and in both cars I found the handling and refinement to be good.
Kia has added a surprising amount of class to the Cee’d, but it doesn’t quite have the finesse of some of its rivals due to the engine performance: I couldn’t help longing for a bit more power. Despite this, Kia’s latest Cee’d is a stylish contender and proof that Kia is going places.
THE FACTS: KIA CEE’D “4 TECH” 1.6 GDI DCT
PRICE: £23,795
0-62MPH: 10.4secs
TOP SPEED: 121mph
CO2 G/KM: 140g/km
MPG COMBINED: 46.3mpg
THE VERDICT:
DESIGN ****
PERFORMANCE ***
PRACTICALITY ****
VALUE FOR MONEY ****