We have the Ceed 1.5L T-GDi 3 on review, and we have also had the chance to take it on a 600 mile road trip!
The Ceed was the first model in Kia's range to be designed, engineered and built in Europe specifically for European and U.K. roads - and the clue is in the name, as CEED stands for:
Community of
Europe with
European
Design
Presenting the Kia Ceed
Welcome to the New Kia Ceed. Okay. It is a facelift. We have the 3. It's just over £24,000 on the road, and at the moment, the only trims available are this one, and the GT Line. There's no CRDi available, and there are no automatic gearboxes - hopefully, that will change!
The Kia Ceed has been a staple on our roads since 2007, and as it’s designed for Europe and the U.K., it’s the right size and has the right setup to offer a versatile yet engaging drive.
What’s New?
Each trim has a slightly different look
The alloy wheels have had a refresh
And there are some interior changes too – but we will get into that later
But what you need to know is that it’s spacious, it’s practical, it’s perfect for the family, and even at Ben’s height of 6 foot 3, it offers enough room front or back, and is easy to get in and out of.
Interior
The interior is comfortable, supportive, and equipped with Isofix points for the little ones, and whilst on that subject, you have airbags all round.
The Ceed does exactly what it says on the tin, plus more – and even Ben can get well over 56 miles per gallon.
And to think, you can pick one up for just under £25K – and if you are wondering whether there’s an EV or Hybrid model, not as yet…
Exterior
Design language has been tweaked. The Tiger Nose Grille has been... enhanced...shall we say, and it's got the new badge! It does have a new engine, a 1.5 TGDi that replaces the 1.4, and the headlamps are automatic with high beam assist they are projection halogen.
There are a whole host of safety features on here, including AEB and Forward Collision. We don't have front parking sensors on this trim, but we do have them on the back, as well a reversing camera. Now inside, you do get a lot of hard plastics, but you also get a lot of soft touches too, like on the top of the dash - very nice!
We've got the analog cluster, but if you get the GT line, you do get digital. The enhanced styling follows through into the interior, and you can see that we've got the new ten and a quarter inch infotainment screen and that comes with Apple, CarPlay, Android Auto, DAB Radio and SatNav. You can see that we've got dual zone climate control, and it retains those rotary dials, however, if you get the GT line, you get heated front seats.
So you've got this nice piping and the stitching on the front seats, but it would have been nice to see a panoramic.
One thing I would have liked to have seen is a grab handle above the driver's door, but I do like the fact that you can manually adjust the seatbelt height. There's quite a lot of legroom in the back, and you can get your feet under the seats.
Now you don't have anything in the center console here in the back - it would have been nice to see vents, or charging ports in there. But the door pockets, you can fit a bottle of water in here.
As we've got the 3, we don't have a power tailgate, and when you look at the boot, see there? There's hardly any boot lip, which makes it a lot easier to load things. You've got your shopping bag hooks, 12 volt socket, these tethering hooks, you've got them, but they are attached to the false floor, so I'm not too sure about that...But you do have this kind of like tether bit here that you can use. You can also see that it's got new styling from the back, it's more aggressive, but if you get the GT Line, you also get twin exhausts. All in all, for a family hatchback, it's got a peppy engine, the economy is good, it has comfortable seats...and there you have it!
Driving The Kia Ceed
Now we've had Ceeds on review before, but this time we got the chance to road trip in one! Join us as we head to Wetherby and the NEC.
Good morning and welcome behind the wheel of the new Kia Ceed. We're on the M6 and we're heading towards Wetherby - we're going to go to Bowcliffe Hall, so that's going to be about a 230 mile journey. And then tomorrow it's The Commercial Vehicle Show, so that's 260. By the end of the week, realistically, I will have done about 600 miles, which should give me a good representation of how the Kia Ceed is, and it gives me a good chance to get to know this car, because the last thing I drove was the EV6, which, let's face it, is a fair bit different.
To see the rest of the driving section - watch the full review.
Verdict
We've put this car through its paces, and it's taken everything we've thrown at it, and it's performed extremely well. And economy-wise - it's amazing how it holds on to it. It does tick a lot of boxes. And in terms of a family hatchback, you can't really go wrong with it, can you? Not for the price. It's comfortable, and it holds the road well; potholes you don't seem to notice. It stays composed even when you put your foot down.
Noise in the cabin, if it's a bad stretch on a motorway - yes - -but if you get a smooth section, there's virtually none, just some wind noise.
It's well composed through the bends, and the combination of the steering and the suspension gives it a good ride - nd that's the driver, and passengers. It's a pleasurable driving experience. You can see why these make up a fair chunk of cars sales.
Available at the moment are the 3 and the GT Line, both with a 1.5L Turbocharged Petrol Engine, and prices start at £24,500.00.
Safety features include:
• High Beam Assist
• Driver Attention Warning
• Leading Vehicle Departure Warning
• Lane Keeping Assist
• Forward Collision Avoidance Assist
• Cyclist detection
There are also other members of the Ceed family if this hatchback doesn't quite suit your needs. You can choose from the:
• ProCeed Shooting Brake
• Ceed SW Estate Car
• xCeed SUV
• High Beam Assist
• Driver Attention Warning
• Leading Vehicle Departure Warning
• Lane Keeping Assist
• Forward Collision Avoidance Assist
• Cyclist detection
There are also other members of the Ceed family if this hatchback doesn't quite suit your needs. You can choose from the:
• ProCeed Shooting Brake
• Ceed SW Estate Car
• xCeed SUV
And don't forget Kia's seven year warranty!
NGMW