Stumble It!
Kia goes mainstream
Kia has two established niche markets
where it is seen as a serious player in the UK - the MPV Sedona,
beloved by taxi companies, and the Kia Sportage. Until the Cee'd,
however, its saloons and hatchbacks have appealed largely to the
motorist on a tight budget who is determined to drive a new, rather
than second-hand car.
The new Kia Cee'd changes that. The only thing it is easy to be dismissive about is the extraordinary name. What does it mean? Why the apostrophé? We may never know.
The styling of the Cee'd is not going to get the pulses racing. But it looks good, with a hint of European style to it, avoiding the over-fussy detailing of some Far East products. It actually is produced in Europe, at Zilina in Slovakia.
Inside, the materials and finish may be produced to a price, but they are tasteful and unpretentious. I particularly liked that Kia recognise the steering wheel is the most important tactile item in the car. A neat leather-bound steering wheel was a sensible luxury touch – quite literally.
My test car was the Cee'd 1.6D LS. Take note there are two 1.6 diesels in the Cee'd range - one produces 89 bhp, the other 113 bhp. The former is considerably slower, trailing three whole seconds behind the LS's 10.8 seconds 0-60 time.
The diesel engine in the 1.6D LS is impressive. Even at tickover, when cold (the time that diesels usually emit most clatter) it is quite subdued and once you get going you would not know it was a compression ignition engine under the bonnet. I found it responsive and remarkably lively.
Better still was the fuel consumption. So often recently I have found diesels producing nothing like the economy claimed when driving my regular routes on country by-ways and city streets. I do not doubt that they produce remarkable figures when zooming up and down the motorways, but not in city and commuting mode.
The Cee'd however impressed. The fuel consumption computer in the Kia reckoned I was doing more than 45 mpg on my daily commute. Offhand, apart from a Polo diesel that did nothing less than 48 mpg no matter how hard I drove it, that is one of the best economy figures on a normal commute for a long time.
My route takes in dual carriageway, small country roads and city streets. The Cee'd felt very much at home on all. It sits well on twisty roads and turns in well on corners, the driving pleasure enhanced by a reasonably responsive throttle. On dual carriageways it cruises well and in relaxed manner, but it is a little bit noisier than some competitors.
The Cee'd is also a very practical family hatch. We proved that there is space for five adults and the boot is big, with the usual added load flexibility of split folding rear seats.
I don't know whether it is a Cee'd foible or just the test car, but my time with it conincided with one of those rare warm periods this summer. I could not get the car to maintain its interior cool and ended setting my desired interior temperature at 16 C to have any real chilled air coming out of the vents!
The only other fly in the ointment for what is otherwise a very pleasant car to drive, is that Kia - in common with other Korean car companies - puts the steering column stalks the opposite way round to the accepted norm. If you drove nothing but this car you would soon get used to it, but for those of us programmed to the wipers on the right and the lights on the left, it is infuriating.
Kia used to be the budget price brand. With a good quality product they don't have to be bargain basement any more.
At £14,245 the Kia Cee'd 1.6D 113 LS (to give its full designation) is now close to the price of its most obvious European competitors. So it might seem obvious to go for the established, mainstream favourites?
Well maybe not. The Kia has a very strong selling point which is not even part of the car.
When it was launched the Kia Cee'd must have caused some sharp intakes of breath in the boardrooms of Ford, Vauxhall and others, by offering a five-year warranty. Well, guess what, Kia have just gone one better. Since April, the Kia Cee'd comes with a seven year warranty!
For many that will be what they call a 'deal clincher'!
The new Kia Cee'd changes that. The only thing it is easy to be dismissive about is the extraordinary name. What does it mean? Why the apostrophé? We may never know.
The styling of the Cee'd is not going to get the pulses racing. But it looks good, with a hint of European style to it, avoiding the over-fussy detailing of some Far East products. It actually is produced in Europe, at Zilina in Slovakia.
Inside, the materials and finish may be produced to a price, but they are tasteful and unpretentious. I particularly liked that Kia recognise the steering wheel is the most important tactile item in the car. A neat leather-bound steering wheel was a sensible luxury touch – quite literally.
My test car was the Cee'd 1.6D LS. Take note there are two 1.6 diesels in the Cee'd range - one produces 89 bhp, the other 113 bhp. The former is considerably slower, trailing three whole seconds behind the LS's 10.8 seconds 0-60 time.
The diesel engine in the 1.6D LS is impressive. Even at tickover, when cold (the time that diesels usually emit most clatter) it is quite subdued and once you get going you would not know it was a compression ignition engine under the bonnet. I found it responsive and remarkably lively.
Better still was the fuel consumption. So often recently I have found diesels producing nothing like the economy claimed when driving my regular routes on country by-ways and city streets. I do not doubt that they produce remarkable figures when zooming up and down the motorways, but not in city and commuting mode.
The Cee'd however impressed. The fuel consumption computer in the Kia reckoned I was doing more than 45 mpg on my daily commute. Offhand, apart from a Polo diesel that did nothing less than 48 mpg no matter how hard I drove it, that is one of the best economy figures on a normal commute for a long time.
My route takes in dual carriageway, small country roads and city streets. The Cee'd felt very much at home on all. It sits well on twisty roads and turns in well on corners, the driving pleasure enhanced by a reasonably responsive throttle. On dual carriageways it cruises well and in relaxed manner, but it is a little bit noisier than some competitors.
The Cee'd is also a very practical family hatch. We proved that there is space for five adults and the boot is big, with the usual added load flexibility of split folding rear seats.
I don't know whether it is a Cee'd foible or just the test car, but my time with it conincided with one of those rare warm periods this summer. I could not get the car to maintain its interior cool and ended setting my desired interior temperature at 16 C to have any real chilled air coming out of the vents!
The only other fly in the ointment for what is otherwise a very pleasant car to drive, is that Kia - in common with other Korean car companies - puts the steering column stalks the opposite way round to the accepted norm. If you drove nothing but this car you would soon get used to it, but for those of us programmed to the wipers on the right and the lights on the left, it is infuriating.
Kia used to be the budget price brand. With a good quality product they don't have to be bargain basement any more.
At £14,245 the Kia Cee'd 1.6D 113 LS (to give its full designation) is now close to the price of its most obvious European competitors. So it might seem obvious to go for the established, mainstream favourites?
Well maybe not. The Kia has a very strong selling point which is not even part of the car.
When it was launched the Kia Cee'd must have caused some sharp intakes of breath in the boardrooms of Ford, Vauxhall and others, by offering a five-year warranty. Well, guess what, Kia have just gone one better. Since April, the Kia Cee'd comes with a seven year warranty!
For many that will be what they call a 'deal clincher'!
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