Foreign cars? They all look the same to me. They used to all look goofy, but now they all look like Toyotas.
In many ways, that is the most impressive thing about this Kia Cee’d.
Yes, Toyotas still get criticism for dull styling, but that’s better than criticism for naff styling. Naff being the kindest word I can use to express early Korean designs.
It is smart to look like a Toyota because a Toyota is expensive. So without even checking the price list, people will assume, ‘I can buy a car that is like a Toyota, but cheaper.’
But does it feel as good to drive? Does everything work assuredly? Well, no. But its not far off, and it does have some very good characteristics.
Clambering in, you notice the build quality is a bit like a Skoda. Plain, but very well built. You can’t criticise it on quality, which is important for a brand like Kia. The hand brake never really convinced me it was on, as there was zero feel in it, but that’s about it. Oh, and I heard a plastic squeak. Once.
The head room, shoulder room and bootspace are all good. For anyone over 6” tall however, the front seats are a little too short in the base and can’t be sufficiently angle-adjusted to compensate.
The driving position is excellent, with reach and rake-adjustable steering. The steering wheel boasts all the radio and computer controls in an easy-to-use layout. It is well thought-out and reminds you of the high level of basic specification all the time. Which should give you a satisfied smile.
With the diesel engine, both this car and the Hyundai i30, chugg and shudder for literally 1 second after you have turned the engine off and removed the key. When we couldn’t afford garage labour costs, my Dad used to change the cam belt on our family cars himself. He didn’t quite have all the right tools (I remember him using tippex to mark points so he could re-align key components!). As a result, for weeks afterwards, until fine tuning resolved it, every time Mum turned the engine off, the car could run on for a few seconds before effectively stalling.
The Cee’d’s ‘run on’ is not as bad as our family Astras, but it bothers me. It makes me think,
‘cheap,’ every time I finish an otherwise lovely journey. But it doesn’t seem to bother or even register with others. So you may want to overlook the shudder and this paragraph too. The engine, around town, is positively excitable.
It just whips along and it reminds me of the Volkswagen Golf 1.6 petrol, which is a heady compliment. It always provides plenty of acceleration whenever you need it, without changing gear. Pulling out into busy main roads, there is no turbo lag, no computer lag and no need to find second gear the instant you are moving. So it’s better than a lot of petrol and diesel offerings from more established and more expensive manufacturers.
The gear ratios, engine and very light steering make this large-ish estate feel like a city car. If anything, the light steering and slippery leather on the wheel are almost too much. They encourage you to accelerate round tight corners and release the wheel, which is not the safest way to go about things. It can also result in the car straightening up aggressively. This will catch your passengers by surprise and make them wonder if you should have ever been given a driving licence. But if Kia did anything to change this, it wouldn’t be so easy to park, three-point-turn or u-turn. It does all of these things extremely easily.
Over pot-holes and sleeping policeman, the suspension feels like it might break, giving exactly the same sensation as Nissans. So if its OK for them, I guess its OK for Kia too.
Out on the Motorway, the excitable engine so suited to inner-city driving, gets into its stride. It provides a refined, quite ride. Road and wind noise levels are also very good. Coming off the M11, heading into Stansted, I was pleasantly surprised as I drove through the long sweeping slip road that the steering develops enough weight to build confidence.
Summary
An excellent all round family car that looks much more expensive than it is. The engines are Kia’s best attributes, closely followed by the level of equipment. The Cee’d can also be found on the nearly new market at very attractive prices. It also has a massive
7 year/100,000 mile warranty.
Real car in the classifieds
07 Reg KIA Cee’d SW 1.6 CRDi GS
12,870 miles
£9,995
Road test car details
Kia Cee’d SW 1.6 CRDi LS
OTR: £14,995
MPG: 57.6
0-62: 11.7 secs
Co2: 128 g/km
Words: Matthew Tumbridge