Kia cee'D

With world-class power trains, a stylish and comfortable interior and a look that turns heads wherever it goes, the Kia Cee’d is the mid-sized hatchback that has it all. The qualities go right down to the core with a wide range of driver aids and connected car systems on board.

Kia hallmarks like the ‘tiger-nose’ front grille, sleek profile and wrap-around headlights remain largely untouched except for a new oval-shaped grille mesh. This has a chrome surround on the two lower-series versions and a graphite chrome surround on all others. All models except GT-Line have a newly designed front bumper which is now common to all three cee’d body styles.

The wheelbase is one of the longest in class at 2,650mm, while the wide front and rear tracks give the car a sporty stance which, along with the revised suspension geometry, contributes towards the car’s high-speed stability and cornering prowess. The athletic appearance of the cee’d is further emphasised by wheels of up to 17-inches in diameter, 18-inch on GT, tightly encased by the stylish bodywork. With its steeply angled A-pillars, low belt line and emphatic glasshouse, the new cee’d has something of a coupé-like profile.

The cab-forward design and a rakish, coupé-like roofline are not at the expense of passenger space, while the large rear overhang means the cee’d offers equally good luggage space of 380 litres, or 362 litres with the standard temporary spare wheel in place. The boot is long and wide, with a wide opening.

COMPARE CEE'D ENGINES

The Cee’d has a wide range of engine to suit all tastes. The key targets of the range were instantaneous response, highly efficient combustion and exemplary torque across a wide portion of the rev band.

These goals have been more than met with the aid of innovative technical solutions. The ecoTurbo engines feature laser-drilled injectors with six holes laid out in a pyramid shape so that the fine mist of fuel is spread more evenly throughout the cylinders than if it was being consistently sprayed into certain points. Thanks to a high-pressure pump, injection is at up to 200 bar.

The manual gearboxes in the Cee’d are six-speed units with a wide spread of ratios and long final drives to help bring down fuel consumption and CO2 emissions. They are light and compact with a short, slick shift, although there is the option of Kia’s new seven-speed dual-clutch (7-DCT) automatic transmission in conjunction with the 1.6-litre CRDi engine in grades ‘2’, ‘3’, ‘4’ and GT-Line.

European driving conditions impose different challenges to those found almost anywhere else on earth. Highway speeds are generally higher. Towns and cities often have narrow, bumpy streets. And in-between there are winding country roads, mountain passes and twisting lanes. To cope with this eclectic mix a car must be both agile and supple.