Introduction
The Ceed has been a hugely influential car for Kia. Originally known as the Cee’d, it arrived as the firm’s first Europe-specific model when it hit the road in 2006, and since then, has really put Kia on the map. Offering the kind of value-for-money we now expect from the firm, the Ceed really set the tone for future models.
And though Kia’s range has expanded, the Ceed has always sat right at the heart of it. These days, it’s available in a variety of different layouts such as a regular hatch and a stylish shooting brake, giving buyers more options than ever. Here, we’re taking a look at the regular Ceed in entry-level ‘2’ specification. Let’s see what it has to offer.
Performance
This entry-level Ceed comes equipped with a pretty straightforward powertrain. It’s a 1.0-litre turbocharged petrol engine, bringing 118bhp and 172Nm of torque driven through the front wheels via a six-speed manual gearbox. You’re not getting sizzling performance, unsurprisingly, with 0-60mph coming in 11 seconds - but it’s quick enough for most occasions.
The real focus here is on efficiency. Kia claims that this engine will return up to 54.3mpg and emit just 119g/km CO2. It’ll mean that this Ceed is both cheap to run and cheap to tax, too.
Ride and handling
One of the ways in which the Ceed really excels is its ease of use. It offers up an excellent ride which deals with the worst of the UK’s roads, helped no end by the 16-inch alloy wheels with well-sized tyres which soak up plenty of the surface’s imperfections. There’s neat handling to be found, too, so it’s more than up to the task of driving down twisty lanes.
The engine requires a little bit of working to get the car up to speed efficiently, but the six-speed gearbox is smooth and easy to use. It’s surprisingly refined, too, sitting quite happily at motorway speeds without too much protest. The only drawback is a little bit of wind and road noise which disrupt the otherwise quiet cabin.
Interior
The interior of the Ceed mirrors the kind of fuss-free attitude that you get from the rest of the car. You get a clean layout with accessible and logical controls and though it might not be laden with high-tech features, it feels as though you’ve got everything you need within easy reach.
Plus, it’s got plenty of space on its side. The 395-litre boot is wide and open, too, and slightly larger than the one you’ll find in cars like the Ford Focus or Volkswagen’s Golf.
There’s nothing entry-level about the equipment on offer in the Ceed. Even this base-
Cost
Given that the Ceed starts from £20,355 and undercuts many of its key rivals, it shows that Kia is still very much focused on giving value to its customers. You also get an awful lot of equipment for the money too, with entry-level versions bringing the kind of features that you’d expect from a car costing an awful lot more.
Remember too that the Ceed comes accompanied by a seven-year or 100,000-mile warranty, so you’ll have many years of fuss-free motoring from the moment you buy it.
Verdict
The Kia Ceed is an example of a car built to get the job done. Though it might not be as exciting nor as technology-laden as other models in the segment, it counters this with a great level of build quality and plenty of standard equipment at an affordable price.
Add into this its attractive price and the Ceed becomes a real champion of honest, down-to-earth motoring - something we’ve come to expect from Kia.
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