Kia Ceed Review - FQ Magazine

With plenty of room and sharp steering, Kia’s hatchback is well suited as a family car.

Kia has loads of faith in itself – and rightly so if the Ceed is anything to go by.

The car’s sleek headlights and wide grille help to give it a poised look. What’s more, the latest version of the hatchback boasts excellent rear-shoulder-room.

Quality Cabin

The interior quality of the Ceed is on an equal footing with VW’s Golf, with well-made switchgear, and soft-to-the-touch surfaces covering the dashboard and doors. There’s also a bright and simple-to-use touchscreen fitted.

We were lent the keys to the 1.6 CRDi ‘3’ 48v iMT Ceed. It’s effortless to drive, hushed and relatively punchy, too. The diesel-propelled test-car came with a slick six-speed intelligent manual transmission (that’s what the iMT above stands for).

Economical Engine

The iMT, along with the ‘Smartstream’ diesel engine, plus 48-volt mild hybrid technology, makes the Ceed very economical. It returns an average of 58.9mpg, while CO2 emissions are 120g/km. The only pitfall with the car is a slight lack of ride comfort. It’s not a big concern, but things are a tad firm.

Driving Confidence

Yes, it means you get a sporty ride, especially on 17-inch alloy wheels, and the hatchback stays level in corners, but it never feels relaxed, even at cruising speed.

There are no criticisms from us about the Ceed’s steering, however. It weights up well, and it’s pin-sharp. Certainly, the five-door car encourages driving confidence, and you quickly feel at ease behind the wheel.

All this, as well as excellent room for four people (five at a push) and a well-screwed-together cabin, is what you need from a family car. It’s reasonably priced, too – with this model costing £24,465 on the road.