A quick look at the 2018 Kia Ceed
You only have to look at cars such as the Skoda Octavia the Ford Focus and the Volkswagen Golf to know that the family hatchback market is a tough challenge for anyone. However, the Kia Ceed has made a pretty good name for itself in this playground primarily by offering more kit for less money and a market-leading 7-year warranty. The all new Ceed is doing its best to renew the fight but is it worthy being listed amongst such fierce competitors? In this short article we’re going to find out.
What’s it like on the inside? Even on entry-level versions of the Kia Ceed you’ll find plenty of adjustment in the seats so you should be able to find a comfortable driving position quite easily. If you upgrade to the 3 trim then you get electrically adjustable lumbar support which is perfect for keeping a bad back at bay on those longer journeys. Top-spec models even have fully adjustable electrical seats with two memory settings - nice. Nowadays more and more car makers are trying to do away with physical buttons and instead have everything controlled through the touchscreen. However, it’s pleasing to see that Kia have instead kept clearly marked buttons. They way they are designed means is that you don’t even have to read the manual to find out how to adjust something simple like the heated seats or air conditioning. All Kia Ceeds come with a touchscreen infotainment system which rises from 7-inch to 8-inch depending on which trim you go for. As standard the system comes with a DAB radio, Bluetooth connectivity and Apple Car Play and Android Auto smart phone mirroring. The screen is pretty easy to use and logically laid out though our only complaint here is that some of the icons are a little small to hit whilst on the move.
Inside the cabin everything seems to be well screwed together and there’s plenty of squidgy plastic dotted around that really does help to give this car a more premium feel. Even the entry-level models have a quality feel about them even if they are a little on the dull side. Overall, the inside of this car is definitely more impressive than the Fiat Tipo or dare we say it the Vauxhall Astra. In terms of visibility it’s really good when looking out of the front mainly thanks to the think A-pillars. However, looking out of rear isn’t as good, it’s hindered because of the rear screen and thick pillars at the back. The good news is that all Kia Ceeds come with a reversing camera as standard which is great if parking is not your strong point.
Sit in the back and you’ll discover that headroom is quite decent but your legroom is a little compromised especially when compared to the Skoda Octavia or the Ford Focus. The seats themselves are very comfortable and if you’re lucky, or unlucky, enough to sit in the middle seat the floor is virtually flat so you’ll have somewhere to put your feet. The Ceed’s boot offers more space than you’d find in a VW Golf or SEAT Leon but can’t quite match the class-leading Skoda Octavia. Usefully, it does come with a two-level boot floor so you can hide smaller items under the boot floor out of sight. The boot is impressively deep too with good access. If you find yourself at the local garden centre and in need of even more space then you can split and fold the rear seats giving you even more space. The only issue we have here is that the seats don’t quite lie completely flat unless you move the boot floor up to the top level.
When it comes to engine choices there’s far less choice than you’d find in a Volkswagen Golf. Kicking things off is a 1.0 litre engine and this is probably what most buyers will find adequate enough. However, this engine is far from blisteringly quick so if you’re after something with a little more poke then you’re better off with the 1.4 litre engine. Yes, this engine is a lot more flexible in the real world but with the increase in engine size there’s also an increase in Co2 emissions and less fuel economy. If you’ll be doing a lot of miles and therefore require a diesel then your sole choice is a 1.6 litre diesel engine. However, our experience of this engine suggests that it won’t be an awful lot punchier than the 1.0 litre petrol so only choose this if you’ll be doing a lot of motorway miles.
The refinement you get with the Ceed can’t match up to the Golf or Skoda Octavia. This is outlined by the fact that the 1.0 litre engine sends quite a few vibrations back through the controls. The 1.4 litre engine is certainly a bit smoother and quieter overall. The standard 6-speed manual gearbox is precise but the brakes can be a bit grabby that’s at least until you get used to them. Sadly, when it comes to ride the seating doesn’t match up to the Skoda Octavia. Ok, it won’t rattle your fillings out but it doesn’t really do a good job of ironing out the pimples that you find on the lumps and bumps that you find on UK roads. The upshot of the relatively firm suspension is that the Ceed handles pretty well turning into corners easily and controls body lean excellently. Unfortunately, the steering doesn’t give you any hints about what the front end of the car is up to but nevertheless this car can be enjoyable on a winding piece of country road.
In the past you’d expect the Kia Ceed to be undercutting its rivals quite a lot. However, the model we tested for this article was priced in line with the Skoda Octavia and Ford Focus. However, it will hold on to its value better than both of these other cars which is largely thanks to the 100,000 mile or 7-year warranty. This sort of makes up for the engines which aren’t particularly efficient. Even entry-level versions of the Ceed come with air conditioning, cruise control, 7-inch touchscreen and a reversing camera. However, we would suggest upgrading to the mid-range 3 trim instead as it gets you a larger touchscreen with sat-nav plus dual zone climate control, rear parking sensors and larger alloy wheels. Every Kia Ceed comes with automatic emergency braking too as well as lane-keeping assistance and a driver attention monitor.
So how do we conclude this short articles? Well, the Kia Ceed offers sharp handling a well-built interior and a decent boot but despite these positives there are still better all-rounders out on the market. If you’re tempted check out some new or used Kia Ceed cars for sale then be sure to check out DesperateSeller.co.uk.
