Kia’s a car company with confidence right now. Its Stinger executive saloon has proven a genuine challenger to the German elite, so this third generation Ceed arrives with a spring in its step (and without the pointless apostrophe of the previous two models) to take on the Volkswagen Golf, new Mercedes A-Class and forthcoming Ford Focus.
There’s more than a hint of Stinger to the new Ceed’s look. It’s lower and wider than before with a broader tiger nose grille and swept back lights, while this newly confident Kia talks about a more engaging drive – we’ll see about that later.
• Best hatchbacks on sale 2018
While the overall length of the car hasn’t changed, the rear overhang has grown to enlarge the boot, and the interior has been given a thorough makeover in keeping with the brand’s other new models.
Quality wise, it’s on par with the Golf. There are posh, soft surfaces on top of the dash and doors, Germanic-looking and feeling switches and seat materials, and the now obligatory touchscreen – seven inches on our mid-range 3 spec car, rising to eight on First Edition models – that sits on top of the dash.
Our first test is of a new 1.4-litre T-GDi petrol engine model, likely to be the UK’s best seller ahead of two new 1.6-litre diesels. You can also go for a three-cylinder 1.0-litre petrol with 119bhp, which powers the entry-level car that starts at £18,295 in 2 spec. Whatever happened to 1 spec we’ll never know, but we’re told that PCP prices will start at a little over £200 thanks to a decent deposit from you and a generous £1500 contribution from Kia.
Our 1.4 3 should cost a little over £20,500 – undercutting a less powerful Golf Match by over £1500. Kia won’t confirm prices or kit levels until nearer the August on sale date, but expect Apple CarPlay and Android Auto to be standard with that touchscreen, while advanced stuff like autonomous driving features and fancy LED lights will be available, too. We’d be surprised if the Ceed didn’t outpunch the Golf on equipment.
But can it outpunch it on the road? The new engine is smooth and sprightly from a standstill and in gear, but perhaps most remarkable is how quiet it is – the first time you turn a wheel you’ll be surprised at the hush. A claimed average economy just the right side of 50mpg is welcome, too.
You can get a seven-speed dual clutch auto box that will probably add around £800 to the price, but we’d stick with the sweet-shifting manual – the auto can be a bit sluggish to react, while the manual is slick and easy to use.
But don’t go thinking Kia is playing the comfort card here – remember the word engaging? Kia has had a go, but the new K2 platform is where things start to unravel. The ride is certainly sporty, but that makes it firm, too. It never really settles, even when cruising, so we’ll have to have a close look at ride comfort when the car comes to the UK – as you should. That said, the cars on our Portuguese test drive sat on sexy 17-inch wheels – lesser options may be a better bet.
And while the steering feels meaty and direct, and the body stays flat through corners, we were disappointed that the front of the car didn’t bite a bit harder – there isn’t the level of grip you might expect when you turn in sharply.
This, though, is a family hatchback and the new Ceed does the family things pretty well. That posh cabin offers good space in the back for adults, while the newly enlarged boot with its lower load lip (we love it when car makers listen to their customers) offers 395 litres of space or 1291 with the rear seats folded, both figures are higher than a Golf’s.
- Model: Kia Ceed 1.4 T-GDI 3
- Price: £20,500 (est)
- Engine: 1.4-litre four-cylinder
- Power/torque: 138bhp/242Nm
- Transmission: Seven-speed automatic, front-wheel-drive
- 0-62mph: 8.9 seconds
- Top speed: 130mph
- Economy/CO2: 50.4mpg/128g/km
- Equipment: 7-inch touchscreen with CarPlay and Android Auto, AEB, Alloy wheels, Seven-year warranty
- On sale: August
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