Kia is at that ‘difficult second album’ stage. Its latest cars have been critically acclaimed, but can it move the game on further to challenge the very best?
The second-generation Kia Cee’d follows hot on the heels (in car terms) of the original car, launched just five years ago. The big challenge for Kia is to produce a car that’s famous for more than just its seven-year warranty. This could just be the car to do it.
Video: Watch our video review of the new Cee'd
In a conservative market dominated by the Ford Focus and VW Golf, the Ceed’s style is certainly a cut above its rivals. Kia’s ever growing ‘Tiger’ grille is surrounded by oversized headlamps (with integrated LEDs) that swoop around the sides of the car. The profile with its low nose and high rear is very Astra-like, while the back is equally pretty with rear lamps that sit slightly proud of the bodywork.
Open the front door and you’re greeted by an attractive, well-built, strongly specced and roomy interior. The Cee’d has grown in length by 50mm (but reduced in height and width, both by 10mm), which equates to 21mm more legroom in the back, and 12mm more headroom. This is a seriously spacious small car, with more than enough room for four (five at a pinch) above average-size adults to travel in comfort.
The boot has grown, too, and at 380 litres is 64 litres larger than the boot of a Ford Focus. With the rear seats flipped up, the backrests fold flat for a total of 1318 litres of space, over 200 more than the Focus.
The new dash features plenty of soft-touch plastics in all the right places, although some of the lower-spec cars we tried still had low rent hard plastic across the dash – higher-spec cars get glossy black or silver effect plastic and look really up market. But when will Kia finally ditch the indicator and wiper stalks that look and feel like they’ve come from a 1970s Datsun?
At last, though, Kia is competing with the best on tech, whether you’re talking self parking systems, connectivity, navigation or full length (and opening) panoramic sunroofs. We’ll know more about trim levels and kit closer to the Cee’d’s June launch, but the old model was pretty generously specced and we’d expect that trend to continue.
What we do know is that the Cee’d will come with two diesels and three petrol engines. The diesels are 89bhp 1.4 and 126bhp 1.6, while entry-level cars will be 99bhp 1.4 petrol and there’s also a 1.6 petrol with 133bhp and available with a new double-clutch automatic gearbox.
We drove the larger diesel, which wasn’t exactly a ball of fire. Acceleration feels a little sluggish and although there’s a decent slug of torque at around 2000rpm, you’ll be better off dropping down a gear through the nicely weighted gearbox.
The engine’s a bit growly, too, especially around town – the smaller (but less frugal) 1.4 is smoother and more refined. However, Kia claims average economy of 76mpg and 97g/km for the 1.6D, which isn’t too bad.
In spite of talk of improvements to the multi-link rear suspension and MacPherson struts at the front, the new Cee’d isn’t a sharp handling car – it’ll lean a bit through corners and feels nose heavy. The steering makes things worse, feeling overly light and needing constant little corrections at the straight ahead on the motorway. It doesn’t offer linear inputs as you turn the wheel, too, while the option of normal, sport or comfort modes for the steering only confuses things.
But if you care little about how your car handles and prefer a relaxed, comfortable ride, then the Kia scores highly – it handles bumps and ruts okay, with just a hint of firmness. However, it’s sensitive to tyres: the cars we tested were fitted with Hankooks or Continentals, the former adding an extra degree of firmness.
As with trim levels, prices will be announced closer to June, but Kia hopes they’ll start from around £14,500 and settle at around 5 per cent less than the equivalent Focus. But don’t forget that every Cee’d comes with something no other rival does – a seven-year warranty.
There’ll be more Cee’d action later this year, too, with the estate arriving in September and then a three-door Pro_cee’d being shown at the Paris Motor Show at the end of that month – it’ll be more coupe than three-door according to Kia, and come with the 184bhp 1.6 turbo engine from sister company Hyundai’s Veloster coupe.
Disqus - noscript
So this site/magazine here says the kia doesn't handle as good but is civilized and comfortable.
Another (autocar) just described as overly sporty and unecessary stiff...
Who to believe hugh?
Oh and kia will dump the wipers switchgear when they as a company want to end up way low in the reliability ladder like VAG for example...which also uses the same old school switchgear from the golf IV...
Try and find something else to throw mud at kia. You said no cursing in the posts but something comes to mind.
I'm not sure I understand this review. You state that the engine is no ball of fire but don't make much fuss about the CO2 and economy which seem pretty amazing to me. I'd say that for a sub 100g car to be described in a way that indicates that there is very little in the way of compromise in performance is an achievement for Kia. No doubt a Golf would have got five stars.
Now don't get me wrong, whilst I have I owned a MK1 Pro_Cee'd I am not blindly jumping to the defence of KIA, I currently own a VW and am perfectly happy with it. But this review doesn't make sense. What is the reviewer looking for? this car rides and handles well and has pretty exceptional economy (on paper at least) but the main criticism seems to be it doesnt' feel sporty (it's a family 5 door hatch) and the economy was brushed over as if it was poor. It certainly seems to contradict other reviews of the car. And as for the switchgear? well if it's the same as my Pro_cee'd then that's great because they were probably the best switches I'd used in a car, well weighted, worked very well and were intuitive? so what's the problem? I agree with the two responses above, if this had a VW or Ford badge on it the reviewer would have fawned all over it. Yet Ford can produce a rather ungainly Focus and VW a stick-in-the-mud golf and they get raved about. Certainly seems like badge snobbery/back-handers to me....
"It doesn’t offer linear inputs as you turn the wheel"...
What on earth does that mean? This is a review of a new Family car for pete's sake, not a new stealth bomber...
Grow up Auto Express and start to give unbiased and fair reviews. Here is a car that gives amazing value, is very well equipped, as tested the engine is very clean, economical and the car is road tax free. A 7 year warranty takes care of the rare problems and so what if it does`nt handle like a Grand Prix car, it is not going to be purchased for that reason.
In your 4-Star Review you said "low rent hard plastic across the dash – indicator and wiper stalks that look and feel like they’ve come from a 1970s Datsun - acceleration feels a little sluggish, the engine’s a bit growly - it isn’t a sharp handling car – it’ll lean a bit through corners and feels nose heavy - the steering makes things worse, feeling overly light and needing constant little corrections"
hate to think what a three star review would be like
If this was a VW or an AUDI this would be the best thing since slice bread wouldn't it Auto Express!
So 5 % less than a Focus and does that mean 10-15% less than a Golf (before options) have you seen how much more kit KIA you get for your money?
I think it's a good looking car and the interior is similar to the new Optima which isn't a bad place to be.
Did the guy who was reviewing this car not get any the night before?
We'd just like to reiterate our verdict, in case some of you haven't spotted in the right-hand panel:
"Kia can now cut it with the big boys, and the new Cee’d is about more than just a seven year warranty. It’s stylish, spacious and nicely built. The engines are efficient and refined and the ride’s comfortable. Don’t go expecting a rewarding driving experience and you won’t be disappointed – for 80 per cent of people for 80 per cent of the time, the new Cee’d could be exactly what they’re looking for."
The Cee'd is a very good car. Three stars is average, so four stars means it's very good - a car will only get five stars if it's better than all of its rivals. Hope this helps clear things up and thanks for taking the time to get in touch.
Thanks,
Auto Express
In your 4-Star Review you said "low rent hard plastic across the dash – indicator and wiper stalks that look and feel like they’ve come from a 1970s Datsun - acceleration feels a little sluggish, the engine’s a bit growly - it isn’t a sharp handling car – it’ll lean a bit through corners and feels nose heavy - the steering makes things worse, feeling overly light and needing constant little corrections"
hate to think what a three star review would be like
Notwithstanding the fact that the AE boys have already given a response to the comments above, I just wanted to add that, while I've found a couple of things to criticise about my own Cee'd SW in terms of interior build quality / rattles, one thing I have absolutely no complaints about is the switchgear which, I agree with JamesRiley above, is the best I've encountered!
Apart from that, I'm not convinced by the frontal styling of this Cee'd (much prefer the sister i30), but it certainly has a solid, high-quality appearance.
As I've said before, if Kia has addressed the rattles of the old model, this deserves to do well.
I'm bored of that grill already.
They are almost, but not quite, cars.
I agree with all the comments above but leaving the car to one side and having read lots off reviews by autocar staff it seems to me that a) the staff don't have any formally designed and implemented criteria for judging cars b) they have never been in the motoring manufacturing industry c) they make unverifiable statements on build quality/reliability ,how can you when you only test one car for a short time. So to sumarize , some of your individual points may be correct often the overall conclusion leaves the reader utterly bemused, especially if you own one off the cars one test.Not forgetting that it is the opinion of one person not qualified in anything related to car manufacturing or statistics.
Here in France Renault sales so far this year have dropped by over 24%, Ford are down around 7%. Kia and Hyundai sales are up. Badge snobbery is not so important in France, that is why Dacia are doing so well.
The warranties are selling these cars and now that they are closer to their rivals in styling, performance, quality and dynamics, the Koreans are going to munch into the market share of their European rivals.
If the European manufacturers feel their products could be too costly to maintain over 5 years and therefore cannot guarantee them for that long, why should customers expose themselves to potentially high bills when you have peace of mind with Kia?
Looks a bit plastic-fantastic inside for me, too much cheap shiny stuff on display