cee'd joins the space race

This is the first official picture of Kia's new production-ready cee'd SW, the model that takes centre stage on the Korean firm's Geneva Motor Show stand next month.

Designed and built in Europe, the new estate was first shown in near-showroom ready form at the Paris Motor Show last year. Since then, Kia has put the finishing touches to the design and is ready to launch the load-lugger in the summer.

At 4.5 metres in length, the cee'd SW is a substantial 235mm longer than the five-door. The extra millimetres have been added behind the rear seats, which results in a 534-litre luggage capacity - nearly 200 litres more than the hatchback. Kia has also added 10mm to the roof to boost space even further. To allow buyers to make the most of the extra room, the tailgate hinges have been moved forward from the edge of the roof. This leaves a larger opening to get luggage and bulky items inside.

Prices have yet to be announced, but the new model will be available in S, GS and LS trims. Meanwhile, the sporty three-door cee'd will complete the hatchback line-up later this year.