Kia Cee’d vs Mazda 3 vs Citroen C4
As the most important car that the Korean manufacturer has ever produced, the Kia Cee'd means business, so we drove two rivals to meet the top-spec 1.6-litre CRDi LS head-on.
We escaped the British winter and headed to the south of France for the launch of the Kia Cee’d in February. It was the most important
car that the Korean manufacturer has ever produced, because it was designed and built exclusively for European customers.
It’s clear Kia means business, so we drove two rivals to meet the top-spec 1.6-litre CRDi LS head-on. Just like its Far Eastern rival, Citroen has a reputation for competitive pricing, making the C4 an obvious contender. The same goes for the Mazda 3, which showcases the driver appeal and build quality to which Kia aspires.
In fact, with the cars lined up side-by-side, several people commented that the Cee’d looked quite like the 3, with both sharing similar proportions, long roofs and proud noses. But even though the Mazda went through a mild facelift in 2006, it’s starting to show its age. And while build quality is fine, the cabin lacks the verve of the Citroen’s or the airy simplicity of the Kia’s. More importantly, although the 3 handles sharply, has nicely weighted steering and is fun to drive, it doesn’t ride as well as the Cee’d – and, crucially for a family car, it isn’t that roomy either. Lacking its rival’s all-round appeal, it finished third.
The C4 was only just ahead of the Mazda. For starters, although the Citroen certainly wins in the style stakes with its dramatic exterior lines matched by an equally quirky cabin, the French hatch hasn’t got the build quality of its Far Eastern competitors.
On top of this flimsy nature, a static-hub steering wheel and three separate digital displays mean the C4 takes a fair bit of familiarisation, while the five-speed manual gearbox has a vague shift, and there’s excessive steering kickback on bumpy roads. But there’s no denying that the Citroen is comfortable – in fact, it has arguably the best ride of any family hatch. This is despite the fact that the HDi engine isn’t as refined as the Kia unit at start-up and it’s not the strongest performer. What’s more, as well as boasting the shortest wheelbase, the C4 has the smallest boot.
Ultimately, despite the Citroen’s strengths, the Kia took a convincing win. Yet what really made this such a significant test was the fact that the Cee’d represents a quantum leap forward for Kia – it’s a much more appealing and competitive product than anything it has offered before. With clean styling, a comfortable and well built cabin, plus a refined engine and competent handling, it makes a fine all-round package.
And that’s before we even consider value for money. True, the Cee’d is not much better equipped than the opposition, but MP3 player and USB inputs are useful, and don’t forget the excellent seven-year warranty. This Kia ensured that 2007 got off to a great start.
