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Kia Cee'd (2012-2018) review - Practicality, comfort and boot space

Competitive boot space easy access and an estate version mean the facelifted Kia Cee’d can easily cope with the rigours of family life

Practicality, comfort and boot space rating

3.7

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Three body styles are available, meaning you can tailor what shape and size Cee’d you want depending on the level of practicality you need. 

There’s plenty of space to stow items such as mobile phones inside the cabin, as the Cee’d boasts a roomy glovebox and door bins. There are two cupholders behind the gear lever and a large storage area in front.

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Despite the rakish styling for a family hatch, visibility is good – but even if you find it difficult to manoeuvre, there’s a reversing camera available to help when parking and turning round. 

The driving position is good, with lots of adjustment in the seats and steering wheel so you can get just right behind the wheel. 

Size 

At 4.3 metres long, 1.8 metres wide and 1.5 metres tall, the Cee’d is smack bang in the middle of the family hatch class. For reference, Volkswagen's Golf is 4.3 metres long, 1.8 metres wide and 1.5 metres tall…

This means it’s simple to park and drive, helped by the strong visibility.

Leg room, head room & passenger space

The three-door is obviously sportier, but the five-door Cee’d strikes a nice balance between ease of use and looks. Access to the rear is good thanks to a fairly large opening, and once you’re back there, there’s an adequate amount of legroom. The relatively high roofline means even taller adults won’t be rubbing their heads on the roof in the back.

Boot space 

At 380 litres boot space is unchanged and is on a par with rivals such as the Volkswagen Golf and SEAT Leon. A wide hatch and a good opening means it’s easy to load, too. Fold the rear seats down and there’s a maximum of 1,318 litres on offer in the five-door model, while the Sportswagon estate offers 528 litres and 1,642 litres respectively.

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