In-depth reviews

Kia Ceed - Practicality, comfort and boot space

Clever packaging means decent space for adults to travel in comfort, while luggage space is excellent

Overall Auto Express Rating

4.0 out of 5

Practicality, comfort and boot space Rating

4.0 out of 5

Price
£22,545 to £31,145
Find your Kia Ceed
Offers from our trusted partners on this car and its predecessors...
Or are you looking to sell your car?
Advertisement

The Ceed is now a family of models, so if the standard Ceed five-door hatchback isn’t quite the right fit for your needs, there’s a more practical Sportwagon estate, sportier Proceed shooting brake and XCeed crossover to choose from. That said, the Ceed’s latest platform has increased space in the cabin, both for passengers and luggage.

Size

The Ceed measures 4,310mm long, 1,800mm wide (including the door mirrors) and 1,447mm high, making it a little smaller in every dimension than a Ford Focus. It retains the exact same wheelbase as the previous Cee’d, but some clever packaging means that space in the cabin is generally pretty good, with space for five adults at a push, plus an array of cubbies and pockets around the interior for oddments large and small.

Leg room, head room & passenger space

Kia claims that rear-seat space has been improved, particularly for the shoulders of adult passengers, while there isn’t much of a centre transmission tunnel to speak of, meaning there’s a bit more foot room for a middle rear-seat passenger than in a VW Golf.

Up front, the driving position has been lowered a little when compared to its predecessor, too. However, this is actually better experienced on lesser models which don’t have the 10-way electrically adjustable seat – the manually lowered driver’s seat has a better range of adjustment and allows you to get a spot-on driving position. They don’t have a sunroof either, which is something that makes headroom a bit tight in high-spec models for taller people.

The seats and steering wheel offer comprehensive adjustment, and the view out front is good. However, the focus on perceived sportiness has included the design choice of very thick C-pillars, which compromise the view out of the rear.

Boot

The new platform means a larger boot. All models, including the sporty-looking GT-Line and GT-Line S models, have the same boot capacity of 395 litres – more than a Focus or Golf. The boot is a useful size and shape, too, with the lip being almost 90mm lower than that of its predecessor to make it easier to load heavier items in the back. The Ceed also has a split-level boot floor, either giving a deeper load space, or allowing you to hide valuables below. The rear seats split-fold 60:40.

Towing

Buyers looking for their Ceed to perform towing duties should find the 1.5-litre petrol model capable enough as it's rated to tow up to 1,410kg.

Those are all competitive numbers, but if you need even more capacity, you’ll need either an Octavia or Golf in 2.0 TDI 150 DSG auto form, because both can lug around a 1600kg trailer or caravan.

Which Is Best

Cheapest

  • Name
    1.0T GDi ISG 2 5dr
  • Gearbox type
    Manual
  • Price
    £18,875

Most Economical

  • Name
    1.6 CRDi 48V ISG 2 5dr
  • Gearbox type
    Manual
  • Price
    £22,470

Fastest

  • Name
    1.6T GDi ISG GT 5dr DCT
  • Gearbox type
    Semi-auto
  • Price
    £27,110

Shane is responsible for looking after the day-to-day running of the Auto Express website and social media channels. Prior to joining Auto Express in 2021, he worked as a radio producer and presenter for outlets such as the BBC.

Most Popular

‘Forget leasing a car, a cut-price van should be your next everyday vehicle’
Opinion - Fiat Scudo
Opinion

‘Forget leasing a car, a cut-price van should be your next everyday vehicle’

With some huge savings to be had, Mike Rutherford thinks a van could be the perfect vehicle
3 Dec 2023
New Renault 5: price, specs, launch and on sale dates
Renault 5 EV concept at 2022 Goodwood Festival of Speed
News

New Renault 5: price, specs, launch and on sale dates

Renault’s reborn Renault 5 will start from €25,000 in Europe, suggesting a circa-£30k price in the UK. It's due on sale in the summer of 2024. Here's …
1 Dec 2023
Deal of the Day: Vauxhall Grandland is an ideal family SUV for £210 per month
Vauxhall Grandland front cornering
News

Deal of the Day: Vauxhall Grandland is an ideal family SUV for £210 per month

Vauxhall’s largest SUV can be had for the same price as most superminis, making it our Deal of the Day for 1 December
1 Dec 2023