It’s getting very difficult to say new things about Kia’s cars, writes Brian Byrne. The superlatives are becoming jaded.
Maybe it’s not a bad way to be. But the situation was hammered home this week when I got behind the wheel of the Korean maker’s new generation cee’d. Five years ago it was the model that put Kia on the road to being a real contender in the compact family hatch business in Europe. Now the cee’d is making an arguable case for overtaking the leaders, VW’s Golf and Ford’s Focus.
Is that a mere stretch of fancy after some scenic driving in the mountains of southern Spain? After examining my conscience, I don’t think so.
The new cee’d is longer, wider and lower than the first version. Which makes it look a lot smoother and sexy. There’s the same wheelbase, already long in the segment. So inside there’s more comfort and room than before—even the headroom is better despite the lower roof.
The front end style is forceful without being aggressive. Current Kia detailing calls for variations on the grille form that give each model their own distinction but retain the intake’s common shape. The lights have a slightly wicked look, with unblinking DRLs.
In profile there’s chrome trim outlining the glasshouse section, while a rising character along the waistline emphasises a ’ready-to-go’ stance. The rear hatch makes the most of the extra width, is strong and coherent in looks. There are new styles in wheels to finish off the package in whatever way is a buyer’s favourite.
But, as has been the case in all recent new cars from Kia, it is the interior that extracts the ’wow!s’. This is why Japanese cars are becoming less attractive to buyers in many parts of the world, not least Europe.
I’ve said it before, with Picanto, Venga, Sportage, Rio and the upcoming Optima. Arguably the best finish, style and sheer ergonomics of anything out there. Cheerful too, with colourful lights and graphics. The central speedometer and incorporated driving information section is actually a 7” high definition LCD screen with iPad level readability.
There’s a high level of specification in all three grades which will be available in Ireland. I’ll detail these better when it arrives.
The powertrains will start with a 1.6 100hp petrol unit, Band B for Irish tax purposes, and providing the model with an entry level price of €18,999. A couple of grand extra gets you a 90hp 1.4 diesel version, while the one likely to appeal to most Irish buyers is the EX 1.4 diesel at €22,495. A 1.6 128hp diesel, with the option of an automatic gearbox, is the third motor. In manual transmissions both diesels are Band A for Ireland, the auto 1.6 a Band C.
On these international launches they give you routes that are obviously designed to show off the relevant cars. And there are very nice driving roads in Andalucia. So both on motorway and winding up hills the new cee’d gave a very composed account of itself.
We drove the two diesels, the 1.4 very quiet and refined and quite up to the job for which it was designed. The much more powerful 1.6 offered a bit of fun, both in the excellent manual and equally good automatic. The two are 6-speeds. A double clutch automated manual is going to be available for the petrol model, and down the line in the diesels.
Kia’s engineers have made some changes to the rear suspension, and suggest a more composed performance has ensued. Certainly it proved comfortable, and even when we took the car ’off piste’ to substantially less good surfaces the car took the punishment with aplomb.
Our upcoming more extensive appraisal when it gets to Ireland at the end of May will offer a better insight into just how good this car has become.
It is very hard to prise the keys of their favourite cars from Golf and Focus owners. But in this most important of segments, the new cee’d will do it if any newcomer can.
After all, the combined Hyundai and Kia brands make the partnership now the fifth biggest carmaker in the world, and still climbing. The new cee’d represents the latest reason why.
