Kia's new cee'd will entice conquest sales

Designed, developed and built in Europe, when launched in 2007 the Kia cee'd was the first model to establish the Korean carmaker as a serious contender to the established brands, writes Trish Whelan.

The car was also the first to have Kia's industry-leading 7-Year Warranty which was extended to the entire Kia range in January last year.

Now this second generation model, which arrives here early May (the wagon version in September/October), represents a further leap for the brand - both in terms of the capability and sophistication of the vehicle, but also what it will do to drive further momentum in their European sales.

So far, some 5,000 units have been bought in Ireland. Of these, 44 percent were 5-door models, 38 percent Station Wagons, and 18 percent were 3-doors.

Showing the overwhelming trend towards diesel, some 85 percent of cee'd cars sold here were diesels, rising to 90 percent since July 2008.

Kia Motors Ireland MD James Brooks says the Kia range at present 'is second to none in the market - with every single model on sale introduced in the last three years'.

Pictured at the cee'd international launch this week in Marbella is Aidan Doyle of Kia Motors Ireland.