Kia Cee'd Sportswagon

In recent years Kia’s reputation has come on leaps and bounds. Known previously for their outdated and lacklustre models Kia and Hyundai are now regarded by many as a viable alternative to some of the more established car manufacturers. I must admit to being sceptical. I know it can happen, just look at Skoda and the unprecedented progress they have made in the past 20 years, but in my experience Korean cars have always left me feeling short changed. So how will this run out Kia Cee’d fare?

Unassuming face

 Firstly we must mention the elephant in the room that is the stupid name. I appreciate the effort to be different but a car name with an apostrophe in it is just plain silly. There isn’t anything you or I can do about it so I will try my best to approach this car with an open mind and ignore the surplus grammar on the tailgate.

Economical & dynamic - bold ambitions

Visually the Cee’d is inoffensive. I don’t think there are any particular talking points that make you sit up and take notice but perhaps more crucially there isn’t a part of the car that makes your eyes hurt. Everything slots together quite agreeably. Those split rear side windows provide particularly good vision over your shoulder too but the rear window requires constant cleaning on a wet day as it gets dirty far too easily. On such an occasion the screen wash spills out from the top of the window too and runs all down the tailgate. This not only looks messy but means you get wet hands if you happen to want to open the tailgate shortly afterwards. That aside, the Cee’d is a nice looking car for the discerning motorist.

Simple lines

Step inside and things take a turn for the worst. As you open the door you’ll notice numerous safety stickers on the side of the dashboard. These may be a legal requirement but they lower the tone and other manufacturers seem to manage just fine without them. You then catch a glimpse of the fuel cap release under the driver’s seat. It looks, and feels cheap and nasty and really sets the tone. Elsewhere Kia has made the automotive cardinal sin of using shiny plastics on big flat surfaces. It looks terrible. The seats offer no lateral support whatsoever and it took several adjustments before I finally felt remotely comfortable behind the wheel with cramp having developed in my leg in the mean time. The arm rest is fixed so is totally useless and the dials remind me of those cheap clocks found in Poundland. Still, at least you get USB and aux inputs along with Bluetooth connectivity which can be operated using the steering wheel controls or the myriad of buttons on the dashboard. Don’t ask me how though, for this is the only car I’ve ever come across where I wasn’t able to change the sound settings or connect my phone via Bluetooth. Too many buttons and far, far too complicated.

Nasty fuel cap release - a hint of things to come

The glowplugs are particularly efficient so you can get underway quickly and forget about the lacklustre surroundings. Now, things begin to improve again. The engine is rather noisy but it was quite a pleasant noise for a diesel which rises steady up to a concerto at 3,750rpm – the perfect time to change gear. Wind noise is obtrusive and there are plenty of rattles from around the cabin on this 30,000 mile example. The gear change is smooth and allows you to harvest all of the engine’s power to maximum effect. The suspension rides well and holds the car nicely through the bends with the steering providing decent feedback.

Not somewhere you would choose to be

There is no getting away from the budget intentions of the Cee’d. Whilst it looks okay and drives pretty well, the interior really lets the package down. I’ve driven some downright cheap and cheerful cars and loved them for what they are but the problem with the Cee’d is that it tries to hide its routes. It desperately wants to be one of the big boys and whilst it has seen the moves they pull, it’s plimsolls and tattered shorts just don’t give the extra spark needed.

Still some road left to travel for Kia

Buying a Kia could be considered the practical choice. For the price a Cee’d provides good space and performance and the 7 year warranty is real bonus, but you’ll always be reminded that it isn’t a more expensive car and this going to bother you massively just as it bothers Kia.