The original Kia Cee’d was a scourge of sub-editors. Back in 2007, when I spent my days correcting copy for Which? magazine, nobody put the apostrophe in the right place. Standards of spelling declined still further when Kia introduced the sportier Pro_Cee’d – the only car in history with an underscore in its name.
Which? readers are level-headed sorts and they liked the Cee’d for its reliability, value for money and impressive seven-year warranty. Nearly two decades on, the Ceed has shed that troublesome apostrophe, but the core aspects of its appeal are unchanged.
Is that enough to outshine equally established rivals such as the Ford Focus, Mazda 3 and Volkswagen Golf? I spent a week driving the Ceed to find out.
Keeping it simple
Firstly, it’s worth noting that the Ceed isn’t solely a hatchback in 2024. You can also opt for the Sportswagon estate, the chunkier XCeed crossover or the sleek ProCeed shooting brake.
Conversely, if you choose the traditional five-door hatch tested here, the number of configurations is limited. When this third-generation Ceed was launched in 2018, Kia offered 1.0- and 1.4-litre petrol engines, along with a 1.6 diesel. Now a 156hp 1.5 petrol is the only, one-size-fits-all option – available with a six-speed manual or seven-speed automatic transmission. If you want to go hybrid or fully electric, you’ll have to look elsewhere in the Kia range.
Prices for the Ceed start at £23,095, but my fully-loaded GT-Line S press car with the auto ’box would retail at £31,170. Its design is less adventurous than Kia’s more recent efforts – notably the EV6 and EV9 electric cars – but it’s easier on the eye than the current Golf, especially in the fiery Orange Fusion paint seen here.
Quick on the drawers
After spending time in the over-styled, touchscreen-tastic interiors of several modern cars, I found it oddly relaxing to climb into the Kia. Yes, there is still a central screen, but a row of shortcut buttons underneath makes it straightforward to use – and it all links effortlessly with your phone via Apple CarPlay or Android Auto. There are proper physical switches for the heating and air-con controls, too.
You wouldn’t call the Ceed ‘premium’, but it feels comfortable and well made. Space inside is about average for a family hatchback, with room for two adults in the back and a useful 395-litre boot. Fold the rear seats down and you have up to 1,291 litres for bulky objects. In the spirit of real-world consumer testing, I even transported a chest of drawers to the tip.
Kia has gone big on active safety equipment, with systems such as Driver Attention Warning, Lane Follow Assist and Lane Keep Assist to keep you out of trouble. Or just nag you incessantly until you switch them off. The Ceed was awarded four stars in Euro NCAP crash tests.
Taking it easy
The on-paper stats for the 1.5-litre T-GDi petrol engine are perfectly respectable: 0-62mph in 8.6 seconds, 46.3mpg and CO2 emissions of 137g/km. On the road, it feels relaxed and refined, with sufficient overtaking oomph that you’ll never fail to, er, Pro_Cee’d.
The dual-clutch DCT automatic gearbox costs £1,055 more than the manual, but it suits the Kia’s easygoing nature, responding promptly and shifting smoothly. If you go for the top-spec GT-Line S, the DCT comes as standard.
Where the Kia falls a little short is driving dynamics. Granted, this is not a hot hatchback (despite having 50 percent more power than a classic Golf GTI), but the Ford Focus and Mazda 3 prove you don’t need to sacrifice feelsome steering and deft handling on the altar of everyday usability. The Kia isn’t a car you connect with, cerebrally or emotionally, and when you find yourself on a winding country road – rather than doing the school run or lugging furniture to the dump – that might come to matter.
Sense and sensibility
Most of our Which? magazine readers, frankly, weren’t too worried about the nuances of handling, and most Kia Ceed buyers won’t be either. They’re more concerned about a car being affordable and easy to live with – and rightly so. Now, just like in 2007, the Kia makes a strong case for itself.
As our guide to the Best family hatchbacks to buy in 2024 shows, there is no shortage of choice in this class. If you want something more stylish, maybe consider the Mazda 3. If you’d like a sharper drive, the Ford Focus is hard to ignore. And if your tastes are more upmarket, the Mercedes-Benz A-Class is a classy contender. However, the Ceed earns its place on the list by being a capable and likeable all-rounder.
With the peace of mind offered by that seven-year/100,000-mile warranty, the Kia Ceed is a sensible vehicle for sensible people. It’s name is even spelled sensibly nowadays.
Tim Pitt writes for Motoring Research
Kia Ceed 1.5 T-GDi GT Line-S
PRICE: From £31,170
POWER: 156hp
0-62MPH: 8.6sec
TOP SPEED: 130mph
FUEL ECONOMY: 46.3mpg
CO2 EMISSIONS: 137g/km