Cee'd sown for Kia success

• Kia Cee'd to be launched at Paris Motor Show
• New car will be on sale by December
• Car likely to cost from around £12,000

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Kia's new small family car will be called Cee'd and will go on sale at the end of the year.

Pronounced 'seed', the Ford Focus-sized car takes its name from the concept vehicle that was seen at this year's Geneva Motor Show.

The production version, built in Slovakia, will be launched at the Paris show at the end of September, before heading to showrooms by December.

Kia has yet to confirm prices for the Cee'd, but expect it to undercut rivals such as the Peugeot 307 and the Toyota Corolla - both of which have list prices of just under £12,000 for cars powered by 1.4 petrol engines.

Kia says the name Cee'd is unconventional. 'The CE symbolises that this model in made in the European Community,' said Senior Vice President Jean-Charles Lievens. 'The ED indicates this car is a European design created with European customers in mind.'