Our cars: Kia Ceed - May

Kia Ceed 1.6 CRDi 2 ISG

Week ending May 17
Mileage 11,450
Driven this week 134 miles

Kia Ceed

Our time with the Kia ’d is drawing to an end, after nearly a year and more than 10,000 miles. In that time this popular car has proved itself to be a reliable and competent performer, and a rival for most of the cars in its class. Certainly in terms of build quality, and, with that 7-year warranty, as a buying proposition, this Cee’d ranks with the best.

However, the Cee’d recently had to be sent off for repair, after being broadsided by another motorist obviously eager to take a closer look at our handsome Kia. Such was the damage, inflicted while a colleague of mine was borrowing the car, we didn’t see it for over a month.

On its return, that first drive was revealing. Drive a car often, or every day, and you begin to compensate for its faults. Slow steering? You just steer a bit more. Noisy engine? Turn up the radio. Small boot? Don’t take so much with you.

Had I, I wondered, within my first mile back in the Cee’d, been making allowances for what is actually rather vague and curiously weighted steering? Worse, had I become used to the gruff sounding diesel note that is almost inescapable in the cabin at any speed? Both issues caused me concern, and yet, a day or two later, I noticed they’d faded again from my attention.

So perhaps a break is a good thing. It hasn’t put me off our Cee’d, just helped highlight again the areas in which it excels, and the areas in which Kia can improve the next-generation car.

Mark.Pearson@whatcar.com

Week ending May 3
Mileage 10,848
Driven this week 448 miles

I've given the Ceed a thorough test this week on a variety of road types and I’m still impressed with its quality and refinement.

One little niggle though is the 'Flex Steer System'. It offers a useful 'Comfort' mode, perfect for city driving, a 'Normal' setting that works well on the motorway, but the weighting in 'Sport' mode feels very un-natural, which is disconcerting at speed, and the first degree or two of steering input have little or no feel at all.

The Ceed has never claimed to be a sports car, so this can be forgiven as a minor indiscretion.

By Tom Langan