For A cheap-to-buy, cheap-to-run, no-nonsense family hatchback. If you’re not interested in bells and whistles and want something utilitarian of good quality, here it is.
Against Equipment verges on the stingy. This model has steel wheels with plastic covers and you have to adjust the door mirrors manually; plsu, the mirror housings and door handles are black rather than body-coloured.
A wallet-friendly choice with lots of space and a long warranty. The engine is pretty flexible, but we'd advise spending a bit more on the higher-powered 1.6-litre diesel if your budget will stretch to it.
The Cee'd made Kia a serious contender in the highly competitive hatchback sector at a stroke. Buy one and you're unlikely to be disappointed – it has plenty of appeal as sensible, practical and well-priced family transport, even if it ultimately falls short of the class leaders.
We'd avoid the 1.6-litre petrol engine, because it's sluggish and noisy. You're much better off with the 1.4-litre petrol or one of the 1.6 diesels.
The lower-powered diesel can be ordered with Kia's Idle Stop & Start (ISG) system, which cuts CO2 emissions and fuel consumption by automatically turning off and restarting the engine in traffic. However, the higher-powered diesel is a better all-rounder: it's only slightly more expensive to run, and offers superior performance and refinement.
Whichever engine you choose, long-term reliability is unlikely to be an issue. Every Cee'd comes with a hugely reassuring seven-year warranty.
I bought this car when it was launched in july…
I bought this car in October 2009 and was very…
Purchased diesel version becuase it was so much…
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