Item: Used Kia Ceed 2018-present
Rating: 3
Author: What Car? Team

If you want maximum interior space, the <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/skoda/octavia/hatchback/used-review/n851">Skoda Octavia</a> is better than the <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/used-reviews/make/kia">Kia</a> Ceed. It also offers a broader range of engines, from a tiny yet capable 1.0-litre three-cylinder turbo petrol to the 242bhp 2.0-litre unit found in the vRS hot hatch model, as well as&nbsp;a few fuel-sipping diesels. All versions are easy to drive and make very competent motorway cruisers.

The current <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/ford/focus/hatchback/used-review/n19061">Ford Focus</a> improves on the weaknesses of its forebear,&nbsp;with much more interior room and a more intuitive infotainment system, even if the dowdy interior does it no favours.&nbsp;It’s excellent to drive, too, no matter which engine you choose.

For all the latest reviews, advice and new car deals, sign up to the <a href="https://pages.haymarket.com/whatcar/wcar-form.html">What Car? Newsletter here</a>

If you're interested in buying a <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/used-cars/kia/ceed?used=true&amp;nearlynew=true&amp;postCode=tw1%203sp">used Kia Ceed</a>, or any of the other cars mentioned here, head over to our used car classifieds site <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/used-cars">here</a>.&nbsp;

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What is it like?

Ownership cost

Advice for buyers

Our recommendations

Alternatives

The Ceed is still too new to have yet shown any major common problems. However, it pays to make sure that any diesel model you’re looking at has been used by those who regularly complete longer journeys. The diesel particulate filter (DPF) needs a fair run&nbsp;to become hot enough to burn off the soot that it traps. If a diesel car makes too many short journeys without the DPF reaching operating temperature, the filter can become blocked, and this can cause running problems.

This generation of Ceed wasn't&nbsp;included in the most recent What Car? Reliability&nbsp;survey. However, the old model always did well and&nbsp;Kia&nbsp;as a brand always features near the top of any <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/news/2019-what-car-reliability-survey-brands/n20069">manufacturer reliability table</a>; in our most recent survey, it finished sixth&nbsp;out of 31&nbsp;car makers.

If you would like to see the full reliability list, head to the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.whatcar.com/news/2019-what-car-reliability-survey/n20042">What Car? Reliability Survey</a>&nbsp;pages for more information.

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Hatchback

Buyers seeking value for money should have Kia towards the top of their shopping list.

Although once a niche brand in the UK, today Kia outsells many more established brands, helped by its market-leading seven-year warranty and a strong reputation for reliability; in fact, Kia regularly finishes towards the top of our reliability surveys.

There are plenty of models to choose from, too, ranging from the small Picanto city car to the Ceed family hatchback and the Sorento large SUV. The Picanto was the first Kia to win its class at the What Car? Car of the Year awards.

CEED

Dependable and well equipped, the Ceed is a fine used&nbsp;car, but the class leaders are better to drive

Used Kia Ceed 2018-present

<h3 dir="ltr">MPG</h3>

Running costs for the Ceed are pretty reasonable for the class. The 1.0-litre petrol model has a WLTP combined fuel economy figure of 50.4mpg with the Eco Pack or&nbsp;48.7mpg without it. The 1.4 petrol is a touch thirstier, at 45.6mpg, but the top-of-the-range 1.6&nbsp;is the costliest to run, on 39.2mpg.

The diesels&nbsp;are obviously cheaper to run than the petrols. The most economical is the 114bhp 1.6-litre with the Eco Pack,&nbsp;having a combined figure of 58.9mpg, but even the regular&nbsp;versions gets 57.6mpg. The 134bhp engine&nbsp;isn’t far off, either, at 56.5mpg.

<h3 dir="ltr">Road tax</h3>

Road tax for all models registered after 1 April 2017&nbsp;will have&nbsp;the same flat rate fee for cars that cost less than £40,000 when new, currently £155&nbsp;a year. To find out more about the current <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/advice/buying/car-tax-changes-in-2019-%E2%80%93-what-do-i-need-to-know/n1153">road tax costs, click here</a>.

<h3 dir="ltr">Servicing</h3>

Kia&nbsp;has&nbsp;a number of service packs, so it's worth finding out if your car has&nbsp;any services remaining with your local Kia dealer. Petrol models require a service every year or 10,000 miles, while diesels need an oil change annually or every 20,000 miles. &nbsp;&nbsp;

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Dependable and well equipped, the Ceed is a fine used car, but the class leaders are better to drive

Prices for the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.whatcar.com/used-reviews/make/kia">Kia</a> Ceed start at £12,000&nbsp;for an early 2018 car in 2 trim. If you fancy a better-equipped 3 then you'll need to up your budget to £13,000, while GT-Line and First Edition models can be found for closer to £15,000. Spend between £15,000 and £17,000 on good 2019 and 2020 cars. To keep up to date, use our free valuation tool to make sure you're getting the best deal.

Check the value of a used Kia Ceed with <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/car-valuation/">What Car? Valuations</a>

<h3 dir="ltr">Engine</h3>

Unless you do lots of motorway miles, go for a petrol rather a diesel. The entry-level 118bhp 1.0-litre is perhaps the best compromise; both the 138bhp 1.4-litre and 201bhp 1.6-litre are available only on higher-spec models and therefore cost more to buy.

The 1.0-litre can be found with or without the Eco Pack. This&nbsp;brings a number of aerodynamic improvements and low-rolling resistance tyres to maximise fuel economy.&nbsp;However, because those changes are so small and annual road tax is no longer calculated on CO2 emissions, there’s very little reason to go for it.

<h3 dir="ltr">Specification</h3>

We reckon there’s no need to go higher than&nbsp;2 trim, which&nbsp;comes with all the standard equipment that most will really need. Range-topping GT-Line, GT-Line S, GT and First Edition models come with more kit and additional safety aids, but they're quite pricey and cost around the same amount as certain&nbsp;premium alternatives, such as the <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/audi/a3/hatchback/used-review/n17405">Audi A3 Sportback</a>.

Our favourite <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/used-reviews/make/kia">Kia</a> Ceed: 1.0 T-GDi 2

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<h2>What we're looking for:</h2><ul><li>Plenty of practical space </li> <li>Low running costs </li> <li>A comfortable ride </li> <li>A healthy equipment list </li> <li>Quality materials and thoughtful touches inside </li> <li>Rock-solid reliability</li></ul>

Family cars arguably have the toughest brief of all: they have to be good at pretty much everything. They’re used as the daily drive, on the school run or work commute (often both), and have to be able to cope with a family’s clutter on weekends and holidays.

The Skoda Scala is a relative newcomer, but it's&nbsp;already carved out a name for itself in this segment.&nbsp;If you're looking for a moderately priced car that combines a supple ride, neat handling, a spacious interior and a capacious boot&nbsp;it's well worth a look.&nbsp;Alternatively, if you're looking for entertaining handling then the&nbsp;BMW 1 Series may well be for you. It's great to drive, rides well&nbsp;and also comes with a top-notch interior, featuring one of our very favourite infotainment systems.&nbsp;&nbsp;

The Toyota Corolla&nbsp;is another great choice. This latest version of one of the world's best-selling cars of all time can be had with a choice of two different petrol-electric hybrid engines, both of which should mean&nbsp;potentially lower fuel bills. It's comfortable, well equipped and should be very reliable, too.&nbsp;

Family

The <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/used-reviews/make/kia">Kia</a> Ceed is a family car,&nbsp;so it pays to make sure its interior hasn’t been neglected by the previous owner. Ensure there are no stains on the seats, upholstery or carpets, check the interior plastics aren’t marked and see that all the electrical components still work properly.

Even though a rear-view camera is standard, parking sensors aren't,&nbsp;so check all over the car&nbsp;for scuff marks or dents that could have been made during low-speed manoeuvres.

Also, make sure the alloy wheels aren’t covered in scuffs from contact with kerbs.&nbsp;Not only can those be expensive to repair, but they can also be a clue towards&nbsp;suspension damage that&nbsp;could lead to excessive tyre wear, among other problems.

If you're looking for information on the older model, click here for our used review of&nbsp;the <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/kia/ceed/hatchback/used-review/n417">2007-2012&nbsp;Cee'd</a>, or here for the <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/kia/ceed/hatchback/used-review/n834">2012-2018 model</a>.

The third-generation <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/used-reviews/make/kia">Kia</a> Ceed (yes, it's sans apostrophe these days) competes in the family car sector against the likes of the <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/ford/focus/hatchback/used-review/n19061">Ford Focus</a> and <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/skoda/octavia/hatchback/used-review/n851">Skoda Octavia</a>. It matches the vast majority of its rivals by offering plenty of room for a young family, a decent-size&nbsp;boot and lots of equipment for the money.

But it has a much longer warranty than anything else in the class, which could be the deciding factor for many used car buyers. In fact, any example that’s less than&nbsp;two years old&nbsp;and bought&nbsp;through Kia’s approved used programme gets a similar seven-year warranty to a brand new model. So, it could be argued that a nearly new Ceed is actually a better buy than a factory-fresh one. &nbsp;

There’s a choice of three petrol and two diesel engines, and all offerings are turbocharged. The petrol range kicks off with a&nbsp;118bhp 1.0-litre three-cylinder engine, while 138bhp 1.4-litre and 201bhp 1.6-litre four-cylinders are&nbsp;available in higher-spec models. The two 1.6-litre diesels make&nbsp;114bhp and 134bhp

We reckon there’s no need to go higher than&nbsp;2 trim&nbsp;because this comes with all the equipment you really need, such as 16in alloy wheels, air conditioning, cruise control, a 7in touchscreen infotainment screen with&nbsp;<a href="https://www.whatcar.com/advice/owning/what-is-apple-carplay/n1193">Apple CarPlay</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://www.whatcar.com/advice/owning/what-is-android-auto/n1194">Android Auto</a>&nbsp;smartphone mirroring capabilities, plus a rear-view camera.&nbsp;Stepping up to&nbsp;2 Nav&nbsp;gets&nbsp;you sat-nav with the&nbsp;larger (8.0in) infotainment touchscreen; 3 trim brings&nbsp;dual-zone climate control, automatic wipers and larger 17in alloys.&nbsp;

GT-Line gets heated front seats&nbsp;while&nbsp;GT-Line S adds heated rear seats, and electrically adjustable driver's seat and LED headlights.&nbsp;Range-topping GT and First Edition models come with&nbsp;additional safety aids.

To drive, the Ceed is very competent but hardly exciting. This won’t be a major concern for most buyers, though;&nbsp;it finds&nbsp;plenty of cornering grip and is a quiet cruiser at higher speeds, it’s just that rivals such as&nbsp;the Focus are noticeably more polished. The Ceed's brakes&nbsp;can be a bit grabby until you get&nbsp;used to them, the gearbox could do with being a touch slicker&nbsp;and the steering, while perfectly precise, isn’t as progressively weighted as the best around. Road noise is a little louder than in some rivals, too,&nbsp;but it never becomes intrusive, and wind rush is kept in check well.

The Ceed is nowhere near as practical as the cavernous <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/skoda/octavia/hatchback/used-review/n851">Skoda Octavia</a>, and the <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/ford/focus/hatchback/used-review/n19061">Ford Focus</a> has a lot more rear leg room, but it's on&nbsp;par with most rivals. Taller rear passengers might find their head brushing the ceiling in GT-Line S models, due to the sunroof. The boot may not be as capacious as the Octavia (few are!) but you can still fit five carry-on suitcases into it, and there's a relatively low loading lip to ease loading. An adjustable boot floor is standard and means you can create a mostly flat floor when the rear seats are folded down.

The Ceed received some updates in 2020, mostly to its infotainment system. All cars came with a bigger 8in, with 2 Nav and above getting a&nbsp;10.25in screen. It is also worth remembering that the standard Ceed is carries only a four-star EuroNCAP car safety rating;&nbsp;many rivals score maximum points. To get a Ceed with a five-star safety rating, you'll need to find one with the advanced driving assistance pack, which&nbsp;adds traffic sign recognition, rear cross-traffic alert, blind spot monitoring and a more sophisticated <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/news/what-is-aeb-and-how-does-it-work/n3283">automatic emergency braking system (AEB)</a> that recognises pedestrians and cyclists.

If you're interested in buying a <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/used-cars/kia/ceed?used=true&amp;nearlynew=true&amp;postCode=tw1%203sp">used Kia Ceed</a>, or any of the other cars mentioned here, head over to our used car classifieds site <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/used-cars">here</a>.&nbsp;

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Used Kia Ceed 2018-present review

Our recommendations

Which used Kia Ceed hatchback should I buy?

Engine