Kia Ceed 3 1.6 5dr Car Review - February 2012

The 1.6 petrol engine in this model delivers 124 bhp with 114 lb-ft of torque, allowing the car to travel from 0-62 mph in 11.4 seconds. The car also has a decent top speed of 119 mph which is more than enough for a car of this type.

Although the c'eed offers a good level of comfort, it still fails to match the refinement of some of its rivals. Despite its fully-independent rear suspension, the car is still outclassed by the Golf and Focus although the Korean firm is undoubtedly closing this gap.

The level of standard equipment on offer is good with tinted glass, air conditioning, trip computer, electric front windows, hill start assistance and a built-in stereo with both CD and MP3 compatibility. The layout of instruments is logical and well organised.

In terms of the overall design, the exterior has an attractive profile characterised by subtle wheel arches and a dynamic front end shape which reflects the common traits of European cars. The finish inside the car is just as good as the exterior and combines attractiveness with practicality.

Both the finish and fit of the cee’d are of a high quality and this should be an indicator of good reliability. A seven year warranty is also offered as standard.

The car performed well in the NCAP crash tests, achieving the top five star rating. This is thanks to the car's advanced safety kit which offers six airbags, active headrests (which help reduce whiplash injuries), an anti-lock braking system and electronic brake force distribution all as standard features.

The cee’d is as practical as any other five door hatchback and the dimensions and shape of the car mean there is plenty of headroom within the cabin. The boot also has a capacity of 340 litres with the seats up, meaning there is plenty of room for cargo. A larger 1,300 litre capacity is available when seats are folded down and there are also storage spaces and cup holders between the driver and front passenger seat to increase capacity even further.

The 1.6 litre petrol engine delivers decent fuel economy of 44.8 mpg, and emissions of 149g/km put the cee’d into road tax band F.

The quality of the car is high and this makes it a decent contender within its class. The seven year warranty makes the car ideal for long term ownership and, combined with the attractive price tag of £16,195, the cee'd is relatively good value for money.