Kia Ceed 3 1.6 GDI DCT 5dr Car Review - June 2013

The 1.6-litre GDI petrol engine produces a respectable 133bhp and 121 lb-ft of torque at 4850rpm, but at low end revs it struggles to make it count and with the 6-speed automatic gearbox also having an effect 0-62mph takes 10.4 seconds. The petrol-engine doesn’t quite match the diesels for performance and refinement, and becomes quite raucous when pressed, but the cabin is well insulated from both wind and road noise. The ride quality is good too, with the suspension remaining composed on all but the most bumpy of surfaces, although the steering can feel somewhat vague. The driving position is endlessly flexible, and the rest of the cabin is well thought out to with clear and concise instrumentation.

The styling of the 5-door C’eed hatchback has come on leaps and bounds since Kias of old, and looks every bit as contemporary and premium as the latest offering from its more established European and Japanese competitors. Equipment levels are impressive too, with power steering, central locking, electronic stability control, alloy wheels, climate control, electric door mirrors, electric front and rear windows, cruise control, rear parking sensor, alarm, immobiliser, bluetooth, satellite navigation, and CD player with MP3 connectivity all included as standard. To put that into perspective, an almost identically priced Ford Focus Zetec S 1.6 Powershift misses out on electric rear windows, cruise control, rear parking sensor and satellite navigation, which would take a considerable amount to add.

The Kia C’eed boasts a full 5-star rating by Euro NCAP, the independent consumer organisation who conduct safety and crash tests on all new cars released onto the European market, and comes with driver passenger, and front side airbags and other driver aids such as electronic stability control included as standard. Kia also have supreme confidence in the C’eed’s durability, displayed by the standard issue of a 7-year, 100,000-mile manufacturers warranty. It is at least the match of its rivals for practicality too, with plentiful interior space for passengers even in the rear, and a 380-litre capacity boot which expands to an even more impressive 1318-litres once the rear seats have been lowered.

Priced at £20,300 the Kia C’eed 3 1.6 GDI DCT sits around the middle of the model’s price range. It isn’t the pick of the range when it comes to running costs, with a 46.3 combined mpg compared to mid-seventies returns from the 1.6-litre diesels. It is still slighty better than the fuel economy found in the equivalent Ford Focus, and with 140g/km of CO2 emissions the C’eed is marginally greener too. It is figures like these which, when combined with the greater level of standard equipment and practicality, result in the C’eed offering excellent value for money. Factor in that impressive warranty and the C’eed should develop into an increasingly strong performer on the used car market.