Kia Ceed SW 2 1.6 CRDi (113bhp) 5dr Car Review - February 2012

The 1.6-litre diesel engine delivers 113bhp at 4000 rpm and a torque figure of 188 lb-ft. This means 0-62 mph is dealt with in 14.1 seconds and top speed is 117 mph.

The cee’d SW has the same long wheelbase, stiff chassis and independent front and rear suspension as the standard cee’d and this makes handling firm and stable. Whilst steering is responsive, the steering wheel itself is badly designed.

The cee’d is an impressive model and its stylish looks give it a fresh, modern appearance.

Inside the cabin, the cee’d SW is pretty much identical to the hatchback version. The dials are white with an orange information display, creating a stylish appearance, and all controls are well spaced out and easy to find.

Kit wise you get less than in the Kia c'eed 3 but there is still a good selection of features including body coloured bumpers and mirrors, tinted glass windows, space-saver spare wheel, heated door mirrors, silver roof rails, tilt and telescopic steering wheel adjust function, leather trimmings, in-built trip computer, air filter, cooled glove box, CD audio and an MP3 compatible stereo complete with steering wheel mounted audio controls.

The model lacks the climate control offered in the Kia c'eed 3, receiving more basic air conditioning instead and loosing Bluetooth connectivity altogether.

The build, fit and finish of the cee’d SW are all very high so it is unlikely that there will be any problems, with a standard seven year warranty offered to cover this just in case. This makes both the reliability and safety of the car high with the standard safety kit offering six airbags, anti-lock brakes, and electronic brake force distribution as standard features.

In terms of practicality, the boot offers an impressive 1,664 litre capacity when the seats are folded down. In addition to this a roof box can be added to further expand storage and there is also additional storage space under the boot floor too. Elsewhere in the car, comfort levels are high thanks to a fairly spacious interior and this makes the car a great option for families.

The boot has a hatch style opening which has been set further forward to increase accessibility. Without the seats folded down the capacity of the boot is 534 litres which is still more than sufficient for a car of this class.

The cee’d SW is priced very competitively at £16,945, making it £1,600 cheaper than the cee'd SW 3. Despite the difference in price there is very little difference between the two models with the Kia cee'd SW 2 offering the same performance levels with marginally better fuel consumption.

Fuel economy is good at a combined 61.4mpg and road tax costs are low under tax band D thanks to low carbon emissions of 122g/km.

This model offers the best value for money of all the cars in the cee'd SW range.