You've come a long way baby: a serious European Kia (Kia Cee'd)

Member Name: jamesontheroad

Product:	Kia Cee'd
Date:	27/06/09 (55 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Warranty, comfort, ease of driving

Disadvantages: Still fairly dull overall. A car for the head, not the heart

I don't own a car any more. I used to, when I was about 21 and living in Northern Ireland, where my car was parked on the street. Those three factors contributed to a third-party-only insurance premium that was more than the value of my car.

So I got into the habit of renting whenever I needed a vehicle. Living in the city, it's the absolute way forward for me. Because not only can I chose precisely what size and sort of vehicle I need for whatever journey or task in hand (a van for Ikea, or a efficient diesel for a long trip) I don't have to worry about the menial day to day running costs and practicalities of owning a car.

It also means I get the modest rental counter excitement of wondering what sort of car I'm going to get this time. At Hertz in a large Scottish city this month, I was handed the keys to a brand new gunmetal grey Kia C'eed 1.6 (which rents in their class C, comparable to a Focus or Astra). This was a first time for me, and I was prepared to put my preconceptions of Korean cars asides to give it a punt.

Boy, was I impressed. In the couple of decades since I saw my first Kia on British roads (a thinly veiled reworking of an older generation Mitsubishi) this company has come a long way. The C'eed (and it's three door sporting brother, the Proc'eed) is a compelling alternative to the European and Japanese benchmark family hatchbacks. Built on the same platform (and with many shared components) as the Hyundai i30, the C'eed sells on comfort and reliability (compared to the i30's keen price point). But perhaps most interestingly to a private customer is the standard 7 year warranty this car comes with. That displays real confidence in this car's build quality and design.

Outside: the styling is forgettable but entirely attractive. Access and egress through the four passenger doors is easy, and there's a big boot (and an estate version if you want more). Inside, the seats are supportive and comfortable, front and back. The driver has a sporty position which positive tactile materials throughout the cabin. The audio and ventilation/heating controls were relatively straightforward, and stalk controls are now standardised on the European format (indicator left of the wheel, wipers etc on the right). That reflects the European design team who came up with this car; to complete the picture that this is a serious competitor for European models, it's also built at a brand new environmentally-sensitive factory in Slovakia.

Driving around town (I didn't get a chance to use it for longer jaunts) was a doddle, with precise but light steering and a relatively smooth gearbox. A few weeks later I rented a diesel Ford Focus and found the Kia to be much lighter around town, especially when parking in tight corners.

So, only a brief test drive, but an impressive one. I'm not in the market for a new hatchback, but if I were that seven year warranty and the remarkable build quality would certainly endear me to the Kia C'eed.

Summary: Take one for a spin, you will be surprised

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