Just say we drive Ceed. The competitor from Golf and Astra is an eye-catcher. The test report from FOCUS Online clarifies whether it can also convince with its inner values.
A logo is important. This one is from KN.
KN? What should it be? More and more people who like the vehicle on the road are asking themselves this question. But you can not assign it .
Changing the logo after more than 25 years is one thing, the development of the Korean brand Kia is another. High quality, now a very attractive design, plus a seven-year or 150,000 km guarantee – Kia has good arguments in the fight for market share.
In the compact class, this includes the Ceed. The third generation is the brand’s bestseller, the facelift was presented in October 2021. Here, of all things, the top dog is enthroned, which, like Tempo with paper handkerchiefs, is synonymous: the Golf as the leader in its class.
The radiator grille is framed at the top and bottom by chrome elements, and the taillights at the rear, each consisting of 48 honeycomb LED lights, catch the eye. You can like it, but you don’t have to. These are the most important results of the facelift. But everything about this car feels modern – it’s not the goal to bring something timeless to the road.
Above all, there are changes in the cockpit, which is slightly inclined towards the driver: in addition to the standard 12.3-inch navigation system, the options list includes the digital 10.25-inch instrument cluster, which can display four different views.
In terms of processing quality and material quality, Kia has made an enormous leap forward in recent years, and everything looks very high quality. Due to the increasing digitization in the vehicle, the impression has tended to become even stronger: everything is easy to read and structured in a meaningful way.
However, fans of the silver discs have to switch to other cars, there is no CD drive. A navigation system is included in the test car. The standard equipment includes a radio with DAB, a JBL sound system, a Bluetooth hands-free system and smartphone integration via Android and Apple.
The Ceed offers plenty of space for the driver and front passenger. At 190 cm, you never reach your limits, neither in terms of headroom nor legroom. The back seat is a bit cramped, but the car is suitable for traveling for a total of four people. Only the fifth person should be there for a short time – or a child should sit in the middle.
The trunk is 395 to almost 1300 liters class usual and absolutely sufficient. The loading sill with a low 67 cm above the road is pleasantly back-friendly. On the other hand, when the trunk is open, the tailgate lock is at a height where you can hit your head relatively easily from a height of 1.90 meters.
A petrol engine with 160 hp, at least in the test car including GT-Line. The range extends from the entry-level petrol engine with 100 hp to the GT, which has 204 horsepower. If you don’t take a switch truck but one with a DCT automatic transmission, you also have the option of a mild hybrid system.
With its 160 hp and maximum torque of 253 Nm, the 1.5-litre petrol engine accelerates to 100 km/h in 8.4 seconds and has a top speed of 210 km/h. The consumption of the 4.325 meters long, 1.8 meters (2.04 with exterior mirrors) wide and 1.442 meters high Ceed is given according to WLTP with 5.5 liters. This is also feasible with a moderate gas foot.
The Ceed starts as “Edition 7” at 21690 euros. There is the 1.0 T-GDI with 100 hp and manual transmission. The test car as GT-Line starts at 29,890 euros. Then there are extras such as 17-inch alloy wheels, heated leather steering wheel, privacy glazing (dark tinted windows from the B-pillar), cross-traffic warning to detect vehicles in the blind spot when crossing from a parking space, smart key and start button and an active blind spot assistant with brake intervention included. In terms of price, you can even go one step higher with the platinum version – at 34,790 euros.
A recommendation should be the automatic, which costs 2000 euros extra in the GT line. But it can be worth it, because the clutch point in time with a manual shifter is very short and there is a great risk of looking like a novice driver at first. And the car with a manual transmission isn’t really nippy on the gas either. Another point of criticism relates to the suspension: the chassis is really tight, at least in the GT version.
A little more than 30,000 euros in the test car is a lot of money for a car in the compact class, especially in the current times. This development is generally worrying, but not only Kia can be blamed. A comparison in the Golf class is fairer: And that’s where the Ceed has an advantage when it comes to value for money.
