This is a Kia cee’d but it's not just any Kia cee'd, it's a Kia cee'd Sportswagon
...It's basically an estate. A
more practical version of the current-gen cee’d hatchback, which was launched back
in 2012 and in 2015 got a rather stylish facelift. And a big part of that facelift was the introducing
of this new GT-Line model which Kia hopes will put the ‘sports into sportswagon’.
And this model gets some unique glossing plastered all over it, a twin exhaust and these ice-cube
style LED daytime running lights, which I think look fantastic. So, as it’s a stylish,
practical family estate the cee’d SW is up against everything from the Ford Focus
hatchback to the Volkswagen Golf Estate.
Those added bits of flare on the outside make their way inside as well with the GT-Line
adding a cool leather steering wheel with silver stitching which also features on the
doors, black upholstery with grey inserts, alloy pedals, air-vent surrounds and a matt
black finish around the touchscreen. And this touchscreen houses some useful tech like Bluetooth,
sat-nav, DAB radio and a reversing camera. But you also get the likes of air-con and
cruise control.
Now, one thing to keep in mind though is that the GT-Line model, although it has a cool
name, isn’t quite as plush as the grade 4 or 4 Tech models, so you don’t get the
likes of heated leather seats or, although it may sound trivial, a sliding arm rest.
But if it’s extra style you are after then yes, the GT-Line is spot on, and it’s got
good practicality up front too with two cup holders, decent-sized door bins and this huge
centre cubby here.
I can’t fault the cee’d for rear practicality really, there’s tons of leg and head room,
you’ve got a comfy arm rest and there’s some good-sized door bins as well. No the
seats don’t recline like some of the newer Kias, but let’s not forget, this model does
date back to 2012.
Being an estate, boot space is of course a big deal, and thankfully the cee’d SW delivers
with one of the biggest boots in class, with up to 528 litres with the seats in place and
up to 1,660 litres with the seats down, and these seats, with some manoeuvring, fold down
nice and flat.
The best bit about the boot for me though is this hidden bit under the removable floor
for valuables, that is so organised, it’s like a giant tool box and you’ve even got
these sections here for the odd shopping bag or two.
So the Cee’d is one of those cars that won’t exactly make you ecstatic to drive it’s
not as much fun as Ford, or even a VW. But it’s not really supposed to, even if its
Sportswagon name suggests otherwise. The Cee’d has a comfortable suspension setup that shrugs
off bumps, great insulation from wind and road noise and its steering is very easy to
manoeuvre. It’s got plenty of grip in the corners as well.
Yes, the steering can feel a little elastic at times with a three-quarter turn and it
does lack feedback, but you can see what Kia has tried to do here with the variable weighting
and the steering is enhanced by the Flex Steer system which is available on most models.
And this gives you a series of driving modes to choose from, including Comfort and Sport
and if you’re looking for a tad more weight to the steering, then Sport will do the job.
Engine wise, again, the Cee’d isn’t supposed to be a bat out of hell, it’s much more
conservative than that, with this GT-Line model utilising a 1.6-litre diesel popular
in lots of other Kias and this produces 134bhp and a rather hefty 300Nm of torque. Fuel economy
is very competitive too, with a claimed average of 67mpg expect closer to mid to high 50s
and CO2 is quoted at 109g/km.
The best bit about this engine for me though is its coupling with this seven-speed dual-clutch
automatic gearbox, which allows for smooth changes through the gears, which adds to its comfort.
The GT-Line model does carry a rather hefty premium of around £3,500 more than the standard
cee’d SW, at £20,300 but when you start looking at well-specced equivalent models
from the likes of Hyundai and Volkswagen, that price is actually really good value for
money and you get Kia's seven-year warranty.
So the cee’d SW is not going to set your world alight from an excitement point of view – but
not everyone is after that. The cee’d is a lot more like the sensible one sat at the
front of the class as opposed to the rebel sat at the back but it has got plenty to offer
from a creature comfort, cruiser point of view. And yes, I’ll mention it again, it
does come with a seven-year warranty.
But what do you think of the cee’d? Let us know in the comments section below and
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