Kia Ceed Review 2023
The Kia Ceed is an economical and affordable family hatchback. Coming with a slick exterior, a well-built interior, and a good range of equipment as standard, the Ceed would be a good choice for a practical hatchback.
Rivals to the Kia Ceed include the Volkswagen Golf, Ford Focus, Vauxhall Astra, and Seat Leon.
Kia Ceed Pros:
- Economical engine
- Lots of equipment as standard
- Easy-to-use cabin
Kia Ceed Cons:
- Only available with a diesel engine
- Mundane performance, especially the gearbox
- Rear legroom is average
Our Kia Ceed review covers:
- Slick exterior with new lights and fresh bumpers
- Well-built interior with a logical layout
- 395-litre boot
- One diesel engine is available
- Four trim levels: 2, GT-Line, 3, GT-Line S
The Kia Ceed's exterior won't raise eyebrows, but it's certainly not bad-looking. The updated model features a big new badge, new lights, and fresh bumpers, making for a slick and sporty exterior.
Although a compact car, anyone sitting in the front of the Kia Ceed won't be short of space; there's plenty of leg and headroom for anyone over 6 feet tall. In the back, headroom is also sufficient; however, legroom could do with some improvement, making the Ceed less practical than rivals such as the Ford Focus and Skoda Octavia.
The Kia Ceed comes with a 395-litre boot, which can be extended to 1291 litres with the rear seats folded 60:40. The boot comes without a load lip, making it a breeze to slide in heavy bags and suitcases.
Inside the Kia Ceed, you'll find lots of soft-touch surfaces that give the impression of a premium car; they're well-built and can stand whatever's thrown at it. You'll also find a logical layout on the dashboard and steering wheel, making the Ceed easy to control when driving.
The Kia Ceed adopts a two-screen system. Behind the steering wheel, you'll find a 4.2-inch digital information cluster, which is combined nicely with two old-school analogue dials for speed and revs. In the middle of the dash is an eight-inch touchscreen infotainment equipped with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto.
Four trims are available for the Kia Ceed: 2, GT-Line, 3, and GT-Line S.
The entry-level 2 comes with 16-inch alloy wheels, cloth upholstery, halogen headlights, a 6-speaker system, a reversing camera, and cruise control.
GT Line adds to this with 17-inch alloy wheels, a 10.25-inch touchscreen infotainment system, black cloth and faux leather upholstery, a GT Line exterior styling pack, heated front seats and steering wheel, LED headlights, and rear parking sensors.
3 comes with 17-inch wheels and an engine start/stop button with a smart system entry.
The top-of-the-range GT-Line S adds to this with 18-inch alloy wheels, black leather with suede seat upholstery, a 12.3-inch TFT supervision cluster display, an eight-speaker JBL premium audio system, heated seats, a panoramic sunroof, and a wireless phone charger.
One diesel engine is available for the Kia Ceed. It's a 1.5-litre turbocharged unit with either a manual six-speed transmission or an automatic seven-speed transmission. It comes with a power output of 158bhp, has a top speed of 130mph, achieves 0-60mph in 8.4 seconds, and has a generous fuel economy with a combined 51.4 mpg.
On-the-road performance is what you'd expect for a hatchback, relaxed at cruising speed but able to accelerate and overtake if needed. The main issue comes with the Ceed's clutch, which feels soft and absent of a biting point, meaning you'll be prone to stalling.
However, apart from the clutch, the Ceed's performance will fit the bill. Its suspension maintains comfort over larger obstacles such as speed bumps, and its responsive handling makes driving through a city an absolute breeze.
It's also worth noting that at motorway speed, road noise can get pretty rowdy, meaning that you'll need to raise your voice to talk or turn up the radio to hear it. If you’re looking for on-the-road performance, the Ceed falls short of its rivals like the Volkswagen Golf and Ford Focus.
Prices for the new Kia Ceed start from £21,605.00 OTR* or to lease from £169.74 per month.
Looking to lease the Kia Ceed? Nationwide Vehicle Contracts is one of the UK's largest car leasing brokers and offers many leasing deals.
Leasing may be cheaper than an outright purchase thanks to a low initial deposit, fixed monthly payments, and a range of benefits included in the lease deal, such as road tax and breakdown cover.
*' On the road' price correct at time of publication and includes one year's road fund license, DVLA first registration fee and number plate fee. Prices are subject to change, always check with your nearest retailer.
