Kia Ceed test (2022): it gives for its money

It’s not easy to make a name for yourself on the European market when your opponents are called Volkswagen Golf, Peugeot 308, Renault Mégane, Ford Focus or Seat Leon. The Kia Ceed, despite undeniable qualities and three bodies (5-door, SW station wagon and ProCeed hunting station wagon), is content to play supporting roles, for three generations already, in the swarming family of compacts. This is also the case with many Asian sedans in this category (Hyundai i30, Honda Civic, Mazda 3), with the exception of the Toyota Corolla, highlighted by its full hybrid engine.

The Korean, for her part, has always been content to follow the troops wisely, approaching the German benchmarks as best as possible in terms of quality, technological content and style. The design studio behind the Ceed is also located near Stuttgart … Surely no coincidence. Less “master key” than before with its more indented shield and grille, accompanied by new optics with a rebellious look, the restyled Kia Ceed is also eye-catching onlookers with original dimpled taillights from the third trim level (GT-line). However, few changes are to be noted on board, except for the upholstery and instrumentation, now digital on the high-end. Nothing very original overall, but the plastics used as the adjustments are always as neat (the Golf frankly does not do better), which nobody will complain …

In addition to its seven-year warranty, unmatched in the category, the Ceed still stands out for its very attractive price / equipment ratio. Kia goes all out with the entry-level model (Motion). But it does not concern our petrol version of 160 hp, which starts immediately in Active finish, at € 25,590. This will already largely satisfy demanding motorists, with a nice range of equipment: cruise control, dual-zone air conditioning, reversing camera, automatic headlight code switching, 10.25-inch touch screen and Apple CarPlay-Android Auto connections. The Ceed GT-line (€ 27,490) adds a sporty touch with pretty 17-inch alloy wheels, a flattened steering wheel, more enveloping seats and digital instrumentation.

Our test model is adorned with the GT-line Premium finish (€ 29,890), plus a superb suede-leather upholstery (heated and electric seats on the driver’s side), the panel recognition system speed, blind spot detectors and automatic braking in reverse, when a bicycle pops up, for example. The total or almost! Note that, despite the lack of electrification, the Ceed 1.5 T-GDi 160 is only slightly affected by the 2022 penalty, the punishment of Bercy ranging from 75 to 190 € depending on the finish and the transmission (from 129 to 134 g / km of CO₂).

We tested the very young 1.5 T-GDI petrol 160 hp, introduced in the Ceed range just before the restyling, and which fits between the 1.0 T-GDI of 100-120 hp and the 1.6 T- GDi of 204 ch. Coupled with the six-speed manual gearbox, this turbocharged four-cylinder is appreciated for its smoothness of operation, its discretion at cruising speed and its goodwill in times, the 245 Nm of torque partly compensating for the “extension” staging. Of the transmission. This has at least the advantage of promoting consumption, which has reasonably fluctuated during our tests between 5.7 l / 100 km on the highway and 6.8 l in the city.

In urban areas, precisely, the engine of the Ceed annoyed us by its lack of liveliness at the bottom of the tachometer. The clutch missing for its part of progressiveness on take-off, we found ourselves on several occasions on the verge of stalling like blues… The kind of embarrassing situation that the “boost” effect of a light hybridization generally makes it possible to avoid . Alas, Kia has chosen to do without it, while the Hyundai i30, which shares block 1.5 with the Ceed, benefits from an alternator-starter coupled to a 48 V battery. We will therefore have to rely on the robotic DCT7 box (€ 1,500), renowned for its responsiveness and convenience.

This small observation aside, the Ceed 1.5 T-GDi 160 does not have much to envy the leaders of the category. Because, in addition to its “relaxed” mechanics, the South Korean benefits from tuning suspensions except on certain obstacles such as bleeding or manhole cover, where they are sometimes drier. This phenomenon is especially noticeable at low speed, but it is also the case at the wheel of the Peugeot 308, when the tire size climbs to 17, or even 18 inches. Nothing prohibitive in the end, especially since we also enjoy a steering calibration that is both light and precise, a disciplined gearbox control and easy-to-adjust brakes.

Finally, thanks to flawless traction and a well-locked multi-link rear axle, the road behavior shows a good balance, on dry roads as in the rain. Driving aids (automatic emergency braking, blind spot monitoring, etc.) are also numerous enough so that one does not end up in a bad position. Small downside, however: the lane maintenance system lacks smoothness in its reactions, accentuating the “ping-pong” effect between the lines. Not very pleasant, but a simple press of a button on the dashboard is enough here to deactivate it.

On board

Competetion