Finally got to have a go in a Cee'd today, having heard so many good things from so many people who've owned / driven one. Thought I would post some impressions here in case it helps anyone.
The car was a 2011 Cee'd 3 with the 115 PS 1.6 litre common rail diesel and six speed manual box. It had covered 1400 miles, and was a company pool car currently being driven by my sister-in-law. I drove it about 15 miles, taking in urban and fast A-roads.
What I liked:
1) Engine: Very gutsy for its size, and very sweet and smooth. Seemed to have a surprising amount of punch and response at low revs for a small capacity common rail (I'm used to a 1.9 VAG PD, remember), and really the performance was excellent for this type of car. In the context of a 1.6 litre family hatch, really this engine gives very little to complain about. The computer showed it had averaged 54 mpg as well, although I have no idea of its accuracy.
2) Styling: Not pin-up material, but a well proportioned, modern looking car in my opinion. Reminds me of quite a pleasant mix of an Audi A3 (rear) and Mazda 3 (side view).
3) Build quality: A very solid feeling car, with lovely, even panel gaps, deep, even paint, and a feeling of solidity to most of the fixtures and fittings.
4) Agility: For a heavy modern hatch, it felt quite light on its feet. I didn't push the handling, but it struck me as a chassis that would certainly be worthy of a good blast on a good road at a more appropriate time of day, in order to explore further.
5) Kit: In this spec it had everything you'd want. Dual zone climate, iPod/USB ports, electric windows and mirrors, Bluetooth, CD/MP3 player (of very good quality),
What I disliked:
1) Steering: Nice and light/effortless about town, but alarmingly light and devoid of feel at higher speeds. I found I initially kept putting too much lock on, as there is no change in weight at all as the lock is applied and the system loads up. Very unpleasant.
2) Ride quality: Bordering on unpleasant over poorly surfaced roads, with an excessive amount of suspension and tyre noise. Such a shame as the noise from the engine and the rest of the mechanical bits is wonderfully insulated.
3) Some cheap looking interior plastics and fittings. Chief culprits were the instruments, and the lower plastics on the dash. That said, I couldn't fault the fit and finish.
Overall, I thought it was a really pleasant car which far exceeded my expectations as someone who last drove a KIA about 10 years ago, and it was so bland and forgettable that I can't even recall which it was. This felt like a bang up to date, safe, well equipped and good looking family hatch, with a gutsy, refined, and (if the computer wasn't lying), frugal engine.
If KIA could just sort that steering and ride out, it would be a real winner.
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The steering is speed sensitive and should load up as speed increases, I agree the controls are light, a little more familiarisation required? It took me a while after a MK2 Focus.
Last edited by: Old Navy on Sun 5 Jun 11 at 21:57
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Pretty sure all modern electric motor steering systems do that.
Could have been something simple such as over inflated front tyres?
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Good point Ratts. It would account for the harsh ride too, but the 17" wheels fitted to the "3" model don't help.
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Nice review DP. I like the way that the observations that you made were well organized and clear without "car journalist speak"!.
It's yet more weight to the idea steadily gaining ground that the Koreans have improved so much over the last decade that they are serious mainstream contenders now, not just budget alternatives.
Koreans are very smart and inventive, just like their Chinese and Japanese neighbours - so this doesn't surprise me in the least.
Last edited by: Londoner on Sun 5 Jun 11 at 22:40
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Good review but with the Ceed now virtually the same price after discount as a Focus and with the poorer handling and taking depreciation into account I'm still not convinced.
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My brother had an early version of the same model.
The weak and strong points were the same as outlined by DP, particularly the ride, which I found unacceptable.
Kia reckon the weaknesses of the early cars have been sorted, but DP's review firmly suggests otherwise.
Funny how the characteristics of a car seem so hard to change once they are set, it's only bits of metal and plastic after all.
I agree with CG about the pricing.
I don't expect the Cee'd to be as cheap as a Lada, but if you are going to charge near-Focus money, you need the car to match as well.
Since Kia seem incapable of the latter, they need to lower the price.
The other way to look at it is buy a secondhand one.
They depreciate as fast as anything else, and you are not losing anything dynamically by having an older car.
Buying used means you benefit from the build quality, and there will be more warranty left than on a Focus of the same age because new Kias come with seven years.
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>> company pool car currently being driven by my sister-in-law.
I take it you had permission to drive and were insured! :-)
I quite like the design of the latest KIAs but then I like VAG cars and the designer in charge there went to KIA.
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Peter_Schreyer
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Agree with everything in the original post.
I've had the Ceed SW for two year now. It's Achilles heel is the interior plastics and fit. rattles and squeeks primarily dashboard area and some in the back. Worse in winter when the plastics are hard before they warm through. I've had limited success spending time trying to cure them and dealers are not interested.
Would put me off buying another. Strong engine, bit harsh on the suspension but I did choose the one with the big alloys and low profiles.
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We looked at one before buying daughter's Golf Twist. We tend to keep cars in the family for 5 years or so, so I wanted to like it if only for the warranty. But even just sitting in it, it felt dull - there would be no joy felt in getting into that car to go for a drive.
OK, people will be thinking you couldn't get much duller than a Golf, but even the el'cheapo Twist model just felt a completely different class inside.
Last edited by: Bill Payer on Mon 6 Jun 11 at 00:25
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Some on here will think I am wrong, but when I first saw the Passat CC in 2008 I liked it a lot. And didn't think it was an option for me. But I have one on order as a company car. I liked driving it a lot and it made me smile (a little but only a little). A BMW 3-series would not.
I've put up with some dull cars though to keep in the scheme. Mondeo Ghia and Mazda6. Both okay cars. And both probably handle better than the CC. But I don't need sports car type handling most days.
The new Hyundai i40 to me looks quite good. But not sure when that will hit company car lists. The VX's are not on our list either. Nor are Ford. Depreciation is probably key.
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>> an excessive amount of suspension and tyre noise
Isn't that down to the tyre rather than the car?
I have a Cee'd and hate the tyre noise. I'll change to a different tyre when renewal is due.
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>> >> an excessive amount of suspension and tyre noise
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>> Isn't that down to the tyre rather than the car?
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>> I have a Cee'd and hate the tyre noise. I'll change to a different tyre
>> when renewal is due.
Might not work, tyre noise is not just "noisy tyres" its more about transmitting that noise into the car. Which is a car issue not a tyre one.
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Tyre noise was noticeable on my Focus hatch.
The more the tyres wore, the noisier it got.
Different sets of tyres had a slightly different noise, but the Focus was equally adept at transmitting that noise into the cabin.
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I part exchanged my Cee'd a month ago for a new Peugeot 207 Sport and agree with most of the comments made so far. Overall a very well built car, really just let down by a too hard ride, and on mine noisy rear suspension, plus some rattlles & squeeks from the centre of the dashboard.
I never found the tyre noise excessive though others have & it seems to be a common problem on many cars these days, possibly due to wider tyres and thinner body panels. It certainly nowhere near as bad as it was in the MK2 Focus i owned
Having owned both i would buy another Cee'd over a Focus any day.
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>>Having owned both i would buy another Cee'd over a Focus any day<<
Have you ever considered having your bumps felt, friend?
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>>Having owned both i would buy another Cee'd over a Focus any day<<
"Have you ever considered having your bumps felt, friend?"
No, why ?
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>> >>Having owned both i would buy another Cee'd over a Focus any day<<
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>> "Have you ever considered having your bumps felt, friend?"
>>
>> No, why ?
>>
I prefer the Ceed to the 2.0 TDCI Focus that I owned for five years. Better build quality, lighter controls, and comparable handling. Mine is the facelift model, it does not squeak, or rattle and I am easily annoyed by them. I accept that it is not the best car in the world but it is a good and under rated (usually by non owners) car in its class.
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Surprising O/N ~ perhaps I'm behind the times, but then I do drive a Lancer estate.
:-D
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...Surprising O/N ~ perhaps I'm behind the times, but then I do drive a Lancer estate...
Don't think you are.
I drove brother's Cee'd quite a lot, and according to DP they've not changed much.
Dynamically, it's a long way behind the Focus in terms of ride, handling and steering.
The Cee'd 1.6 diesel is one of the sweetest I've come across, so call that a draw.
Opinons on fit, finish, and durability seem to vary - both cars seem quite well put together to me in the way that most modern cars are.
A couple of Cee'd owners on here have complained of rattles, which I didn't get on my Focus hatch which I ran up to 80,000m.
I found the driving position of the Cee'd odd, the gear stick is too far forward and the steering wheel feels like it's stuck out on a long stick in front of you.
Driving position of Fords has always been a strong point, they seem to make them so everyone from a mere slip of a lass to a bloke who's ate all the pies can get comfortable.
Given the two cars are about the same price, there's no contest.
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I hear what you're saying Iffy but - if someone prefers the cee'd then so be it I suppose,
personaly speaking, I'd prefer the Focus, but then I've never driven a cee'd.
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... if someone prefers the cee'd then so be it I suppose...
Quite right.
And I'd think about one secondhand 'cos they depreciate well and you'd get the balance of the seven-year-warranty.
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The Ceed is a remarkable amount of car for not much money. I have driven one ( the non facelift) and wasnt keen on its ride and the look and feel of the interior. But I cant dipsute its a capable car for the price and it is the one that took the stigma out of having a kia,.
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i drove the I30 a few weeks ago in 1.6d guise and it also had a harsh ride but good engine which i much prefer than my current 1.6d psa engined car
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There are a few folk around who can see past a badge. :-)
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...There are a few folk around who can see past a badge. :-)...
ON,
Whatever Ford drivers are, we are not badge snobs. :)
Brickies' motors, as I've posted on here before.
If I drove a Cee'd and a Focus de-badged, I'd pick the Focus.
There are just so many differences which appeal to me more.
Actually, I wouldn't need to drive, a ride in each would be enough.
The ride of the Focus is distinctly average, but the Cee'd is poor.
And the Focus goes around corners better.
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>> And the Focus goes around corners better.
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>>
You would have to be a better than average (and me) driver to prove that one on the road.
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...You would have to be a better than average (and me) driver to prove that one on the road...
Prove, yes, but enjoy, no.
I love the Focus's direct steering and the way it corners on rails.
No need to go fast to feel that.
Both the Cee'd and the Focus would easily get around the same bend at the same responsible speed, it's just the Focus, to me, feels more secure, more agile, more eager, just better doing it.
Ultimately, I expect a highly skilled driver could get the Focus around the bend quicker, but that doesn't matter to me.
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The Cee'd is spelt cee'd btw :-)
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>> The Ceed is a remarkable amount of car for not much money.
And that probably explains why it has suspension and tyre noise - just a lack of sound proofing. It reminds me of the Octavia. The same situation, the manufacturer has to save money somewhere and it's usually the above. Ditto Focus Zetec and Ghia. I reckon if you had the inclination to put some in the boot floor and wheel arches it would quieten up (if that was your only gripe then it would be worth it). Many budget cars suffer the same thing.
My dad's old Accord had horrendous road noise after getting out of something like an Audi, but I don't know whether it was lack of sound proofing or more noise and vibration transmitted by the double wishbone suspension design.
Last edited by: corax on Mon 6 Jun 11 at 18:15
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>> I liked driving it a lot and it made me smile (a little but only a little). A
>> BMW 3-series would not.
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Interesting how opinions differ ,I was just thinking on my 200 mile weekly drive up the M40 / M6 this morning that a 3 series was absolutely the vehicle to do that drive in. I still look forward to driving it every day.
Each to their own...
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>> >> BMW 3-series would not.
>> >>
>> Interesting how opinions differ
I was thinking that too. I'm not a BMW fan at all, and I always chose the Mondeo Ghia / 406 Exec alternatives as company cars, but I had a 3 Series for a couple of months from work and it's the only car where I've puposefully "taken the long way home".
Even my wife, who has no interest in cars at all, and would always try to use her little car rather than my bigger company cars, started to take the BMW by choice when it was available.
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>> Interesting how opinions differ ,I was just thinking on my 200 mile weekly drive up
>> the M40 / M6 this morning that a 3 series was absolutely the vehicle to
>> do that drive in. I still look forward to driving it every day.
>> Each to their own...
>>
That's the way I feel about my Audi!
The 3 series that I had before the Audi never felt luxurious enough. However, I do recognize that the firmer suspension make the handling extremely good on winding country lanes.
As you rightly say, "Each to their own..."
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Tested an Audi A4 before I got the BMW, great car except for the numb backside after a 110 mile drive, maybe my padding is in the wrong place:-)
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Mentioned this before, but here in Germany there's little difference in the real world (discounted) new prices of the Golf, Focus and Cee'd. So it's down to personal choice. Do you want a better riding, more luxurious feeling Golf with a 3 year warranty or a dynamically inferior Cee'd with a better warranty? I personally would go for the Golf, but it's nice to have the choice.
You can see how influential the Cee'd has been on car design because the new Focus is the spitting image. I saw debadged preproduction Focuses at a customer of mine (automotive supplier) about 9 months ago. Without the badge, and until someone pointed out they were Fords, I actually thought they were the next Cee'd.
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KIA Cee'd - Brief drive today - impressions - Old Navy
