2008 KIA cee'd

Ambitious Korean automaker Kia’s C-segment offering hits UK forecourts this week. The much anticipated cee’d, developed by German and French designers, was specifically designed to meet European tastes and is the first car to be built in the company’s new factory in Zilina, Slovakia. The result is a car rich in European design cues which bears a certain similarity to rivals like the Mazda3 and Ford Focus. Like the Focus, the cee’d offers an independent rear suspension.

Initial cee’d models will be offered as a five door hatchback, with three trim levels and a choice of two petrol and two diesel engines. Entry level S and mid-range GS models are offered with either a 1.4-litre 16-valve petrol engine producing 105bhp and 101 lb-ft of torque, or a 1.6-litre unit producing 122bhp and 114 lb-ft. The 1.6-litre powerplant will be the sole petrol offering in the top of the line LS model, and can be mated to an automatic transmission in the GS and LS. A 1.6-litre diesel engine is also available across the model range. In the S and GS models the diesel produces 90bhp and 173lb-ft torque, but creates 115bhp and 188 lb-ft in the LS.

As the cee’d vies for its share of C-segment sales, it comes to the table with a strong hand. Standard comfort and convenience features on the S include air conditioning, a fully-integrated MP3-ready audio system with CD player, front electric windows, central locking, six airbags and active front headrests. The GS variation adds 16-inch alloy wheels, remote central locking, body-coloured electric and heated door mirrors, a metallic centre-fascia, and a six-speaker sound system with USB and auxiliary audio ports. LS versions gain fully-automatic climate control with an air-quality system, rear electric windows, front fog lamps and half-leather upholstery. Electronic stability control (ESP) with brake assist is also available as an option on LS models.

Kia is so confident in the cee’d that they are offering a fully comprehensive 5 year (transferable) warranty and a class leading seven year, 100,000 mile powertrain warranty. Prices for the cee’d start at less than £11,000 for the S and stretch to just over £14,000 for the LS, severely undercutting its competitors. An estate version and a three door hatchback are set to arrive in mid- and late 2007, and a 140 bhp 2.0-litre turbodiesel with a six speed manual gearbox will also be added later in the year.