Kia Cee'd Sportswagon estate 2012 pictures

The Kia Cee'd Sportswagon is a practical and affordable estate car based on the Cee'd hatchback

It's a rival to models including the VW Golf Estate, Vauxhall Astra Sports Tourer, Peugeot 308 SW and SEAT Leon ST

The Sportswagon has an elongated roofline and tail, but still manages to look quite stylish

The tailgate not only increases luggage space, a wide opening and low loading lip makes it easy to load bulky items

A wide range of engines are available, including a 1.0-litre turbocharged petrol and 1.6-litre diesel

The 1.6-litre diesel with 134bhp is a good all-rounder, averaging up to 72.4mpg and emitting 102g/km of CO2

The Cee'd majors on comfort rather than excitement behind the wheel, with supple suspension and light steering

Trim levels include 1, 2, 3, 4 and 4 Tech and GT-Line, with the majority getting plenty of kit

If you don't have a high annual mileage, the 1.0-litre petrol is a good choice, returning 54.3mpg

Despite its small size, the 118bhp 1.0-litre also offers a decent turn of speed, getting from 0-62mph in 11 seconds

Every version of the Cee'd Sportswagon costs £140 in annual road tax after the first CO2-based year

Company-car drivers are likely to seek out the 1.6-litre diesel thanks to its 22% Benefit-in-Kind (BiK) band

Private buyers are likely to be tempted by the Kia's long seven-year warranty

The Sportswagon's boot isn't the biggest in class, but still holds an impressive 1,642 litres with the seats folded