Kia Ceed review – a simple but effective family hatchback

Verdict - is the Kia Ceed a good car?

The Kia Ceed is a great choice for people looking for a simple family hatchback that’s good value. It does exactly what you need in a car like this: it’s practical, well-equipped, comfortable, quiet inside and looks smart, but not flashy, from the outside. It’s also relatively cheap to run, should be reliable and has a very long warranty. It’s not as good to drive as some similar models and isn’t as efficient as some of the hybrid models available today, though.

Kia Ceed models, specs and alternatives

Now in its third generation, the Kia Ceed has become a slightly better known model than in the past, squaring up to household names like the Volkswagen Golf, Vauxhall Astra and Ford Focus in the family hatchback class. Like those rivals it can also be had as an estate, called the Kia Ceed Sportswagon, or there’s also the choice of a higher-riding model called the XCeed or a sleek ‘shooting brake’ called the ProCeed.

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While the previous two generations of the Ceed weren’t bad at all, they were criticised at the time for being somewhat dull to drive and to look at in comparison to cars like the Ford Focus. Kia has focused on those aspects for the latest version and it shows; the Ceed is much better to drive, while remaining comfortable, practical and quiet inside.

There’s now just one 1.5-litre petrol engine to choose from with either a six-speed manual gearbox or seven-speed automatic DCT – the latter available on the top three trims, and the sole option on top-spec GT-Line S. It produces 158bhp which takes the Ceed from 0-62mph in 8.4 seconds – a whole second faster than the Peugeot 308.

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Don’t fret the lack of a diesel option either as this engine is capable of over 50mpg according to official figures – although in a recent test against the Honda Civic and Toyota Corolla, we achieved a little less than that (about 45mpg).

The aforementioned top-of-the-range GT-Line S regains the standard GT-Line’s more-aggressive look, on top of digital dials and sumptuous leather and suede upholstery, but we’d avoid it as it costs a lot of money at over £31,000.

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We recommend stepping up to the sporty-looking GT-Line, though, as this gets a racier bodykit, LED headlights, 17-inch diamond-cut alloys, heated seats and a larger 10.25-inch infotainment system with sat nav. Only around £500 more is the ‘3’ which ditches the GT-Line’s sportier styling in favour of a subtler look. 

The aforementioned top-of-the-range GT-Line S regains the standard GT-Line’s more-aggressive look, on top of digital dials and sumptuous leather and suede upholstery, but we’d avoid it as it costs a lot of money.

While the Ceed’s overall shape is conventional, Kia’s designers have graced the five-door hatch with some intricate details. This is clearest on the tail-lights; each unit is made from 48 honeycomb-shaped LED elements, which sit behind smoked glass. It’s a smart-looking model, especially next to the rather plain-looking previous-generation Ceeds.

Aside from its sporty drive and long equipment list, many will choose the Ceed because of its long seven-year warranty. Kia also managed an impressive sixth-place finish in our 2022 Driver Power owner satisfaction survey, so the chances are you shouldn’t need to use it.

Kia Ceed alternatives

Petrol family cars

• Ford Focus
• SEAT Leon
• Skoda Octavia
• Volkswagen Golf
• Vauxhall Astra

Hybrid family cars

• Toyota Corolla
• Honda Civic
• Peugeot 308 Hybrid

Electric family cars

• Volkswagen ID.3
• Kia Niro EV
• Renault Megane E-Tech
• Nissan Leaf