Kia Ceed review - MPG, running costs & CO2

Kia has built its reputation on making cars that are easy and affordable to own and the Ceed sits at the heart of its range. The manual 1.5-litre T-GDi petrol engine manages up to 51.4mpg and from 125g/km, and despite being quick for a family hatchback, it doesn’t cost much more to run than smaller, less powerful engines.

However, for company car drivers, the petrol’s CO2 emissions from 125-130g/km will result in higher Benefit-in-Kind (BiK) bands than the equivalent Ford Focus and Volkswagen Golf.

It’s a shame the 1.0-litre T-GDi petrol engine is no longer offered, because in its most economical guise, it could return 54.3mpg while emitting 119g/km of CO2, making it an affordable alternative to a hybrid for low-mileage drivers.

If you plan to cover lots of miles and don’t mind looking for something on the used market, the now-discontinued diesel Ceed could pay off because the entry-level manual manages 62.8mpg while emitting 120-124g/km. Once again, both manual and automatic variants have comparatively high BiK rates, especially factoring in the surcharge on diesels.

Petrol-engined cars are subject to the standard rate in VED (annual car tax), while diesels get a slightly lower rate, thanks to the mild-hybrid technology that lies onboard.

Insurance groups

Insurance ratings for the Ceed 1.0-litre were group eight to nine depending on trim, so the 1.5-litre petrol will be more costly to insure, sitting in groups 14 or 15. The diesel model is in group 12-15. These groups have crept up somewhat from the previous-generation Ceed but are still, on average, slightly lower than for an equivalent Volkswagen Golf.

Warranty

Kia’s seven-year/100,000-mile warranty remains one of the longest in the industry, giving owners peace of mind that they won’t have to cover costly repairs for most of the car’s life. And even if you sell your Ceed, the remainder of the warranty is transferable to the next owner, helping to improve resale values.

Servicing

In April 2018, Kia launched a new servicing scheme called Kia Care that allows customers to buy a set number of services to cover maintenance for up to five years. Covering the Ceed’s servicing for three years costs from around £400 and for five years from £750. Once over three years old, Kia can also add MoTs to a service for well under £50.