Kia Cee'd hatchback (2012-2018) - Practicality & boot space

The Kia Cee’d isn’t as big as a Skoda Octavia, but it’s still a spacious and practical family hatchback. For starters, you get a decent amount of head and legroom. What’s more, there’s no intrusion from the transmission tunnel, so you get a totally flat floor in the back, meaning any passengers in the middle seat have somewhere to put their feet.

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Kia Cee'd interior space & storage

The interior is also littered with useful storage spaces. Highlights include a large air-conditioned glovebox and huge door bins that can comfortably accommodate a large bottle of water. Ahead of the gearlever, you’ll find a neat cubbyhole that also houses the USB and MP3 player ports, plus there’s a pair of cup-holders in the centre console next to the handbrake.

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The 2 trim models and above benefit from a fold-down centre armrest for the rear seat that incorporates a pair of cup-holders, plus map pockets in the back of the rear seats. Other neat details included a deep, lidded cubbyhole between the front seats and a hidden sunglasses holder set into the roof lining ahead of the rear-view mirror.

Boot space

Opening the hatchback reveals a well shaped 380-litre boot. The load lip is a little high, but this is a small price to pay for the available space. Better still, lower the 60:40 split-folding rear bench flat and the carrying capacity increases to 1,318 litres.

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If you need even more room, then the Kia Cee'd SW estate should be just the ticket, with a 528-litre boot that grows to 1,660 litres with the back seats folded.

Towing

If you’re looking to tow a caravan or a trailer, then the diesel models should be at the top of your shopping list, as they have a maximum towing capacity of 1,500kg. The 1.0 and 1.4-litre petrols can only cope with 1,200kg, while the 1.6-litre petrol can pull 1,400kg – although choosing an automatic gearbox reduces that limit by 100kg.