March 04, 2013
New Car Review: Kia Cee’d SW
The Background
KIA has bolstered their new car sales figures in a struggling market thanks to a growing fleet of practical cars in various sizes. For the year to date, sales figures place the Korean brand in the top ten manufacturers in Ireland but the pathway to such an esteemed position has not been an easy one. Studying the road map of new car launches from greater volume selling brands highlights the importance of offering many alternative body shapes. However, this in itself will not help a brand to grow. The numerous model variants need to be desirable and it is here that KIA have excelled. Providing seven years warranty (on a product built so robustly that it hardly needs it) in a cocktail of models that exude style, function and efficiency and indeed affordability has carved a footing in the Irish motor trade that provides a template for success for emerging brands as well as cause for concern from the more established manufacturers.
Getting down to business
The
Car:
It is no simple feat achieving sleek body lines and a streamlined footprint in a practical estate. Simply adding some extra length to a standard hatchback will not solve the issue of ensuring larger cars don’t begin to look a little cumbersome and awkward. Though, the essential ingredient in any sports wagon is for it to be functional, very few might forgive even a utilitarian vehicle for being less than pretty. The Cee’d SW successfully delivers on the former and avoids the latter. It’s doubles as a sharp but understated tool for a sales rep and as a handsome family car for the action-seeking family. Entry level TX models come impressively appointed with air conditioning, blue-tooth with voice recognition and roof rails though the additional outlay €1,500 for the higher spec EX model is certainly worth it for the multifunctional leather steering wheel, alloy wheels, daytime running lights, reverse parking sensors and chrome furnishings infused around the cabin and exterior.
Motorway driving sees the Cee’d SW at home with a low engine note thats barely audible once in sixth gear
Driven by either a 1.4 CRDi 90 bhp engine or a 1.6 CRDi 128 bhp version (the latter being the car on test) emissions are kept to a respectable 117 grams of CO2 meaning yearly motor tax charges fall into band A4, attracting a charge of €200 per annum. Prices start at €22,450 for the 1.4 CRDi TX model but tightly spaced pricing means the top spec 1.6 CRDi costs just €2,400 extra. Power is adequate in the 1.6 CRDi although a heavy foot is required if the vehicle is laden with children and their various accoutrements. Even still, I returned a consistent fuel consumption of 44mpg (circa 5.4 litres per 100 kilometres). Motorway driving sees the Cee’d SW at home with a low engine note that’s barely audible once in sixth gear and set to cruise control. Here, fuel efficiency rises to almost 50 mpg. Peeves or nuisances aren’t easily found but at I felt the radio display did not quite match the quality of the rest of the car, although I found myself caring less about this the more time I spent with the Cee’d SW.
Spacious cabin
Space and Practicality:
With the rear seats in their upright position the Cee’d SW’s boot is nearly 40% bigger than the standard hatchback variant (528 litres compared to 380 litres), which itself is by no means paltry or shortchanging. Fold the seats flat and storage more than triples to 1642 litres which I learned is cavernous enough to confidently bring a renovated house’s worth of recycling and junk to a recycling centre. As a family car it’s not just capable but adept at absorbing the kinds of rigors that baby car seats, buggies, baggage and supplies require of a vehicle. Efficient shock absorption is inherently a subjective matter of opinion but sleeping children were not disturbed by the humps and bumps of back roads and housing estate speed ramps so I took this as a barometer of success.
In sport mode the steering wheel feels heavy and the car feels planted
Despite the large interior volume the Cee’d SW does not present issues with tight cornering in car parks or industrial estates. The resistance of the steering wheel can also be adjusted between Normal, Comfort and Sport modes to offer a feeling of greater maneuverability depending on driving conditions. In Sport mode the steering wheel feels heavy and the car feels planted when briskly changing lanes on motorways. So often in the past features such as this one were the sole preserve of executive cars but in the Cee’d SW the function makes utter sense.
Clever storage solutions
Conclusion:
Undoubtedly the allure of peace-of-mind driving with Kia’s seven year warranty is attracting a certain number of buyers. This is where Kia have capitalized on the modern car buyer’s appetite for value for money. But perhaps the most stark of all changes in the Korean brand’s exploits in Ireland is the strong residual values that many of their fleet also retain. Prospective buyers of used cars covet a lengthy warranty to avoid potential repair costs and my research for Vehicle Management System, suggests that customers seem to be paying a slight premium for the security this brings. However, an unofficial tagline of Kia’s might read “Come for the warranty, stay for the quality” such is the extent of the progress the brand has made in terms of finish and refinement. The Cee’d SW successfully fulfills it’s role as the ultra-practical, multi-tasking estate car for the value-for-money conscious modern family or small business.
