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KIA Ceed variants
Total price
Monthly payment

Finance representative example (PCP)

Total cash price £18,599. Borrowing £16,739 with a £1,860 deposit at a representative APR of 10.9%.

48 monthly payments
£271.30
Fixed interest rate
10.9%
Total amount payable
£24,221.64
Cost of credit
£5,622.64
Optional final payment
£9,339.00
Purchase fee
£10.00
Annual mileage limit
6000 miles

It’s not surprising that it feels so well suited to UK roads, as the Ceed was developed specifically for Europe. Its name actually stands for “Community of Europe, with European Design”, and you can probably imagine the stunned faces of your friends when you tell them that.

Kia Ceed buying guide

What Kia Ceed trim levels are there?

The Ceed was launched with numbered trim levels that reflected its equipment levels. A basic ‘1’ trim isn’t going to sell well in the UK, so the range starts with ‘2’ trim. This gets a huge amount of equipment considering its position in the range, such as cruise control, LED daytime running lights, air conditioning and a seven-inch touchscreen with DAB radio, Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. Safety tech includes lane-keeping assist, auto high-beam headlights and auto emergency braking.

You can probably guess that the ‘3’ trim is next. Bigger wheels, rain-sensing wipers, two-zone air con, parking sensors and a bigger touchscreen with sat nav are all fitted.

UK buyers love a sporty-looking trim, so Kia launched the GT-Line trim with a sharper bodykit. GT-Line also comes with goodies like keyless entry, heated seats and a heated steering wheel.

You might spot a Ceed First Edition from time to time, and these are high-spec launch editions with leather upholstery, a sunroof, heated outer rear seats and ventilated front seats, adaptive cruise control, parking assistance and a premium sound system.

Kia Ceed interior and technology

Buying a Kia Ceed means you get a modern-feeling interior. The touchscreen takes pride of place on the dashboard, above the heating controls and between the air vents. Kia’s infotainment system is pretty easy to use, with clear menus, helpful widgets and big buttons. There are shortcut buttons beneath the screen so you can jump to the section you want quickly.

On the whole, material quality is pretty good for a car like this. A Volkswagen Golf just edges the Ceed in this respect, but it’s on a par with a Focus, Vauxhall Astra or Hyundai i30. There’s no feeling of cheapness on the entry-level models,

Kia Ceed engine range explained

Kia Ceed 1.0 T-GDi ISG petrol

A perky 1.0-litre turbocharged petrol engine opens the range – just like similar engines do in the VW Golf and Ford Focus. Its 120hp output is plenty for town and longer-distance driving, and the lightweight engine is capable of around 50mpg when driven gently. The ‘ISG’ letters you’ll see next to every Ceed engine signifies the start-stop system that saves fuel by cutting the engine when you come to a stop.

Kia Ceed 1.5 T-GDi ISG petrol

The 1.5-litre petrol engine found in high-spec Ceeds is quite impressive, because it should prove to be just as economical as the 1.0-litre engine but it’s a lot quicker off the line, thanks to 160hp. Older cars get a similar 1.4-litre engine with slightly less power. Unlike the manual-only 1.0-litre engine, the bigger engine comes with either a manual or a seven-speed automatic.

Kia Ceed 1.6 CRDi ISG diesel

For the most efficient engine on longer trips, look for a 1.6-litre diesel Ceed. It manages over 60mpg in combined driving, and you might see more at a steady cruise. Performance-wise, it matches the 1.0-litre engine on paper but should feel slightly quicker because it has more torque.

Kia Ceed GT 1.6 T-GDi ISG petrol

It’s a rare car, the Kia Ceed GT, a sort of warm hatch with more power than the standard Ceed. With 204hp, it doesn’t have as much power as a proper hot hatch like a Ford Focus ST or Honda Civic Type R, but doesn’t cost as much to run either.

Kia Ceed 1.6 GDi plug-in hybrid

The Ceed Sportswagon estate is available with a plug-in hybrid powertrain borrowed from the Kia Niro and Hyundai Ioniq. It pairs a 1.6-litre petrol engine and an electric motor for a total of 141hp, while its 8.9kWh battery pack enables an electric driving range of up to 35 miles. The boot is a little smaller than other versions, due to the positioning of the batteries.

Kia Ceed FAQs

The Kia Ceed has always been available as a five-door hatchback and as a roomier SW estate, but the latest version (introduced in 2018) adds a couple of extra bodystyles. There’s now the ProCeed shooting brake – a swoopier take on the Ceed SW estate – and the Kia XCeed crossover, both listed separately. Our Ceed listings cover the hatch and the SW estate. The Kia Ceed range was facelifted in 2021, with a slightly sharper-looking front end.

At 4.3 metres long, the Kia Ceed sticks steadfastly to the family hatchback size. You won’t struggle to park a Ceed if you’re swapping from a Focus or a SEAT Leon, especially as a reversing camera comes as standard. Not many cars like this offer a camera as a no-cost feature.

There’s plenty of room for four adults (five if they get on well with each other), and a 395-litre boot that’s a little bigger than an equivalent Golf or Focus. The ProCeed isn’t quite so spacious in the back but has a 594-litre boot, while the Ceed SW estate offers both rear-seat space and a 625-litre boot that can swallow whole postcodes.

The bulk of the Ceed engine range is made up of pretty standard petrol and diesel engines, although a plug-in hybrid is available on some versions. Low-to-medium mileage drivers are served well by the petrol engines, while motorway mile munchers will gravitate towards the 1.6-litre diesel.

In a recent Driver Power survey, the Kia Ceed was ranked far above the VW Golf for reliability by owners. You shouldn’t have any issues behind the wheel of a Ceed but, if you do, Kia’s seven-year warranty is one of the best in the business.

Kia Ceeds fitted with the 1.0-litre petrol engine occupy groups 8 and 9 out of 50, while the more powerful petrol engine and the diesel engines go up to group 15. Stick to the 1.0-litre engine if you want the cheapest possible insurance costs, but no Ceed should be expensive to insure – its groups broadly match the smaller Ford Fiesta.