Kia Ceed Estate

The Kia Ceed is car that lobs the paving slab of reality into the windscreen of preconception. It might be a straight clone of a Toyota/Ford/VW hatch, but it’s a damn good one. Cheap, and ludicrously good seven-year warranties add peace of mind

• Comfort

  Bounds from speed bump to pothole without so much as a murmur. Compare this quantum leap in suspension capability over the previous-generation Cerato and you'll see what strides Kia has made. Rides as well, if not better than, the European competition.

  

• Performance

  A bit complicated as far as the engine/power line-up goes, so bear with us. There are five engines available; an 89bhp or 113bhp version of a 1.6-litre diesel, two petrols (a 1.4 with 103bhp or a 1.6 with 121bhp) and a 2.0-litre diesel with a tidy 140bhp. The 113bhp diesel sounds weedy but isn't. Overall, the 140bhp diesel is the one to have, even if it does get a bit loud.

  

• Cool

  No matter how much explaining you do, the Ceed isn't cool unless you're well into the realms of inverse snobbery. And even then it's a bit obscure.

  

• Quality

  Forget Kia of old and embrace Kia of the next century. Millimetric precision abounds on the Ceed- even if nearly everything (including the materials) are just tracing-paper perfect clones of the Toyota Corolla. Feels so well put together that the seven-year warranty won't get troubled much.

  

• Handling

  Remarkably tidy, even as an estate, using fully independent rear suspension to great effect. You'll have fun in here.

  

• Practicality

  As practical as any other small five-door estate, which is to say very. As a practical and useful cheap alternative to a premium brand, it's not very far away.

  

• Running costs

  Brilliantly low insurance (group 4,5 and 6), relatively cheap initial purchase price (between £11k and £14k) and a seven-year warranty that can be passed from owner to owner, the Ceed makes fantastic financial sense. Residuals won't be mental, but that passable warranty should buoy things up a bit.