Used Kia Cee’d 2012-2018 review

The Kia Cee’d family hatchback is cheap to buy and comes from new with a transferable seven-year, 100,000-mile warranty. Those points alone will be enough for some to make it sound like an ideal used car purchase, especially if bought at a year or two or three old.

However, there are a few other important boxes the Cee'd needs to tick if it is to genuinely be considered a rival to the likes of the Ford Focus, Vauxhall Astra and Volkswagen Golf. That’s why, compared with its predecessor, this second-generation Cee’d was so much more stylish inside and out, and even contained underskin changes that attempted to make it more fun to drive.

To kick off with, though, the Cee'd’s engine range is solid rather than spectacular. It was available with 1.4 (99bhp) and 1.6-litre (133bhp) GDI petrols, and 1.4 (89bhp) and 1.6-litre (126bhp) CRDi diesels. As for gearboxes, a decent dual-clutch automatic gearbox was available with the larger petrol engine, while early diesels came with a torque converter automatic.

The entry-level '1' models came with 15in steel wheels, rear spoiler, heated door mirrors, front electric windows and hill start assist as standard on the outside, while inside you'll find air conditioning, a cooled glovebox, Bluetooth and USB connectivity, and a DAB radio as standard. Upgrade to an SR7 Cee'd and it included 16in alloys, rear parking sensors, privacy glass and adaptive headlights, while paying a bit more for the '2' may lose a couple of features but added folding door mirrors, cruise control, vanity mirrors, front foglights and LED day-running-lights.

Buying a '3' trimmed Kia Cee'd added luxuries such as 16in alloy wheels, dual-zone climate control, electrically adjustable lumbar support, automatic wipers and Kia's 7.0in touchscreen infotainment system complete with TomTom-powered sat-nav and a reversing camera, while the '4' gained 17in alloy wheels, leather seats, heated front seats and steering wheel, keyless start and entry and an electronic parking brake. The '4 Tech' trim included a panoramic sunroof, adaptive xenon headlights, an electrically adjustable driver's seats, front parking sensors and numerous Kia safety technology.

The C'eed GT-Line chiefly came with a sporty bodykit, twin exhaust system, and numerous GT-Line specced interior details, while the GT models came with 18in alloys, Recaro front seats, 17in brake discs and LED front foglights.

Out on the road, the pick of the petrols is the 1.4, which is cheaper to buy and a little smoother, if ultimately slower. If you’re after a diesel it’s worth spending the extra on the more powerful 1.6. Whichever Cee’d you choose, don’t expect a thrilling driving experience. The Golf, Focus and Seat Leon are all much more satisfying in terms of steering response and agility (that even applies to sportier GT versions of the Cee’d from 2014 with their 1.6-litre turbocharged petrol engine). Having said that, if you simply want a car that is undemanding to drive, has a soft ride and isn’t too noisy, the Cee’d gives little cause for complaint.

Just as importantly, seeing as this is a car aimed at families, the Cee’d has a boot that is larger than a you’ll find in the Focus and a match for the Golf's. You can extend the space by folding the rear backrests in a 60/40 split, although to get them to go completely flat requires you to first lift the seat base out of the way.

In terms of seating, up to three passengers won’t have much to complain about in the Cee'd, because there’s a good amount of room in the front and the back seats, as well as doors that open nice and wide. You can also get a third person on the rear bench with a modicum more space than in some of its rivals, although it’s still far from ideal for longer journeys.

The Cee’d range was given a facelift in 2016 that included the introduction of a 1.0-litre T-GDI turbocharged petrol engine with either 99bhp or 118bhp. At the same time, Kia added extra sound deadening to make the Cee’d quieter to drive, and introduced a more powerful 134bhp version of its 1.6-litre diesel, which was also offered with a seven-speed DCT dual-clutch automatic.

The Cee'd scored a maximum five stars when crash-tested by Euro NCAP. It was replaced by an all-new model in 2018.

You can buy a second-generation Kia Cee’d from little more than £3000, but its engine will already have clocked up more than 150,000 miles. That engine will more than likely be powered by diesel too; these outnumber petrol Cee’ds by about five to one.

Increasing your budget to around £5000 will buy you a sub-80,000 mile car, potentially with a little of the warranty still to run. Petrol Cee’ds, meanwhile, start at about £5500 with a choice of 1.4 or 1.6-litre engines.

It's worth pointing out that if you buy a car through Kia’s approved used scheme, it restarts the warranty back up to the original seven years, so while you pay a premium compared with a private sale or non-franchised dealer, it’s arguably worth it for peace of mind. These cost from about £8500 for a car in entry-level 1 specification, and must be less than 18 months old and have covered fewer than 18,000 miles.

Of the two petrol engines that were offered in the Cee’d, the 1.4-litre will return about 40mpg in normal driving and cost £140 per year to tax, or £120 and around 45mpg for the Ecodynamics version of the 1.6. The diesels manage between 48-55mpg (or about 40-45mpg if connected to an automatic gearbox) and are cheaper to tax – reckon on paying just £20-£30 per year depending on whether you choose a pre or post-facelift model.

On paper, the later 1.0-litre turbocharged petrol engine offers almost diesel-like levels of fuel economy at 57mpg, but in reality it’s only marginally more efficient than the older engines. It does, however, cost just £30 per year to tax thanks to its lower CO2 emissions.

Opt for the sporty Cee'd GT and you can expect about 35mpg, or a bit less if driven enthusiastically. In all cases, you’ll find that many European rivals edge the Cee’d for fuel economy when fitted with similarly powerful engines.

All cars registered before April 2017 are charged annual car tax (VED) at a rate that corresponds to their CO2 emissions, while those registered after that date will pay a flat rate currently £140 a year.

Servicing is required every 12 months and costs £129 for a minor service or £249 for a major service on a petrol car at a Kia dealership. Diesels are more expensive at £199 and £299 respectively. It’s worth looking to see if the previous owner has taken out Kia’s Care-3 or Care-5 servicing package, because this covers the first three of five years of servicing for a fixed price.

True to Kia’s value-for-money approach, even entry-level 1 models get you air conditioning, electric windows, a height-adjustable driver’s seat and 15in alloy wheels.

Later SR7 models are our recommendation. This spec slots in between 1 and 2 in terms of price but has extras such as dual-zone climate control and automatic headlights.

Unless you cover a lot of miles, we’d be inclined to stick with the 1.4 petrol. It might not be the liveliest of engines, but it’s smooth enough and good value.

Our favourite Kia Cee’d: 1.4 GDI SR7

The most obvious alternative to the Kia Cee’d is the similarly priced Hyundai i30. Not only were the two developed alongside each other but they offer similar standard equipment and fuel economy, although the Kia’s longer warranty (by two years) will edge it for many people.

If you prefer something that’s a bit more interesting to drive, the Ford Focus or Seat Leon still hold plenty of appeal as used buys, or if you prioritise boot and interior space, go for the Skoda Octavia.

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