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Exterior Styling

The Kia Ceed GT is a sort of ‘warm’ hatch. It is relatively sprightly compared to other versions of the Ceed, but is not really in the same league as the likes of the Ford Focus ST or Hyundai i30N.

Visually, however, the Ceed GT is very impressive. In comparison to the rather bonkers-looking i30N, the Ceed GT is more subtle and mature, less about screaming “look at me” yet still easy on the eyes.

At the front you will notice a GT badge in the grille, sportier front bumper design and red detailing on the front skirt and grille. This, alongside the dark chrome and black trim, was a wonderful contrast to the Fusion White premium paint.

To the side you get multi-spoke 18-inch alloys with a two-tone silver and grey finish, gloss black mirrors and side skirt inserts and a dark chrome window surround. Privacy glass enhances that mature feel, whilst the red wheel centre cap and brake calipers bring subtle sportiness.

At the rear there is a sportier bumper design which includes a gloss black valance and large exhaust tip at either side. There is also a roof spoiler and shark-fin aerial to complete what is a well-rounded styling package.

There are enough subtle hints that this is the quicker Kia Ceed, whilst still being reserved enough to blend in so as to not entice unwanted attention wherever you go.

The choice to present a sleeker appearance is perhaps evidenced by the lack of bright colours. Previous iterations of this car were available in bold yellows and bright reds, whereas the current model is mostly greys, white and black. There is Blue Flame available, which is the same as the Sportage GT Line S we reviewed previously.

Interior Finish

On the inside, it’s very much the same story. Subtle sportiness without being over-the-top. And the result is a car that feels a bit more special than a ‘regular’ Ceed whilst still being a comfortable family car.

The main additions to the cabin over a standard Ceed are the half-leather sports seats with contrast red detailing and beefed-up bolsters. They are inviting, although not quite as much as the Recaros found in the previous iteration of the pro_cee’d GT.

You also get a dark headlining and a slightly-flat-bottomed steering wheel with perforated leather and contrast red stitching. There are gearshift paddles behind the steering wheel, since this is a 7-speed DCT automatic, and there are some sporty-ish read-outs on the instrument cluster multifunction display, such as turbo boost gauge.

The dials either side of this display are manual and, as on other Kia models, a fully-digital cluster would be preferred. This could have incorporated more GT-specific layouts and enhanced the driver experience.

What is an improvement over previous models, however, is the large 10.25-inch touchscreen multimedia unit. This is a focal point in the centre of the dashboard and within easy reach of both the driver and front passenger for effortless operation.

There is also a sport button located next to the gear shifter, which acts as a one-touch button to alter the vehicle dynamics. Whilst there may not be the vast customisation of the drivetrain like there is in a Hyundai i30N, it is still convenient.

Overall the use of materials is good, with mostly softer-touch plastics and a nice variety of textures. There is some silver trim to offer contrast, but with the dark headlining, seats and plastics the cabin is a little on the dark side.

Engine/Performance

The headlines remain unchanged when it comes to the engine in the new Ceed GT. It is still a 1.6-litre turbocharged petrol unit. And, like before, it offers up 201PS and 265Nm of torque. But then as the old saying goes; if it’s not broke, don’t fix it.

This time around, the 1.6-litre engine is mated to a 7-speed DCT automatic gearbox. 0-62mph is dealt with in 7.1 seconds, and the top speed is 139mph. That may not be as fast as the likes of a Ford Focus ST or Seat Leon Cupra, but then this is no slouch either.

Plus, to some degree Kia’s hands are tied. As many of you know there is a close relationship with Hyundai. So why can’t the Ceed GT be a straight-up rival to the i30N?

Well rumour has it there was a sort of trade deal when it came to releasing two rather exciting sports cars. Kia got the Stinger, a rather lovely-looking sports car. And Hyundai got the i30N, a bonkers hot hatch. So it wouldn’t be fair for the Ceed GT to come too close to the i30N…

In terms of engine dynamics, the 1.6 T-GDi is pretty good. Aside from a generally uninteresting soundtrack, it picks up well from low revs, and is happy to be pushed hard to the red line.

And it’s only once you push it hard that you get the most out of it. And it’s here where the DCT gearbox really shines – with 7 ratios and fast changes it is able to keep you on the power band so that every last drop of performance is eked out of the engine.

Ride/Handling

When it comes to on-road behaviour, the Kia Ceed GT is a masterpiece. Because it is more of a ‘warm’ hatch, it is comfortable and forgiving. Potholes and other lumps in the road are absorbed excellently, which means that the Ceed won’t shatter your spine every time you go for a drive.

In fact, the supple ride coupled with the excellent DCT automatic gearbox makes the Ceed GT a very proficient motorway cruiser. And that’s a big advantage over cars like the Hyundai i30N which are still firm and jarring even in their softest setting.

But don’t think that means the Ceed GT turns into a wallowing disaster when you decide to treat your local B-road like a special stage of the WRC. Because somehow – and I don’t claim to know how Kia has done it – the Ceed GT handles like the best of hot hatches.

Cornering is pretty flat, and whilst the steering lacks feel it is sharp enough to respond quickly to inputs and keep up with a blistering pace on even the twistiest of roads. Brakes are strong, and having the DCT in manual mode and using the paddles allows you complete control without your hands leaving the wheel.

As mentioned earlier, you have to really push hard to get the most out of the Ceed GT. But it enjoys being pushed. And that means you feel like an absolute hero when you give it 100% down your favourite road. It doesn’t ever feel lazy – because you are giving it everything. And it left me grinning from ear to ear.

Economy

My past experience of this 1.6 T-GDi has not been great when it comes to economy. The old (and over-punctuated) pro_cee’d GT had a smaller engine than rivals but seemed to offer very similar economy levels. This was most likely down to it being bigger and heavier than the cars which had the same-sized engine; such as the Vauxhall Corsa VXR or Ford Fiesta ST.

And since this large, 5-door only hatchback stuck with the same 1.6 T-GDi engine, I am happy to admit that I had a similar fear heading in to this test. But somehow – and again I don’t claim to know how Kia has done it – but the Ceed GT is surprisingly efficient.

Between a combination of new EU6 compliant tech, and the efficient DCT gearbox, the Ceed GT returns a combined 41.5mpg on the WLTP cycle. And whilst this is still less than the smaller hot hatches such as the Ford Fiesta ST, it is good for a car that is this much fun to drive.

CO2 emissions are 153g/km on the combined WLTP cycle. That equates to a first year VED payment of £555 which is absorbed into the purchase price. Subsequent to this the rate is the standard £155. There is no VED surcharge either since the price is far below the £40,000 threshold.

Practicality

The Kia Ceed family is made up of the XCeed, Ceed, Ceed Sportswagon and ProCeed; all of which are 5-door models. That makes them much more suited to family life. It seems like the days of the traditional 3-door hot hatch are all but over. Nowadays even the smaller models like the Fiesta ST and Polo GTi becoming more commonly 5-door.

And when it comes to the Kia Ceed GT, this new model is far more spacious than previous iterations. There is ample rear legroom even with the chunky sports seats, and the 395-litre boot may not be the biggest in the segment, but it’s still plenty for even the most extravagant shopping haul.

If I were to have one tiny moan – the dark interior is not the most pleasant for rear passengers on longer drives; it can feel a little gloomy back there especially with only a rather large sports seat to look at ahead of you. But for kids who are probably more interested in their own tech – or fighting with each other – it’s unlikely to be an issue.

The balanced approach of the Kia Ceed GT means it can do everything, and do it well. Taking the kids to school, doing the shopping trip, or having a solo blast down some country lanes, it just feels at home.

It is efficient enough that it won’t cost you the earth to run. And, as with any Kia, the Ceed GT is backed by a 7-year, 100,000-mile warranty for extra peace of mind.

Equipment

There is rarely any complaints when it comes to the equipment levels of a Kia. Often with a more generous offering than rivals, and without complicated options lists or packs, it is easy to pick the right model that has all the equipment you could want.

I will, however, start with my small complaint about the Kia Ceed GT. There are just a couple of things missing which could have really improved this car. The first is a digital instrument cluster. This could have incorporated some GT-specific sports displays which could have furthered the immersion in the driving experience.

The second is some mood lighting, or perhaps a panoramic roof. Something to cheer up the rather dark cabin and perhaps make life more pleasant for rear seat passengers.

But other than that the Kia Ceed GT has just about everything you could possibly want. For comfort and convenience there is Keyless entry and go, auto lights, auto wipers, heated front seats, heated steering wheel and a reversing camera.

For safety there is lane keeping assist, lane following assist, driver attention warning, emergency stop signalling and hill-start assist.

My second complaint about the Ceed GT is that there is an optional £750 for the forward collision-avoidance system with pedestrian and cyclist detection. Without this, the Ceed is only awarded a 4-star Euro NCAP score, but scores the maximum 5 stars with this selected. In this day and age, and on a car at this price point, this should be standard.

On the infotainment front the 10.25-inch touchscreen system has satellite navigation, Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, Bluetooth connectivity and a DAB radio.

Value For Money

The Kia Ceed hatchback starts from £19,705 on the road, for a 1.0 T-GDi ‘2’ model. The starting price for the Ceed GT is £27,965 ono the road.

The only increases to this base price are for paint options. The standard colour on the Ceed GT is Silver Frost. All other colours fall into the ‘premium’ category, and therefore cost an additional £580. So the price of this particular car, as tested, is £28,545.

Strangely the GT is not the most expensive Ceed hatchback available. There is the £29,025 1.5 T-GDi ‘GT Line S’ model. It may only have 158PS vs the GT’s 201PS, but it has the same 7-speed DCT gearbox. But the GT Line S makes up for the power shortfall with extra tech, from heated outer rear seats, to a digital instrument cluster, blind-spot monitoring system and 8-speaker premium JBL sound system.

It would have been good to be able to specify the GT with this extra equipment. In previous models there was a GT and a GT Tech variant, to give buyers that option.

But in any instance the Ceed GT is well-equipped enough to present itself as rather good value for money. It still finds itself in a strange market place, however. A Fiesta ST-3 is still cheaper, yet is faster and more fun to drive, albeit not as spacious and a little less-generously equipped.

Conversely a Focus ST starts at over £30,000. That is, if anything, a little more spacious than the Kia, and faster, but still less generously equipped.

So if you want a well-balanced car, the Kia Ceed GT is potentially a great choice. If performance is the most important factor then there are alternatives to consider.

Facts and Figures

The post REVIEW – Kia Ceed GT 2021 appeared first on Simply Motor.

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Exterior Styling

The Sorento is Kia’s flagship model; the biggest, most expensive one sold in the UK. Accordingly this latest iteration has a big visual presence.

On first glance you could be forgiven for thinking this is an American car. With a big, square front end and those split rear tail-lights the Sorento would certainly fit in across the pond. And that’s no accident either: Kia is a very popular manufacturer in the States, so is playing to its strengths with the styling here.

Being the range-topping ‘4’ model, there is plenty of chrome on the exterior; including grille surrounds, window surrounds and side skirt insert. Contrasted with the very executive-looking Mineral Blue it really gives the Sorento a premium appearance.

The LED daytime running lights are a stylish design, moulded to the bottom of the headlights and hugging that oversized front grille. There are even lights concealed within the lower front grille, resulting in a very distinctive head-on look.

It’s a similar story at the back too. The tail lights are a focal point, whilst the Sorento lettering is so large you can’t miss it. I’d say Kia is proud of the job it’s done with the styling here, and rightly so.

The alloy wheels on this HEV 4 model are 19-inches in diameter. That actually sounds quite large, but the Sorento is so vast that these just aren’t large enough to fill the arches. The tyres are a 235/55 profile, which also makes the wheels look small.

There is no GT-Line or similar in the UK at present, and I think it’s needed. Swap the chrome for gloss black, fit some bigger alloys and the Sorento would look a whole new level of cool. Incidentally styling like this is available on the North American market…

Interior Finish

If you covered the badges and showed someone the inside of the Sorento, I don’t think ‘Kia’ would be their first choice for who made the car. And that is meant as a compliment – this cabin is by far the best we’ve ever seen on a Kia in the UK.

The dashboard design was better on the Kia Stinger – with its upholstered-effect dashboard and turbine air vents – but the Sorento makes up for this with some impressive technology and some nifty features of its own.

There’s a large fully-digital instrument cluster, which is nice to see. Next to this is a rather large 10.25-inch touchscreen multimedia unit. There’s a rather premium-looking etched metal finisher on the dashboard and door cards, the latter incorporating some LED ambient lighting for maximum style.

In addition to the metal trim there is an upholstered-effect upper dashboard, gloss black trim and contrast white stitching to the black leather found throughout the cabin. A special mention to those rather inviting front seats too, with their honeycomb pattern and decent side bolsters.

A rather large panoramic roof lets light into what is a rather dark cabin, and has an electronic sun blind for when it gets too bright.

There’s a lot to love about the Sorento’s interior, but also a few areas where I hoped for just a little more. It would be good to have more customisable ambient lighting in the cabin, to really allow the driver to set a mood that suits them.

And whilst the general quality is much higher than before, there are still some dodgy plastics about. Granted, these are generally in areas where functionality is also important – such as the seat backs – they are also not discreet enough for the Sorento – a near-£50k car –  to get away with it.

Engine/Performance

The powertrain in this particular Kia Sorento is a new one, the 1.6 T-GDi HEV. It’s a 1.6-litre turbocharged petrol engine combined with a 44.2kW electric motor.

This is a self-charging hybrid system – the 1.49kWh battery can be recharged quickly through coasting/braking and can then assist the petrol engine to save fuel. There is no need (or ability) to plug in, and you still have a 67-litre fuel tank.

So whilst the engine alone might seem small, this powertrain offers up 226PS and 350Nm of torque. That’s more than capable of shifting the 2,006kg Sorento. 0-62mph takes 8.7 seconds and the top speed is 119mph. It’s not exactly lightning-fast, but is certainly more sprightly than you’d expect in a car this size with a small petrol engine.

Power is sent to all four wheels via a 6-speed automatic transmission, which does a good job of keeping the engine noise to a minimum. Stick your boot into the carpet, however, and you’ll find that the 1.6 T-GDi is not the most pleasant sounding at higher revs.

Around town, the Sorento is nippy enough – the additional torque from the electric motor giving an instant response to inputs which is amplified at low speeds. On the motorway the Sorento is composed and comfortable – happily sitting at cruising speeds.

Once again though, the US market seems to have it better than us. Over there, the Sorento is available with a 2.5-litre turbocharged petrol engine that puts out 285PS and has an 8-speed DCT automatic. Yes, the fuel consumption will be less, but the additional performance will be worth it to some. Our recent review of the Jeep Wrangler 280PS shows the appeal of such power.

Ride/Handling

Despite its size and bulk, the Sorento behaves well on the road. Kia has opted for a setup which is more towards comfort, and that makes absolute sense on this executive 7-seater.

For the most part this car will spend its life driving through town or on longer motorway journeys. And for those journeys it will be comfortable. The Sorento absorbs bumps well and seems to flatten out the road surface to make any drive smoother.

For the odd occasion you decide to give it a bit of welly down a B-road, the Sorento is relatively composed. As would be expected, body roll is present when you turn in sharply, but it’s not as bad as I feared. You are able to drive briskly without feeling unwell, which is always a positive when there could be 7 people on board.

Grip is excellent thanks to the AWD system. Come rain or shine, you can get the 226PS down onto the road. To help you along the way there are three drive modes – Eco, Sport and Smart – as well as three terrain modes; Snow, Mud and Sand.

Steering lacks feel but has a nice weight to it. What’s more, it’s pretty direct, responding well to driver input.

The driving position is good, with plenty of adjustment in the seat and steering wheel to find your perfect setup. As with most tall SUVs the height gives a great view of the road ahead.

But, like its styling – the feeling from behind the wheel is pretty American. This is a big car, and from the driver’s seat it really feels it too. Personally I like that feeling of road presence, but others might not.

Economy

This self-charging HEV variant of the Sorento is a good way for people to explore the world of electric vehicles. Since the world is heading away from fossil fuels, we will soon only be able to buy alternative-powered vehicles.

But if you’ve never had a hybrid or electric vehicle before, they can seem daunting. Often there is a lot going on with complicated displays, strange noises and cabins/controls that have been deliberately made to look unlike ‘normal’ cars. Over the coming years we will no doubt see this change such that you would be unable to tell an electric vehicle from a petrol one.

So to explore this world of electrification, the Sorento HEV is very user-friendly. You don’t need to plug it in to charge, since this is done through coasting/braking. But you are still able to see the benefits of an electric motor – giving assistance to the petrol engine and showcasing the appeal of instant torque.

And you can see the technology works – combined fuel consumption for this model is 38.2mpg on the WLTP cycle. For a car this size, and one with a petrol engine, that’s not bad going at all.

CO2 emissions are 169g/km, again on the WLTP cycle. That equates to first year VED of £545 and subsequently £145. But because the Sorento in HEV 4 guise costs over £40,000 it will incur the VED surcharge – currently an additional £335 (so £480 total) payable for five years, starting with the second VED payment.

If you’re looking for the ‘easiest’ electrified model then this is a good way to see improved economy with little-to-no inconvenience. There is also a plug-in hybrid Sorento. This boasts even better fuel consumption, but will mean plugging in and keeping the battery charged to maximise the benefit.

Practicality

The Kia Sorento is, inherently, a very practical family car. It has seven seats, which is great for when you have to ferry the kids and their mates about. And whilst adults wouldn’t be especially comfortable on a long drive in the third row, it could save the day for a short trip.

The middle row is vastly spacious, with plenty of leg and head room. You can slide this row backwards and forwards to improve third row leg room, and even giving a little away there is still plenty for the second-row passengers.

The Sorento also comes with some little touches that can make a big difference to family life. Take the integrated rear sunblinds, for example. It doesn’t seem like a huge feature yet can stop a rather droning “the sun’s in my eyes” thus being worth their weight in gold.

Parking in tight spaces is never going to be too much fun – this is ultimately a very large vehicle – but there are camera systems and sensors to help make it a bit less perilous.

I’ve already touched on the benefits of a self-charging hybrid powertrain, but in essence this has no impact on your daily life. You never have to stop to charge the car, nor will it spend hours plugged in at home to maintain a 30-or-so mile electric range, like a plug-in hybrid would. Instead you just go about your normal life and the car will be a bit more economical than a regular petrol engine would be.

Perhaps the only downside to the HEV powertrain, and something which will undoubtedly affect electric vehicles becoming the go-to solution, is the towing capacity. You see this large 7-seat SUV is only rated for 1,650kg braked weight. That’s far inferior to the Sorento diesel’s 2,500kg.

Equipment

Kia has always been a brand that offers lots of tech as standard. There are set trims with increasing levels of equipment, and you simply choose the one that has what you’d like. I have previously said that it was time Kia started showcasing some new technology, and with the Sorento that’s exactly what Kia has done.

All models in the UK have an impressive standard specification, which includes LED exterior lighting, heated front seats, heated steering wheel, automatic lights and wipers, digital instrument cluster, Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, front and rear parking sensors and a reversing camera.

Safety equipment includes Intelligent Speed Limit Assist, Forward Collision Avoidance with cyclist and pedestrian detection, Lane Follow Assist and Multi-Collision Brake Assist.

The ‘4’ model tested here has even more bells and whistles, including a 360-degree camera system, heated outer-rear seats (middle row), ventilated front seats, blind-spot monitoring, Bose premium sound system, head-up display, smart power tailgate and keyless entry.

It’s great to see things like the digital instrument cluster. It’s exactly what Kia needed to freshen its technology offering and compete with other brands. There’s some really nifty features within this too. Put an indicator on and a display pops up which shows you the blind spot for the direction you are looking to turn. This is a great reference point and is especially handy when pulling out from the side of the road.

If I was to be particularly picky, I would prefer to see some more customisation of the instrument cluster. The setup in any of the VW-Audi group cars allows for several user-defined layouts to be preset. You can go from a twin-dial setup to a full-screen map at the touch of a few buttons.

Value For Money

Kia’s position in the market has certainly shifted over the past few years. When they first came on the scene, it was all about value for money – offering workable family cars for a really good price. Inevitably there were savings made in terms of build quality.

As the years moved on Kia started loading cars with more tech than rivals as standard. Quality improved, but still perhaps not to the same level as some European brands. But for the price the Kia choice was always great bang-for-buck.

Now Kia has upped the quality bar once more – the Sorento is unquestionably the best I have ever tested in terms of fit and finish. But with these improvements – with a larger variety of higher-quality materials – comes further price increases.

Right now Kia sits in the middle of the market – a high-quality car that still costs less than the ‘premium’ brands.

The starting price for the Sorento range is £39,360 which is not exactly what you’d call cheap. The 1.6 T-GDi HEV 4 costs £47,610. Premium paint adds £660 bringing the price, as tested, to £48,270. That’s a lot closer to £50,000 than I’d have hoped, and could put some buyers off.

Don’t get me wrong – there is some incredible technology on the Sorento; gadgets and gizmos that you’d love to show off to your mates. But there is strong competition from the flanks of VWAG, in the form of the Skoda Kodiaq and Seat Tarraco.

Both of these are excellent cars and whilst they may not have quite as much tech as the Kia, they are cheaper, so it becomes a more difficult decision. That being said, if you can afford a Sorento, it’s an outstanding car that will be a pleasure to live with.

Facts and Figures

The post REVIEW – Kia Sorento HEV ‘4’ appeared first on Simply Motor.

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Exterior Styling

In order for electric cars to be a viable mass-market product, they need to blend into life in a seamless way. There is no denying that Tesla is a success story. But the styling of its cars are not to everyone’s taste. And by having looks that are a bit ‘out there’ can scare off some people who just want a ‘normal’ car.

The opposite is true of the Kia e-Niro. For the most part, it looks exactly the same as a ‘regular’ Niro, and that is meant as a compliment. There’s no attempt to stand out and be different and, as a result, the Kia is friendly and familiar.

If you know where to look, there are some unique styling features for the e-Niro. Most obvious is the lack of front grille with the charging socket in its place. There is, however, a dimpled texture to provide some resemblance to a traditional grille.

The front bumper features blue accents. These are unique to the e-Niro, and were a nice contrast to the dark grey paint of our test car.

17-inch alloy wheels make clever use of a two-tone colour scheme to disguise the closed design required to assist the regenerative braking system.

At the rear there’s not a lot going on besides the funky-shaped tail lights and some more blue accenting on the bumper. Look very closely and you’ll spot the small “eco electric” badge. Kia has done a fantastic job of not making a song and dance of the styling. This is merely an extension of the existing Niro range.

Interior Finish

This familiarity is equally evident once you step inside the e-Niro and take your seat. The cabin layout is traditional, there are no flamboyant 50-inch touchscreens or cameras replacing mirrors. If you have owned a Kia in recent years you will know where all the buttons are and what they do. If you haven’t owned a Kia in recent years, you’ll soon figure it out.

To Kia’s credit, this isn’t some sort of eco-warrior cabin either. The e-Niro opts for ‘traditional’ materials of plastic, leather/leather-effect and a gloss black finisher. There’s no upcycled bamboo dashboard or seats made from used coffee cups. And that’s important in making the e-Niro appeal to the masses.

Having said that there is an issue with the cabin: it’s very dark. When you think of a pure-electric world, you think “light”, “airy” and “clean”. That was definitely true of the previous generation Kia Soul EV, with its light grey seats and interior plastics. A bit more of that here would have made a huge difference to the feel of the cabin.

In front of the driver is a fully-digital instrument cluster, but split into two dials and a central multi-function display. This may not provide the configurability and versatility of a singular display, but is crisp and clear nonetheless.

The seats are a perforated design with contrast piping and stitching. With a multi-panel design and reasonable bolsters they are easy on the eye. The same can’t be said of the door cards unfortunately, which feature too much black plastic with a desperate need for some softer-touch material and contrasting colour.

Engine/Performance

There’s not much to say about the engine in the Kia e-Niro because, well, there isn’t one. This is a pure-electric model, with a Permanent Magnet Synchronous Motor and a 64kWh battery.

There is a lot of science behind these motors; and we won’t embarrass ourselves by trying to explain how they work. But they do. And these types of motors have been used in elevators since the turn of the millennium.

The power output is around 201PS and is available across a broad range of 3,800-8,000rpm. Torque is a staggering 395Nm and is available from 0-3,600rpm. Having peak torque available from the second you push the accelerator takes some getting used to, but means the e-Niro feels pretty sprightly.

You need only look to the performance figures to confirm that assertion. Stamp on the accelerator and the e-Niro will go from 0-62mph in 7.5 seconds which is ‘warm hatch’ territory. The top speed is 104mph.

Whilst the lack of an engine note is strange at first, you start to enjoy the whirring and whooshing that replaces it. From behind the wheel it makes for a relatively serene experience.

The Kia e-Niro uses a 1-speed transmission so the acceleration is completely uninterrupted. That’s part of the reason the 0-62mph time is lower than we might have expected.

Another thing which is strange at first is the regenerative braking. You may have noticed the paddles behind the steering wheel; these adjust the severity of the regenerative braking. In the strongest mode you can almost operate a one-pedal system; the deceleration is so strong. But it’s good that you can adjust the strength, so you can get used to the feeling over time.

Ride/Handling

With an electric motor and a load of battery, the e-Niro is a tad heavier than the entry level self-charging hybrid model. That’s perhaps an understatement, the e-Niro’s kerb weight of 1,812kg is some 300kg heavier than the 1,490kg of the 1.6 GDi.

You might think this would make the e-Niro a big, bumbling lump of a car, but it really doesn’t. The vast torque of that electric motor, from standstill, ensures that this Kia feels reasonably light and nimble.

For the most part, you wouldn’t notice it through the corners either. That’s mostly because this isn’t a car that urges you to throw it into bends at breakneck speeds. And at modest speeds the e-Niro is well-behaved.

In the essence of fair testing, we pushed harder than you realistically would in an e-Niro, and at this point you do feel the extra weight. There’s an element of lurching into corners, and it doesn’t feel natural. The steering is a little on the light side, and has no feel.

The other issue is that 395Nm of torque is more than enough to spin up the wheels should you accelerate hard out of a corner. That prompts the traction control system to step in, and your swift corner exit is interrupted.

The simple solution to this is to stick to modest speeds. Buying an electric car and driving it like a lunatic seems counterproductive to saving the world anyway. And on the motorway the e-Niro is comfortable, so don’t for a second think this is a car for short trips only.

That motorway comfort is important too, because the Kia e-Niro has the range to take on longer journeys…

Economy

In order for electric cars to become viable for the masses, they have to have a decent range. A few years ago, cars like the BMW i3 had a range of 110 miles or so. That made them great city cars, but no use for longer commutes.

Fast forward to the present day, and everything has changed. That same car, the BMW i3, now has a range up to 180 miles. Not a bad range, but one that is truly eclipsed by the Kia e-Niro. Under the more stringent – and thankfully, more realistic – WLTP testing regime the e-Niro has a range of 282 miles.

That’s certainly far enough to allow the Kia to appeal to the masses. It is likely to be a viable option for the majority of households. There are several charging options for the e-Niro. Using a 3-pin plug at home, 0-100% takes around 29 hours. Get yourself a 7kW charging box at home and that drops to 10 hours.

The Kia e-Niro also supports rapid charging. Go to a 50kW charger and you can get a 20%-80% charge in 50 minutes; the equivalent of 100 mile range in 30 minutes. Given that these rapid chargers are now popping up everywhere, they’re easy to find. For me, I could park up at the local Booths, plug in, and by the time I’d done a spot of grocery shopping it would be nicely topped up. Simple.

Naturally CO2 emissions are 0g/km meaning there is currently no VED to pay in the first or subsequent years. The Kia e-Niro is also a superb choice for company car drivers, with a benefit-in-kind (BIK) rate of 0%, 1% and 2% for years 2020/21, 2021/22 and 2022/23 respectively.

Practicality

Being a crossover, the Kia e-Niro is a practical family car. Being that little big bigger allows it to house the larger batteries that enable the impressive range, whilst maintaining a spacious cabin.

In fact, the e-Niro is the most spacious of the Niro range. That’s simply because it has one powertrain, whereas the self-charging hybrid and plug-in hybrid both have an engine and an electric motor.

Boot space on the e-Niro is a generous 451 litres with the rear seats up, and a cavernous 1,405 litres with them folded down. Considering a Ceed hatchback boasts 395 and 1,291 litres respectively, the e-Niro is impressive in this regard.

It’s the same story in the cabin. There is plenty of room throughout. Front seat passengers have ample head and leg room, and there is enough space for three adults in the back in reasonable comfort. Even tall adults will be happy with the outer rear seats; there is an abundance of leg room.

It’s not hard to live with the e-Niro either. This is not a scarily unfamiliar car, with screens dotted everywhere with some space-age interface. In fact it’s just like any other Kia. Not only does that mean it’s loaded with tech – more on that in a moment – but also that it is designed around family life.

That means whether it be the school run, a day out or even a weekend away, the Kia e-Niro will be a great companion.

Equipment

We’ve come to expect great things of Kia when it comes to specification. Kia adopts the approach of scrapping options lists and enhancing standard specification. This makes life easier for us as reviewers: what you see is what you get.

For the Kia e-Niro it’s easier still because, at the time of writing, there is just one model to choose from. Called the ‘4’ it is usually one of the range-topping models, so you will not be disappointed with the amount of tech.

It is worth knowing that some of the more luxurious creature comforts are omitted. With everything drawing off the battery, Kia has chosen to balance the specification to maximise range. And let’s be honest; will you really miss the heated outer rear seats? Or the power tailgate? Probably not.

Not least because of all the equipment you do get. There is far too much to list here, but here are some of the highlights.

For comfort and convenience you get keyless entry and go, heated front seats, heated steering wheel, auto lights and auto wipers.

On the audio-visual front you get an 8-speaker JBL premium sound system which incorporates satellite navigation, DAB digital radio, Bluetooth connectivity, Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, voice control and a wireless charging pad.

The Kia e-Niro has a five star Euro NCAP safety rating, thanks in part to an impressive array of safety kit. In addition to the usual anti-lock braking system and electronic stability control, you get forward collision-avoidance assist with autonomous emergency braking, lane keep assist system, blind spot detection with cross traffic alert and emergency stop signalling.

Value For Money

The final hurdle for us to declare the Kia e-Niro as having mass-market viability comes with the price. That is always going to be a subjective matter, but let’s dive in nonetheless.

With only one trim level to choose from, there isn’t a lot to think about. The list price of the Kia e-Niro 64kWh ‘4’ is £37,995. At present, the Government will contribute £3,000 to the cost of the car through what’s known as the Plug-in Car Grant (PiCG). So the price of the e-Niro becomes £34,995.

To some that will seem too expensive; there are cheaper cars out there that can offer similar range. But when you consider the spaciousness of the e-Niro, and all the equipment it has, there are fewer cars that can compete.

The closest challenger is the Hyundai Kona Electric; hardly surprising given that it uses much of the same running gear. The Hyundai is a little more expensive than the Kia, meaning you get slightly better value here.

But it’s not just the purchase price you have to consider, but the running costs. The cost per mile of electricity will be much lower than petrol, even using the more expensive public rapid chargers. VED is currently zero, and with the Government trying to coax people into these cars we would expect it to stay that way for the foreseeable.

All things considered, the Kia e-Niro is one of the first pure electric cars which we would consider owning, but could also afford. And that’s a big step forward for the electric car; starting to win over petrolheads…

Facts and Figures

The post REVIEW – Kia e-Niro 64kWh ‘4’ appeared first on Simply Motor.

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Exterior Styling

Our fondness for Kia has never been masked. A quick glance at our Kia archive page will reveal some pretty high scores. And judging by the looks of this car – the new Kia XCeed – this could be another high scorer.

Kia has taken the world’s love of SUV-type vehicles and turned it into a new type of car for them. Referring to the XCeed as a CUV – or Crossover Utility Vehicle – Kia has given the traditional family hatchback a lift… literally.

The Kia XCeed, unlike other crossovers, hides the increased height well. That’s mostly because of the raked lines at the rear, which negate a ‘bulky’ appearance.

At the font, the bonnet is long and sleek. The prominent, honeycomb grille is a premium-looking dark chrome. The bottom edge also gives the Kia XCeed a smiley appearance; like this is a car to brighten your day.

The First Edition gets 18-inch snowflake alloy wheels. They are a two tone silver and dark grey, the latter of which matches the door mirrors. The satin silver window surrounds, roof rails and side skirt accent adds a premium feel, but without being as flashy as chrome.

At the rear, the Kia XCeed has several bold lines; at the top of the bumper, in the middle of the tailgate, and just below the window, which create a sculpted, toned appearance. There is a subtle roof spoiler which incorporates a third brake light.

The bumper includes black and silver inserts, and what looks like some rather unusually-shaped exhaust tips. Upon closer inspection these turn out to be blanks; both of them. And whilst our feelings about fakery is well-documented, we will concede that, on this occasion, it works, due to the symmetry with the tail light design.

Interior Finish

If you thought the Quantum Yellow exterior colour was a bold choice – we rather like it – then just wait until you open the door and look inside. In fairness, Kia has chosen a theme and stuck with it.  Some will like the coordination while others, undoubtedly, will find it a bit much.

That’s because there is a lot of yellow in the cabin: the honeycomb pattern on the seat faces, the stitching on the door card trim and the air vent surrounds in the dashboard. Personally I like the brightness it brings; without such a bold colour there would be a whole sea of black, and that would be dull.

There are some new design features in the Kia XCeed, the most welcome of which is the addition of a fully-digital instrument cluster. Now this technology is becoming more common it’s great to see Kia keeping up with the times and introducing one.

Another new feature is a large, 10.2-inch widescreen infotainment system. It is situated in the centre of the dashboard, half integrated and half perched. It certainly wowed passengers with its prominence and crisp display.

The remainder of the switchgear is pretty much as we’re used to from Kia. But it has to be said that all the effort made by Kia over recent years to improve cabin quality has paid off. Sitting in the XCeed, you feel like you are in a premium car. The dodgy plastics are being eradicated from the cabin, in favour of soft-touch, leather-look alternatives.

And above all else the build quality of the Kia XCeed is solid. It feels like it will last much longer than its 7-year warranty, and there are no trim rattles to be heard.

Engine/Performance

There are currently three engines available in the Kia XCeed; a 1.0-litre T-GDi petrol with 118PS, a 1.6-litre CRDi diesel with 134PS and – featured in our test car – a 1.4-litre T-GDi petrol engine with 138PS.

All are front-wheel drive only, and if you want an automatic you’re restricted to the 1.4 T-GDi only. Not like that’s a bad thing, mind. The automatic gearbox is a 7-speed dual-clutch transmission (DCT) and this pairs well with the 1.4 T-GDi; making the most of the power on offer.

In addition to the 138PS, you get 242Nm of torque. With the DCT gearbox able to change up in a fraction of a second, the 0-62mph dash is dealt with in 9.2 seconds, and the top speed is 124mph.

Admittedly this doesn’t fill you with an urge to get behind the wheel, but I implore you to do so. Because from the driving seat the Kia XCeed is sprightly, zipping around like a wasp at the start of spring. A fitting comparison, given the colour…

It has to be said that the 1.4 T-GDi is lacking in power. In this day and age, 180PS is easily achievable from a 1.4-litre engine. Even somewhere in the middle, 160PS, would be better.

That being said, what the Kia XCeed lacks in grunt it makes up by being rev-happy and dancing around the red line with great pleasure. This, combined with the brilliant DCT gearbox, just about saves the day.

It’s nippy enough around town, and holds its own on the motorway. What’s more, when you’re not revving its nuts off, the 1.4 T-GDi is quiet and refined. But if you really want performance, you may be better off with a Ceed GT.

Ride/Handling

When we reviewed the Kia Ceed hatchback last year, the handling left us feeling a little short changed. Now with the XCeed being a slightly taller car, our expectation was that it would be the same, if not worse, than the hatchback.

But whatever the boffins have done to the Kia XCeed has worked a treat, because it is a brilliant all-rounder. On the motorway, it is a comfortable cruiser. You would never hesitate to take it on a long drive.

What’s most surprising is how the XCeed handles when you come to the twisty stuff. Despite appearances, the XCeed is not much taller than a standard hatch. And whilst that won’t win it any points on a rutted farm track, it does mean that the tendency to lean on corner entry is avoided.

By far the best aspect is the steering. It has a lovely weight to it and, wait for it, decent feel too. You have to turn the ESC off, because it is generally too intrusive, but once you do this car is great fun.

You can actually tell what the front wheels are doing and when they are running low on grip. That’s such a rare thing these days that it is to be revered. And Kia should be mightily proud of what it has created, because the XCeed feels like it has been designed around the driver.

And because the Kia XCeed is engaging to drive, you can forgive the lack of power and, if they offend you, forget about the yellow seats.

If we have one complaint, it’s the lack of steering wheel paddles. With the instant changes of the DCT, it would have been more engaging to take manual control without having to reach down to the gear stick.

Economy

With smaller engines, the Kia XCeed is perfectly set up to save money at the pumps. Despite looking pretty large, the XCeed weighs a relatively dainty 1,375kg.

A lot of effort has gone into making the Kia XCeed efficient. The DCT gearbox is far more economical than automatic gearboxes of previous-generation Kias. Start/stop technology saves fuel when in traffic, and the smart cruise control helps you keep a consistent speed on the motorway, thus saving fuel.

And the results? Well, combined fuel consumption is 40.4mpg on the WLTP cycle. Given that this is, on balance, achievable; there can be no complaints. Sure, the diesel engine will offer more – over 50mpg in fact – but if you’re not regularly flying up and down the M6 this may make little difference to you.

In terms of CO2 emissions, the Kia XCeed does surprisingly well. This has long been an area where their engines could use some improvement. But WLTP emissions on this 1.4 T-GDi with the DCT gearbox are 159g/km which equates to a first year VED of £540, and £150 thereafter.

Given that the VED band in question ranges from 151-170g/km it covers a broad spectrum, so expect a few cars to be caught in this band. And as long as the list price is below £40,000 you avoid the VED surcharge, making future VED a level playing field.

Practicality

Because this Kia XCeed is from the Ceed family, it shares much of the same practicality you’d find in the hatchback.

By that we mean plenty of room up front, and decent legroom across all three rear seats. If you cram three adults in the back, it will be on the snug side. But if you leave the middle seat vacant, it is much more comfortable. Rear headroom is fine for me, despite the XCeed’s sloping roof line, but taller people may find it more restrictive than the hatchback.

It’s the same story with the boot. There is actually more space in the Kia XCeed: 426 litres to be precise. That’s more than the 395 litres offered in the hatchback. And yet it doesn’t actually look as large as the hatchback, thanks to the sloping roof. And whilst there is great depth to the boot, that slope may make it difficult to load bulkier items.

To live with, there can be no complaints about the Kia XCeed; it makes for a brilliant family car. As is always the case with a Kia, there is a comprehensive specification that ensures the XCeed has the equipment to deal with whatever family life may throw at it.

Parking is a doddle, and with the bright yellow paint you won’t exactly struggle to find it either. You can even fit a tow bar, if you like. The XCeed is able to pull 1,000kg of braked trailer, which is great going for a small(ish) car with a small(ish) 1.4-litre engine.

Equipment

When Kia offers a ‘First Edition’ trim, it always comes loaded with all the bells and whistles. The XCeed is no exception, featuring a comprehensive standards specification that would be the envy of some much more expensive marques.

For convenience you get keyless entry and go, automatic lights, automatic wipers, a smart power tailgate and electrically-adjustable, power-folding heated door mirrors.

Interior comfort is guaranteed, thanks to dual-zone air conditioning, heated front seats, heated outer rear seats, heated steering wheel, driver’s memory seat, all-round one-touch electric windows and an auto-dimming rear view mirror.

On the media front, the First Edition gets an 8-speaker JBL premium sound system, in addition to DAB digital radio, Bluetooth connectivity with Apple CarPlay, Android Auto and voice control. There’s a wireless charging pad, and a couple of USB ports for good measure.

Don’t think that safety has been forgotten either. The Kia XCeed First Edition has blind-spot collision warning, lane keep assist, driver attention warning and intelligent speed limit information function. The First Edition also gets the most advanced version of Forward Collision-Avoidance Assist, which includes pedestrian and cyclist detection.

It’s not perfect though; despite showcasing some new equipment there are still areas for improvement. The digital instrument cluster is the perfect example. Yes, it looks crisp. But the severe lack of customisation almost defeats the point. Let’s just hope Kia improves this new technology in time.

Your friends and family are guaranteed to be impressed with all the toys, and few family cars can offer this level of equipment at this price. Well except, maybe, the Kia Ceed hatchback…

Value For Money

On paper, the all-new Kia XCeed First Edition looks like exceptional value for money. Even with its comprehensive equipment list, fresh styling and SCT gearbox, it starts from just £29,525 on the road. The only available extra is premium paint, at £570, taking the price of our test car up to £30,095.

You will undoubtedly, at this point, be running out to your nearest Kia dealership. But while you’re there, and before you sign on the dotted line for the XCeed, take a look at the Ceed hatchback. Because, frankly, it offers much of the same for less money.

And, in some cases, significantly less money. For £27,935 – over £2,000 less – you can have a Ceed GT Line S model with the same 1.4 T-GDi engine and DCT gearbox. This car has a sportier appearance and virtually all of the same equipment.

Or, if you prefer your sportiness to be more than just visual, consider the 200PS Ceed GT. It has slightly fewer toys than the GT Line S, but is capable of going from 0-62mph in 7.2 seconds. The price? £26,005.

As you can see, it’s not that straight-forward. And that’s nothing against the Kia XCeed, it is a great family car and, if you want a utility vehicle, it looks more of an adventurer than the hatchback.

But it is the same platform, the same engines, and much of the same equipment. So in the real world a Ceed hatchback can do all of the same things, for less. I’ll leave it up to you to decide whether the styling alone is worth the price difference for you. For us, it’s not.

Facts and Figures

The post REVIEW – Kia XCeed First Edition appeared first on Simply Motor.

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Exterior Styling

Just like the Kia Stinger GT S we tested last year, this GT Line S model is a sight to behold. It looks fantastic.

I was almost hoping for a HiChroma Red model, just to see something different. Alas, our test car was, once again, Ceramic Grey. It’s still a tremendous colour though, so here couldn’t be too many complaints.

This model looks nigh-on identical to the GT S. It’s the wheels that are different. The GT Line S wheels are 18-inch multi-spoke.

And when you step back from to take in the side profile, you could feel that they are too small for such a big car. But the GT S wheels are only an inch bigger, but a more open snowflake design looks less ‘busy’.

The dark chrome exterior trim on the grille surrounds, wing mirrors, upper window surround and side vents adds a level of sophistication. Privacy glass is a noticeable omission, and would make the Stinger look more executive.

But there can be no complaints on the whole. The front grille is recognisably ‘Kia’. Signature daytime running lights and cluster indicators make the Stinger silhouette stand out. Bonnet vents are for show only, but add aggression to the front profile: the Stinger looks formidable in a rear view mirror.

It looks similarly aggressive at the rear. The boot lid has an integrated lip spoiler, which sits above the rear lights, which also feature cluster indicators. Quad exhausts add muscularity.

Wherever you go, the Stinger turns heads. People will stop to look at it. I even saw several people taking pictures of it when parked up.

Interior Finish

Once you take a seat inside the Stinger, you really can’t tell the difference between the GT Line S and the GT S.

Now when we reviewed the GT S we noted that its cabin, although a step up from other models in the Kia range, fell short of rivals in terms of quality and finish. But the GT Line S is a fair bit cheaper than the GT S, so its rivals are different. And that gives the Kia an advantage.

The front seats are like comfortable armchairs, with added bolstering. This is what you need in a grand tourer; comfortable on a long journey but capable of holding you in place when you get a bit giddy.

From the driver’s seat you can grab hold of the extremely chunky, flat-bottomed steering wheel. Beyond that is the instrument cluster, and it has to be said that it’s about time Kia introduced a digital one. It would take their cars to the next level when it comes to driver experience.

The rest of the dashboard is a brilliant piece of design. There’s a nice mix of textures and colours; with soft-touch plastics, faux leather, silver plastic and brushed aluminium.

Perched on top of the dashboard is the 8-inch multimedia screen. Just below this are three circular, turbine-style air vents. It has a certain aviation feel to it, furthered by the gear selector which feels like it could be the thruster on a jet.

The alcantara headlining is a masterstroke. It looks fantastic, and elevates the Stinger to new level of premium.

The whole cabin is well put-together. It doesn’t go unnoticed that some of the switchgear has been liberated from the communal parts bin, but the Stinger still manages to feel that little bit special.

Engine/Performance

So this particular Stinger has a 2.0-litre, 4-cylinder turbocharged petrol engine. But before you give up reading and move on to the next section, you should know that it’s a perfect engine for this car. In fact in some ways it’s better than the 3.3 V6 of the GT S. Let me explain.

Power from this 2.0 unit is a respectable 244PS and 353Nm of torque. Like the GT S, this is sent to the rear wheels via an 8-speed automatic gearbox. 0-62mph takes 6.0 seconds and the top speed is 145mph.

So you can’t really call this Stinger ‘slow’. Sure it doesn’t have the 370 PS of the GT S. But even with all that extra power the GT S is only a second quicker to 62mph.

And on the road the Stinger can hold its own. The 8-speed automatic makes best use of the power available. Power delivery is smooth and punchy, with the 2.0 T-GDi happy to be taken right to the upper realms of the rev range.

There are several different drive modes to choose from: Eco, Comfort, Sport and Sport +. There’s also a Smart mode which adjusts based on how you are driving at the time. Eco is great for long motorway runs, and Sport for when you’re blasting down a twisty A-road.

Sport + turns off the driver aids, which in the GT S can be a dangerous game. With 244PS the Stinger is less likely to bite you, but in all honesty the driver aids never felt intrusive enough to warrant turning off.

The 3.3 V6, disappointingly, didn’t have a fitting soundtrack for the power and performance it offered. You get an artificial soundtrack in Sport modes, and actually this is just about convincing enough to be enjoyable.

Ride/Handling

As a GT car, the Kia Stinger should be competent on just about every road. It should eat up mile after mile on the motorway. It should be fun on a flowing A-road. And on a lumpy, bumpy B-road it should be both comfortable and composed.

A big ask then, but the Stinger rises to the challenge. Only the top-spec GT S has electronically-controlled suspension, so this GT Line S model has to make do with a balanced setup. But Kia has got the balance just right.

It is setup more towards comfort, but that makes the Stinger a great motorway cruiser. Thanks to a low and wide frame, there’s very little in the way of body roll even with the softer suspension set up.

The Stinger weighs just over 1,700kg, so it’s no lightweight. Push really hard, and you can tell. But you needn’t push that hard: the Stinger isn’t a car for hooning around and throwing into corners.

Steering is nicely weighted, especially in the Sport and Sport + drive modes. It’s direct too, allowing you to point the Stinger wherever you want. There still isn’t a great amount of feel in the steering.

But the steering doesn’t need to have a great deal of feel; because the chassis is great. The rear-drive setup, which naturally lacks understeer, is a balanced one. And with only 244PS on tap, there isn’t much in the way of oversteer either.

Brakes are good; certainly enough to give you confidence. But they’re not quite as good as the larger Brembo front brakes found on the GT S.

Slightly annoying is the lack of designated manual mode on the gearbox. You can take control with paddles behind the steering wheel, but after a period of inactivity it reverts back to drive.

Economy

You could be forgiven for thinking that this section would be where the Stinger fell down. After all, it looks aggressive and its 244PS petrol engine is certainly no slouch.

But let me assure you that the Stinger doesn’t fall down here. Somewhat surprisingly, it’s one of the Stinger’s greatest traits.

The official figures, on the WLTP combined cycle, are 29.4mpg. Admittedly that sounds rather average, and not too unexpected.

We are seeing more relatable real-world figures with the new WLTP testing regime, but in this case it’s far too low.

For example, I took the Stinger on a 200-odd mile trip from East Lancashire to Watford. As I was in no hurry, I set the cruise control to 68-ish and happily plodded my way down the country. There were also a few areas of 50mph roadworks.

Nevertheless, I returned 43.4mpg in the Kia, and that’s nothing short of remarkable. Especially given that I had the air conditioning and cooled seats running the whole way, and was travelling with 4 adults in the car.

The Eco drive mode helps; backing off the throttle response to encourage gentler acceleration and instructing the gearbox to hunt the next gear sooner.

Having 8 gears does massively help save fuel on the motorway, as does the adaptive cruise control with speed limiter function. The Stinger also has start/stop technology to cut the engine when the traffic is really bad.

CO2 emissions are an NEDC-equivalent 191g/km. First year VED may be a rather high £1,280 but this version of the Stinger costs less than £40,000 so is only £145 to tax in subsequent years: something few of its comparably-specced rivals will be able to match.

Practicality

So what’s the Kia Stinger like to live with? Well it seems to have the best traits of several different cars – family hatchback, executive saloon, sports car – and therefore makes a lot of sense to a lot of people.

The Stinger may be an achingly-beautiful GT car, but the boot is still a hatchback type. So while the 406-litres of space on offer might not sound a lot, the hatchback opening makes it all very usable.

Moving on to the cabin, there’s yet more good news. Thanks to the Stinger’s long body, there’s plenty of room in there.

That’s not to say this is the roomiest of cars – there is more rear legroom in a Skoda Superb for example – but the rear seats in the Stinger are like a big, comfortable sofa. The rear legroom looks smaller than it is because of how deep the seat base is.

And despite the sloping roofline, Kia has ensured that there is plenty of headroom in the back. With four adults in the car the Stinger is still a comfortable and executive place to be.

In the front things are even better, thanks to a raft of adjustment in the seats: everything from simple backwards and forwards to being able to extend the knee cushions and tighten/loosen the side bolsters to suit.

And don’t be fooled by their large, armchair-like appearance either. They will hold you firmly in place should you decide to throw the Stinger around a bit. There’s even an easy access function, whereby the seat moves back and the steering column moves up and inwards.

As you take your seat and it moves you into your desired driving position, it even brings a bit of theatre. You could soon get used to it.

Equipment

There are three trims of Kia Stinger available: GT Line, GT Line S and GT S. None of which are a bog-basic offering simply to sell volume. This is Kia’s flagship model, so it must be equipped like one.

So even if you opt for the ‘entry-level’ GT Line trim, you can enjoy a vast array of creature comforts. You get a full-leather interior with electrically-adjustable front seats, including a memory function for the driver’s seat. The front seats and steering wheel are also heated.

Other equipment includes adaptive cruise control with speed limiter; dual-zone air conditioning and keyless entry and go.

In-car entertainment is controlled from an 8-inch touchscreen, and includes a 9-speaker sound system, DAB radio, Apple CarPlay and Android Auto.

Safety equipment includes lane keeping assistance, emergency stop signalling, driver attention warning and forward-collision avoidance.

Go for the GT Line S model – which is the one we’re testing here – and you get even more. There’s LED headlights with automatic levelling and dynamic cornering function. The front and outer rear seats gain cooling and heating functions respectively, and you get a power tailgate for additional convenience.

Forget the 9-speaker audio system: the GT Line S gets a wonderful 15-speaker Harmon Kardon sound system, which can blast our your favourite tunes at ridiculous volume whilst still being crisp and enjoyable.

Other notable additions on the GT Line S are a 360-degree parking camera and blind spot detection with rear cross-traffic alert.

The GT S doesn’t add a whole lot in terms of equipment: it is the performance model. You do get a Nappa leather upholstery, electronically-controlled suspension and larger Brembo brakes, but the biggest difference with the GT S is that it’s the only model available with the 3.3-litre, 361PS turbocharged V6 petrol engine…

Value For Money

With this flagship GT car, Kia is going after the likes of the Audi A5 Sportback and BMW 4 Series Gra Coupe. But this is somewhat unchartered territory for Korean marque, so how does it stack up?

Well there are no issues on the equipment front. Especially given that the Stinger maintains Kia’s usual approach of not having optional extras. Well, except for premium paint. To have a specification comparable to the GT Line S you’d have to tick a fair few options boxes on the Audi and Beemer.

The Stinger range starts from £32,475 on the road for the 2.0 T-GDi GT Line, and goes up to £40,575 for the 3.3 T-GDi GT S. Premium paint is £665.

The 2.0 T-GDi GT Line S we tested is £35,975. And when you consider the car as an all-rounder, it’s seemingly the best value model in the range.

The GT S may be a ruthless performance machine, but you’re getting into Audi S5 territory. The Kia may have all the gadgetry in the world, it’s never going to win that battle.

The 2.0 GT Line S, on the other hand, is the same price as a basic Audi A5 Sportback 190PS S line. Equip the Audi with anything like the kit of the Kia and you’re talking the wrong side of £40,000. Which, in turn, means you’re going to incur the VED surcharge.

There’s an element of exclusivity with the Kia, and you get their standard 7-year warranty for peace of mind. The only question mark is on residual values: the Stinger is still too new to know how it will fare in the mid to long term.

But for an overwhelming sense of style, backed up by respectable performance and enviable technology, you’ll struggle to beat the Stinger.

Facts and Figures

The post REVIEW – Kia Stinger T-GDi GT Line S appeared first on Simply Motor.

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Exterior Styling

Superminis are generally not exciting, especially when it comes to styling. These are cars that are built to a budget and bought on a budget. And fancy body kits don’t usually fit the bill.

Happily that’s far from the case with the Kia Picanto GT Line S. This is without question the best-looking car in the segment.

Our test car was finished in Clear White, and the GT Line S does well to give this small car a big presence.

At the front there is a black and red front grille with chrome surround. Either side are the headlights which incorporate LED daytime running lights.

The front bumper gives the Kia Picanto a wide stance, and features proper air vents in either corner. Framing these are red accents, which complement the grille. The front number plate surround is a premium-looking gloss black.

At the side, two-tone alloy wheels look deceptively larger than their 16-inch diameter. A sports side skirt features yet more red trim. Chrome door handles and window surrounds, with rear privacy glass, add a premium touch.

The rear bumper is as broad-shouldered as the front. Nestled neatly to one side is a twin exhaust pipe. The rear valance is gloss black, with a final red stripe to complete the GT Line S styling package.

The Kia Picanto was complemented on its styling by a wide demographic; young and old, male and female. Seeing it in a car park or shop window, it has serious kerb appeal. Far more than you’d expect of a supermini, that’s for sure.

Interior Finish

If there were any signs of the Kia Picanto being built to a budget, then these come in the cabin. It’s only understandable that to be able to sell a car cheap there will be a sacrifice on materials to keep build costs down.

Take a seat in the Kia Picanto GT Line S, and you can see where these sacrifices are. The dashboard and door card plastics are on the hard and scratchy side. You can also tell that the seats are a faux leather.

But in truth, these shortcomings can be forgiven. The leather may be fake, but there’s a nice pattern on it. The red accents and stitching match the exterior sportiness, and also bring a bit of colour and vibrancy to the cabin.

A silver flash across the centre of the dashboard and a nicely-perched touchscreen stop you focusing on the dodgy plastics. The Kia multimedia system is sleek, and elevates a car like the Kia Picanto.

Also impressive is the flat-bottomed steering wheel, finished in perforated leather with contrast red stitching. Behind this are the relatively simple dials. A black background with white numbers and red needles is surprisingly effective however. You even get a small multi-function trip computer in the middle.

Despite the materials not being the highest quality, the Kia Picanto feels well put together. There are no trim rattles, and the switchgear feels as good as it does on other models such as the Ceed.

Engine/Performance

The engine powering the Kia Picanto GT Line S is as small as the car’s body. It’s a 1.0-litre, 3-cylinder turbocharged petrol engine. But, like the car itself, this engine also has a huge character.

On paper, the performance figures aren’t the most exciting. 100PS and 171Nm sent to the front wheels via a 5-speed manual gearbox. 0-62mph takes 9.8 seconds and the top speed is 112mph. Not exactly tantalising then.

But the figures don’t tell the full story. You see this 1.0 T-GDi engine is an absolute gem, and is perfectly suited to a car as light as the Picanto; with its kerb weight of 1,020kg.

This engine wants to be revved. Take it up to the red line, and you’re rewarded with an eagerness to accelerate. Work the gearbox hard to eke out every last ounce of power, and you’ll be convinced this little Kia could take on just about anything.

And it’s more than comfortable on the motorway, too. Even with a full car, 70mph is no problem. You’ll even be able to overtake with ease.

There’s a decent soundtrack too, with a characteristic 3-cylinder thrum. It’s not too harsh, and provides a great audible accompaniment to some spirited driving.

There is, however, a minor grumble. We have previously tested another Kia with a 1.0 T-GDi engine: the Stonic. In that car, however, it had 115PS and a 6-speed manual gearbox.

Knowing now how much fun the Picanto GT Line S is, it’s hard not to think it could have been even better with the higher power output.

Ride/Handling

In the world of cheap thrills, handling is a big deal. A car need not have the biggest brakes, or a fancy suspension setup, to be able to hold its own and provide a fun drive. The Kia Picanto GT Line S is proof.

I daresay the Picanto was never designed with enthusiastic handling in mind. And yet it does so rather well. A distinct lack of weight helps significantly with this.

Admittedly, the new Suzuki Swift Sport is lighter still. But we’re not going to complain with 1,020kg. It means there’s not much weight to push on in the corners.

That’s good, because the Picanto does pitch and roll when you drive exuberantly. But because it’s so light, it does so to a lesser degree.

With such a compact size, any road feels wider. When on your favourite B-road, you’ll feel like you’re on an American freeway. As such, you can position the car exactly where you want it.

The steering lacks any real feel to it, and it could do with being a little heavier for our liking. Nevertheless it is direct enough for you to point the Picanto’s nose exactly where you want.

Being so light means you don’t need the best brakes either. The discs on the Kia Picanto GT Line S aren’t particularly fancy, but they are more than enough stopping power for this little pocket rocket.

The suspension, with its tendency to lean, makes for a reasonable compromise in everyday driving. The Picanto is comfortable on the motorway, and absorbs lumps and bumps on our pothole-ridden roads pretty well.

Economy

Being lightweight brings further advantages too, notably in terms of fuel economy. In this regard, the figures do look great on paper.

The Kia Picanto GT Line S, with its 1.0 T-GDi engine, offers 48.7mpg on the combined cycle. What’s more it does so under the newer, more realistic WLTP testing regime.

What’s so great about the GT Line S is that even if you drive it like you’re in the WRC, all the time, it will still return 35+mpg, where other turbo hot hatches would see sub-20 figures.

CO2 emissions are a NEDC-equivalent 117g/km. First year VED is £170, with subsequent years being the standard £145.

Somewhat perplexing is the lack of start/stop technology. This was present on the Stonic, with its 115PS engine. In that car, CO2 emissions were 115g/km, so one would expect that if it was in the Picanto GT Line S the car would be even more efficient.

Despite only having a 5-speed manual gearbox, a tall 5^th gear means motorway driving is still reasonably economical.

Quite frankly though, the lack of start/stop technology is but a minor point. You can’t knock the Kia Picanto GT Line S for its economy credentials, both on paper and in the real world.

Practicality

When it comes to practicality, and everyday usability, the Kia Picanto is a bit of a mixed bag. But that’s the case with every supermini because they are, after all, superminis.

The boot is just about big enough for a bit of shopping. And we do mean a bit: 255 litres is hardly enough for a good booze run!

The Kia Picanto GT Line S has a variable boot floor. This allows for a flat load area with the rear seats forded down, but does reduce boot space.

The buggy we use for our daughter is one of the smallest available when folded down. Despite this both the variable boot floor and the parcel shelf had to be removed to get it in the car.

Space in the back of the car is limited too. It’s best to think of the Picanto, or any supermini for that matter, as a four-seater. And the rear seats are not really designed for adults. That being said, being a 5-door does help getting in and out of the rear.

But for zipping around town, they’re perfect. You can parallel park in spaces most cars would drive past. You can be that annoying little car in the supermarket car park that hides between two larger ones and makes people think there’s a free space.

There are other advantages to a car the size of a shoe box. When you go to the local jet wash, you only need £1.50 to wash it top to bottom. Do it by hand and you can reach across the roof from one side of the car to the other.

Equipment

As with any Kia, the easiest review section to write is the equipment one. In fact, the hardest part is keeping the word count down.

Despite being a supermini, the Kia Picanto GT Line S is equipped more lavishly than some executive saloons.

Let’s start with the creature comforts. Keyless entry and go comes as standard. All four windows are electric. The door mirrors are electrically-adjustable and power-folding. You get heated front seats, a heated steering wheel, air conditioning and cruise control with speed limiter.

In terms of audio-visual equipment, the Picanto boasts a 7-inch touchscreen system. It features satellite navigation, DAB radio, Bluetooth, Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. There’s even a wireless charging pad for your mobile phone.

Reassuringly for a supermini, the Kia Picanto GT Line S features a host of safety equipment, enabling it to achieve a 4-star Euro NCAP rating. The only reason it did not score 5 stars is that ESC is not standard across Europe.

Incidentally it is on UK models, but Kia believes that entry level models in other European markets, and the budgets of the customers that buy them, do not call for ESC. So four stars it is.

Safety equipment includes Forward-Collision Avoidance with autonomous emergency braking, Hill-Start Assist Control, Emergency Stop Signalling and ABS with Electronic Brakeforce Distribution and Brake-Assist System.

That’s a lot of equipment for a small car. In fact, it’s a lot of equipment for any car.

Value For Money

There was a general consensus in the motoring world that the Suzuki Swift Sport was the previous king of cheap thrills. It had a list price of just under £14,000. It wasn’t as fast, or as plush, as the likes of the Ford Fiesta ST or Peugeot 208 GTi. But it was still incredible fun to drive, at an irresistible price.

Now though, a Suzuki Swift Sport costs around £18,000. There’s good reason for the price increase – more safety equipment and a more sophisticated engine – but that means it’s no longer cheap. It’s time for a new king.

And that new king is the Kia Picanto GT Line S. Cheeky exterior styling. Fun, zippy performance that puts a smile on your face. An equipment list to brag about in the pub. And all for a mere £14,895 OTR. White is an additional £260, with premium colours costing £535.

It’s impressive that the Picanto GT Line S has all the safety equipment of the new Swift Sport, and is only marginally more expensive than the old Swift Sport.

Also impressive is the standard Kia 7-year, 100,000-miles warranty. Not only does this provide peace-of-mind motoring, but it enables you to sell a car in 5 years’ time with a further 2 years’ warranty remaining.

The Kia Picanto GT Line S is a hidden gem in the vast array of new cars available today. And in a world where prices only seem to be going up – you can’t seem to get that much car for less than £40,000 these days – it’s especially refreshing to come across a car that’s such great value for money.

Shop around, and we reckon you could get a Picanto GT Line S for less than £14,000. The only question remaining: what colour do you want?

Facts and Figures

The post REVIEW – Kia Picanto 1.0 T-GDi GT Line S appeared first on Simply Motor.

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Exterior Styling

The Kia Sportage was already one of the best-looking cars in its class. And with the recent tweaks to its styling, there’s no danger of that changing.

Furthermore, the GT Line S model we tested is the most dapper of them all, not least when finished in striking Blue Flame paint.

The four ‘ice cube’ LED daytime running lights have been replaced by ‘ice cube’ fog lights. The daytime running lights are now incorporated into the headlights. There are still four of them, and they look a bit – dare we say it – ‘Porsche-like’.

Cluster LED indicators are similar to those on the Stinger, and the shouty front grille is recognisably Kia. The front corners have been made broader to give a more imposing stance.

Filling the arches are 19-inch alloy wheels in a dark grey and brushed aluminium finish. There are flashes of chrome on the side skirts, window surround and door handles. Privacy glass gives an air of luxury.

At the back the lines are smoother, while the tail-lights are as striking as the headlights. Twin exhaust pipes are neatly nestled into the rear bumper.

A roof spoiler completes the athletic exterior package. The Kia Sportage is a car with serious kerb appeal. And this new model is a real winner. It definitely puts the ‘sport’ in ‘Sportage’.

Interior Finish

Take your seat in the Kia Sportage and you will be impressed with the cabin that surrounds you. On the whole it’s a nicely-finished place to be.

The seats are finished in black leather with contrast red stitching and piping. The front seats don’t look the most sporty, but once you settle in there’s plenty of bolster support to keep you in your place.

The perforated leather steering wheel is flat-bottomed and brandishes the ‘GT Line’ logo. In front of these sit the disappointingly-plain dials. At a time where digital instrument clusters are becoming more commonplace, this is an area Kia could look to improve.

The centre console is angled toward the driver, including the 8-inch touchscreen and all the controls. A ‘stitched’ effect to the dashboard is novel, but is in no way fooling you that the material is anything other than plastic.

That being said, the plastics in the Kia Sportage are nice. There’s plenty of soft touch material and different textures. Our only grumble was a lack of different colours. The brushed silver trim is nice, but we would have liked more of it.

To stop the cabin feeling too dark, there is a simple solution. Open the electric blind on the panoramic sunroof and let some light in.

There is no doubt that if you take your friends out in the Kia Sportage, they will be impressed. Understandably so.

Engine/Performance

There are three engine choices for your Kia Sportage GT Line S: one petrol, one diesel and one ‘mild hybrid’.

Our test car was the latter. So what’s a mild hybrid I hear you ask? This relatively new technology uses a 48-volt battery and electric motor to assist a diesel engine.

The idea is that it is completely unobtrusive. Providing efficiency benefits without you even noticing. The big question is: does it work?

Power from the 2.0-litre diesel engine is 182PS. The electric motor adds a further 16PS. Combined torque is 400Nm. With AWD and an 8-speed automatic gearbox, 0-62mph is dealt with in 9.2 seconds. The top speed is 125mph.

True to concept, you get no sense of when the electric motor kicks in. You can feel some resistance when coasting, which is the regenerative braking system putting charge back in the battery. To help you see what the 48V system is doing, there is a display available in the instrument cluster.

On the performance front, the 48V motor is noticeable. A prod of the right foot results in much more instant acceleration than the diesel alone. That being said, the Kia Sportage isn’t what you’d call fast.

For what it’s worth, the 1.6-litre turbocharged petrol engine, with its 177PS and 7-speed DCT gearbox will get from 0-62mph in 8.8 seconds.

Not only is that faster than the mild hybrid, but it’s a revvy petrol engine that is much more suited to the nature of the GT Line S. We still think Kia needs to produce a hot Sportage. It now has the engines in its armoury – such as the 2.0 T-GDi with 245PS – to do so.

Ride/Handling

While the performance of the Kia Sportage GT Line S still leaves a little to be desired, the handling does not. There are no complaints here.

For a reasonably tall SUV, the Kia Sportage has almost no body roll at all. That’s extremely impressive, and means the GT Line S has the handling prowess to match its styling.

There are no fancy adaptive damping systems in the Sportage, but you wouldn’t know. It handles the lumps and bumps of our roads with ease. And on the motorway it’s smooth and relaxing. Throw it round a B-road and it stays flat and composed.

The steering is nicely weighted, but lacks feel. You don’t really get a sense of what the front wheels are doing through the steering wheel. It is, however, direct enough to provide an engaging drive on a twisty road. You can point the nose into a corner effortlessly.

Despite a 1,747kg kerb weight, the Kia Sportage GT Line S feels relatively nimble. With plenty of braking power, it stops well too.

This particular Sportage is rated for braked trailers up to 1,900kg. And it makes an excellent tow car: smooth and comfortable. The suspension is designed to cope with a trailer just as well as it copes with a boot full of, well, whatever you want to fill it with.

SUVs are meant to be versatile, and that’s exactly how the Kia Sportage handles. We have never been left this impressed with a car that doesn’t have a super clever air or magnetic suspension setup. Well done, Kia.

Economy

So what’s all this about a ‘mild hybrid’ then? So it’s a self-charging system, with no plugging in required. There’s a 48-Volt battery under the boot floor, and a Mild Hybrid Starter and Generator (MHSG) at the back of the engine.

When coasting and under braking, friction energy is able to charge the battery. And that battery is able to assist the engine in reciprocation. That could be a bit of extra get-up-and-go when you put your foot down. Or it could be saving fuel under minimal throttle.

On paper this system has a lot of merit. Combined fuel consumption of 48.7mpg is very respectable in a 4WD SUV like the Kia Sportage. CO2 emissions of 152g/km are roughly in-line with rivals. First year VED is £515, and £140 thereafter. There is no supplement as the Kia Sportage is under £40,000.

Truthfully, we’re not altogether convinced by this mild hybrid lark. And in the real world we never saw anything near 48.7mpg. During our week on test, we saw a return comparable to most diesel alternatives.

We could feel the regenerative braking system harnessing friction to charge the battery. There is an improved sharpness to the throttle response too. But it’s no good having a bit of extra oomph without any economy benefits. The 48-Volt setup is not a cheap one, and with no apparent real-world economic benefit then you’d be as well with a standard diesel.

Practicality

The Kia Sportage is well-established as a family car. It is therefore no surprise that this new model is a capable vehicle, perfect for any family.

For starters, there’s plenty of space inside. So even if your children are all big and grown up, they’ll find the Kia Sportage comfortable in the back. Even if the front occupants like their seat almost out of reach of the pedals, there is ample legroom behind.

In the front, there’s even more room. The big, comfortable seats are inviting. A centre armrest is useful on longer drives.

Boot space of 439 litres is easily accessible thanks to the large boot opening. The 60:40 split rear seats fold pretty-much flat, allowing you to load bigger items. You wouldn’t have an issue picking up a few things from Ikea that’s for sure.

As a car to own, the Kia Sportage is very likeable indeed. With such a strong visual impact, you’ll love having one on the driveway. The gadgetry available – which we’ll come on to next – ensures that every journey is comfortable and enjoyable.

Visibility is great from the elevated driving position, and reasonably-slim A-pillars minimise blind spots going round corners.

Despite being spacious, the Sportage never feels overly big from behind the wheel. So when driving through town there’s no feeling claustrophobic. Parking is easy enough, with or without technological assistance.

Lastly, the Kia Sportage has an all-wheel drive system to ensure that when the going gets a bit tougher, you can keep on going. Great for those that live a little off the beaten track, or for those 2 days of snow we get a year.

Equipment

If there’s one thing Kia does particularly well, it has to be standard specifications. Take the Kia Sportage as a case in point.

All models come with front and rear electric windows, electrically-adjustable door mirrors, air conditioning and a touchscreen multimedia system with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto.

For practicality there’s Trailer Stability Assist, Hill-start Assist Control, Downhill Brake Control and cruise control.

Then you come to the Kia Sportage GT Line S. Not only is this model the most sporty-looking in the range, but it has an impressive array of creature comforts to make every aspect of driving a treat.

Most impressive is the safety equipment, which features forward collision avoidance with autonomous emergency braking and pedestrian detection. You also get blind-spot monitoring, lane-keeping assist, high-beam assist and a rather cool 360-degree parking camera with overhead view.

For comfort, the front seats are both heated and cooled. The outer rear seats are heated too, as is the steering wheel. So the Kia Sportage is great on a chilly morning.

In terms of music, the 8-speaker JBL sound system with subwoofer won’t disappoint. This, and other settings, are very easy to navigate and control with the 8-inch touchscreen. The centre console features a wireless charging pad, allowing you to easily store and charge your smartphone at the same time.

Keyless entry adds convenience, as does the electric tailgate. So you can see the Kia Sportage is a dream to live with. The GT Line S does so much that you’ll spend a great deal of time showing all of its party tricks off to your friends.

Value For Money

Kia certainly takes a lot of stress out of the car buying process by removing optional extras. The idea is simple: pick the grade which has the kit you desire.

There are sufficient grades in the range to suit the majority of tastes, and the difference in price between grades is usually justifiable when you see the additional equipment on offer. Generally the only chargeable extra is premium paint, at £595.

The Sportage range starts from a very reasonable £20,305 for the two-wheel drive ‘1’ with a 1.6-litre petrol engine.

The cheapest GT Line S is the 1.6-litre turbocharged petrol, at a similarly-reasonable £31,645. For the amount of equipment on offer, combined with decent performance, it’s hard not to see the value in it. Remember that you’ll also get Kia’s standard –year warranty.

But the model we tested, the ‘mild hybrid’ one, comes at a price. You see the 48V battery and motor technology doesn’t come cheap, so pushes the price of the car to £34,545.

Relatively speaking, that’s still good value. It’s certainly a lot cheaper than other cars which feature the technology, such as the Audi Q8.

But the real-world economy benefits don’t seem worth the extra outlay, especially with the rising price of diesel fuel. Or, more specifically, the increasing price difference between petrol and diesel fuel.

There’s no doubt in our minds that the Kia Sportage GT Line S offers excellent value for your money, loaded with gadgets and very easy on the eye. But save yourself a few quid and go for the petrol one. It just makes more financial sense.

Facts and Figures

The post REVIEW – Kia Sportage GT-Line S appeared first on Simply Motor.

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Exterior Styling

The 3^rd generation of the Kia Ceed has hit showrooms, and brings a whole new suit. It’s safe to say that it’s a rather smart-looking vehicle from most angles.

The new shape makes the Ceed appear longer, bolder and holds a lower shoulder-line than its predecessor. There is quite a resemblance to the current generation Ford Focus and Mercedes A class to the exterior.

At the front, the Kia ‘family’ grille is instantly recognisable. The grille is finished in a chrome trim which gives a premium look.

Twin sweeping headlights help to create a sportier presence to the front. The headlights now feature the four square LED daytime running lights previously found lower on the bumper on GT Line models. They’re very distinctive and give the Ceed a menacing look on the road.

To the side, you’ll find more chrome trim and body-coloured mirrors. The Ceed ‘First Edition’ sits on 17-inch diamond cut alloys. Opt for the ‘2’ model and you’ll get 16-icnh alloys as standard.

To the rear you’ll find the usual sports spoiler. Below that is a contrasting black bumper with a singular sports exhaust. The rear taillights have been redesigned, and appear sleeker and more contemporary.

Our test car was finished in the new Blue Flame colour which is particularly striking. It’s not offensive but stands out enough for people to recognise you’ve got yourself a new car. I wouldn’t choose any other colour if I was placing an order (however there are 7 to choose if you wish).

Interior Finish

The usual recipe for the interior in a Korean car these days is decent materials, a practical layout but lack of colour and texture. As such the interiors can be rather boring and forgettable.

However, the interior in the new Ceed feels a bit more upbeat. There’s a splash of metal-look plastic around the dashboard and door handles, a sports leather steering wheel and a stitched-effect dashboard.

Interior quality brings a nice blend of premium materials, offset against some hard-scratchy plastics (albeit not much). Overall, there’s no denying that the interior finish is up to high standards and puts some of the premium car manufacturers to shame.

The 8-inch infotainment system sits on top of the dash and gives a more modern appearance. Its also a practical place to glance at, whilst still keeping your eyes on the road.

Controls are laid out perfectly, in the usual Kia manner. If you’ve driven a Kia before, you won’t find it hard to jump straight into this latest Ceed.

The bolstered seats are also rather comfortable, providing just enough lateral support. The seating position is lower than you’d expect in a family hatchback. But that allows the driver a sporty seating position.

To the rear of the car, there’s little to shout about. The material quality is there, but there’s little in the way of contrast. It is a little bit dull back there, and the back of the centre console is a hard, scratchy plastic. But this isn’t an issue from the driving seat.

Engine/Performance

Our test car had the pick of the range, a 1.4-litre turbocharged petrol engine. The engine produces 138PS and 242Nm of torque. Kia also offers a smaller 1.0-litre turbocharged petrol engine, or a 1.6-litre diesel engine.

The engine feels lively and responsive. A 6-speed manual gearbox draws the maximum drivability from the smaller engine. The 0-62mph dash is a respectable 8.6 seconds. That’s not exactly break-neck speed, but there’s always the Ceed GT (to be tested later this year) if you need a little more power.

At motorway speeds, the Kia Ceed picks up well. It overtakes well, with the turbocharged providing enough torque to allow you to hold higher gears. The only time you need to drop a cog to maintain momentum is when heavily loaded up steeper inclines. For the most part, this 1.4-litre Ceed feels amply competent.

The only drawback was the lack of engine note inside the cabin. Plant your foot on the accelerator and you’ll hear nothing but a dreary moan, almost like the engine is depressed. The sporty driving position and lively engine puts the driver in a playful mood when on a twisty b-road. But the lack of noise makes that mood fall a little flat.

Most surprising is the exhaust note. We were that baffled by it that we initially thought the car had a fault. The exhaust burbles, pops and crackles like a sports car! Put it this way, I’d happily swap my Skoda Octavia vRS’s exhaust for one of them. It’s just a crying shame you can’t really hear it from inside!

Ride/Handling

Given that the this was the ‘First Edition’ not the GT, we hoped for a balanced ride. To be honest the Ceed just wasn’t there. It all seems a little confused. Let me explain further.

At lower speeds around town the Ceed would pick up small dips, lumps and bumps that other hatchbacks would absorb. A big bump felt like sitting on a rollercoaster with a bass drum in the rear.

However, at motorway speeds the ride is smooth and comfortable. Along with a quiet engine and road noise: the Ceed becomes a rather pleasing motorway cruiser.

So, you’re probably thinking that given the seemingly firmer setup the Ceed is refined in the corners? Well unfortunately the steering has weight but not feel. The Ceed also lacks an element of responsiveness; the steering definitely feels less sharp than some rivals.

We think the 17-inch alloys could well have contributed to the Ceed’s over-sensitivity to lumps and bumps. If you opt for the ‘2’ model, you’ll get 16-inch alloys which could potentially resolve some of the ride issues.

Economy

As noted earlier, our test car had the pick of the range, the 1.4 litre petrol turbo. On paper the car can achieve 48.7 mpg on a combined cycle, and that’s rather good considering it’s a petrol.

Its not often that we see the published figures in the real word, however we’re pleased to say that the Kia almost achieved the claimed figures. It’s especially impressive given the current difference in petrol/diesel price at the pumps. The Kia Ceed stakes a strong claim for a shift back to petrol power.

The key thing we noted was how easy the car was to drive in a relaxed and economical manner. The 6-speed gearbox helped keep revs down when tootling around, and the start/stop system helps improve economy around town.

In terms of CO2 emissions the Kia Ceed produces 132g/km which is fairly standard for a modern petrol engine. So all things considered, its pretty cheap to run.

The VED for the first year is £205 and will be absorbed into the list price. After that you’ll see a yearly cost of £140, so again not braking the bank.

Practicality

Hatchbacks can vary significantly when it comes to space and practicality. We’re delighted to say that the Kia Ceed ticks all the boxes when it comes to space and usability as a family car.

Passenger space in the rear is fairly surprising with plenty of space for adults. The rear bench seats are both comfortable and supportive, whilst maintaining generous leg room.

The rear seats also come with easily-accessible ISOFIX mounting on the outer seats, which is important if you’re planning on starting up a family. Trust me, finding hard to reach ISOFIX points in the cold, dark winter months isn’t particularly pleasant.

In terms of rear boot space, the Ceed has a capacity of 395 litres. Not only does this trump most rival hatchbacks, it’s also more than in some small SUVs. The boot opening is large and provides ease access for larger items.

To be honest, unless you’ve got a Great Dane, you shouldn’t need a bigger boot.

Fold the rear seats down and you’ll increase the capacity to 1,291 litres of space with the ability to fold the seats completely flat for those trickier, larger items. Yes, Ikea, we’re talking about you…

Equipment

To be honest the following phrase has been quite common this year; “we’re always impressed with the Koreans and their technology”. Kia packs a lot of kit into its cars as standard and, as with the previous generation, the Ceed is no exception.

Inside the Ceed ‘First Edition’ features an upgraded 8-inch touchscreen display with an eight-speaker JBL audio system. Sat-Nav, Android Auto and Apple CarPlay comes as standard with the car.

Access is made simple via keyless entry with a push-button start. To aid parking there’s a reversing camera, with both front and rear sensors. The Ceed also features Smart Park Assist for easy parallel and perpendicular parking. For comfort there’s a heated steering wheel, along with heated and cooled front seats and heated outer rear seats for the kids.

To make the cabin seem larger, there’s a sunroof with an electric tilt and slide. For added comfort, the seats are upgraded with a 10-way power adjustable driver seat with memory functions.

To keep you safe on the road, the Kia Ceed includes autonomous emergency breaking, blind spot detection and lane departure warning system.

The added safety features and driver assistance systems should ensure the Ceed maintains 5 stars in the Euro NCAP ratings, although they haven’t tested the new Kia Ceed as yet. Nevertheless, you can be confident it will keep you and the family safe. As always, the level of safety equipment will ensure that insurance bills remain on the cheaper side.

Value For Money

The Kia Ceed range starts at £18,295 for the Ceed ‘2’ edition. Our test car, the 1.4 t-GDi ‘First Edition’ costs £25,750 OTR. For that price, you’re getting an exhaustive list of equipment and car, but its still a significant outlay for a family hatchback.

If you can live without some of the creature comforts such as the sunroof, upgraded sound system, heated and cooled seats and heated steering wheel, then you can save yourself a lot of money by opting for the ‘3’ model. The ‘3’ starts at a more reasonable £20,705.

If you’re worried about optional extras, you don’t have to. The Kia Ceed ‘First Edition’ comes with everything as standard. It’s a policy Kia has taken on all its models. Even the Blue Flame metallic paint comes as standard.

The Ceed is also backed by Kia’s 5-year, 100,000-mile warranty to give you long term peace of mind.

In summary, the Kia Ceed is a brilliant hatchback. Kia has managed to pack a lot of kit into a sleek, stylish body. It hardly sets the world alight in performance, despite teasing a sporty driving position and throaty exhaust noise.

But is it economical in the real world, and it’s price point is certainly competitive when you consider the level of equipment compared to competitors. We just can’t wait to try some of the other variations of the Kia Ceed; notably the Pro Ceed and GT models. Watch this space…

Facts and Figures

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Exterior Styling

If you haven’t already seen the Kia Stinger GT S, then you have no idea just what you’re missing. This is a tremendous-looking car, turning heads wherever it goes.

I mean, just look at it. It looks good from every angle. My test car was finished in Ceramic Grey; by far the best colour available. It’s a simple colour, almost understated. But it gives the Kia Stinger a stealth-like appearance which only enhances its visual appeal.

At the front, the Kia ‘family’ grille is recognisable, but it is framed with a wonderful dark chrome trim. It looks wonderfully premium: more sophisticated than a simple gloss black trim, less gaudy than regular chrome.

Twin sweeping LED daytime running lights create a striking image in the rear-view mirrors of other motorists. The LED cluster indicators look superb. In the corners of the front bumper huge vents allow air to the brakes, showing the Kia Stinger’s looks have performance design built in.

To the side, mirrors and vents are finished in dark chrome. 19-inch snowflake alloy wheels sit atop big red Brembo brake calipers.

The rear door window sweeps upwards as it reaches the rear quarter, highlighting the broad shoulders of this grand tourer. A red reflector extends about a foot from the rear light cluster.

At the back, four oval tail pipes hint at the performance on offer. The sleek design of the tailgate incorporates a lip, which negates the need for a separate spoiler. More cluster LED indicators finish off a rear end that is all most people will ever see of the Kia Stinger.

Downsides? Well, there’s no privacy glass, which would have enhanced the premium appeal. There are also some superficial design elements, such as the ‘vents’ on the bonnet and rear bumper corners.

Interior Finish

Rivals of the Kia Stinger – the likes of the BMW 340i and Audi S5 – have a higher standard of interior than the average Kia. So for the Stinger they’ve tried to up their game.

Take a look inside the Stinger and you can tell. Dodgy plastics are all but non-existent, making way for soft-touch alternatives, leather and brushed aluminium.

My test car had a deep red leather trim. Not only was this a superb contrast to the Ceramic Grey exterior, but it harmonises that very aggressive-looking exterior with what is a generally reserved cabin.

Take the seats themselves as an example. These aren’t lightweight, shell-style racing seats. These are big, comfortable chairs aimed to make the Stinger a true grand tourer. They are bolstered to hold you in place, but there’s sufficient adjustment in the bolsters that larger drivers won’t feel cramped.

The three vents in the centre of the dashboard are a nice design feature, sadly ruined by the clunky multimedia screen above it. The frame of the screen seems unnecessarily large.

The dials are simple black, white and red, with a multifunction display in the middle. The flat-bottomed steering wheel is chunky with bumps for your thumbs. Even the gear knob is sleek.

But the rest of the switchgear has come directly out of a Sportage. And that is a little disappointing, especially on a £40,000 car.

A large sunroof lets plenty of light into the cabin, but with the red leather and aluminium trim there was never a danger that the Stinger would feel dark and gloomy.

The Audi S5 has a nicer interior, with its super sports seats and virtual cockpit. But Kia has done a good job with the Stinger; making it a nice place to be. Like a grand tourer should be.

Engine/Performance

True to the name ‘Stinger’ the GT S model packs some serious venom. Its 3.3-litre turbocharged V6 engine packs 370PS and 510Nm; making this the most powerful Kia. Ever.

Power is sent to the rear wheels only, through an 8-speed automatic gearbox and limited-slip differential.

In the dry, that makes the Stinger a force to be reckoned with. 0-62mph takes 4.9 seconds and the top speed is 168mph. That puts it right up there with the Audi S4 and S5 (essentially the same car) and BMW 340i.

But not in the wet. As soon as it’s not bone dry the Audi S4 and S5, with Quattro all-wheel drive systems, would absolutely trounce the Kia.

What’s missing from the driving experience is a soundtrack. There’s no sports exhaust system, and that’s a shame. With the sound symposer you get a little bit of a V6 note in the cabin when you engage Sport mode, but outside it’s far too civilised.

I get it; the Kia Stinger is a Grand Tourer. It’s designed to waft along comfortably, but with the ability to pick up some serious speed. But that doesn’t mean it can’t have a flap-opening exhaust system that lets out the sound of hell fire when your mood so wishes. I mean the Audi S5 manages that just fine.

And when you look at the Stinger, you expect big things. Its image is striking, so when you see ‘370PS’ written down you can’t help but think “God I bet this’ll be good”. But without the theatre of noise it’s a little underwhelming.

Take the Stinger on a grand tour, and it comes into its own. It cruises effortlessly. But with peak torque available from just 1,300rpm you can pick up unbelievable speed at the prod of your right foot.

Ride/Handling

With the Stinger being designed as a grand tourer, you won’t be overly surprised to know it’s rather comfortable. The GT S model has adaptive dampers, so it can be comfortable without compromising performance; in sport mode its firm and composed.

The suspension set up on the Stinger is absolutely spot on. You will, undoubtedly, spend most of your time in comfort mode. With those big armchairs up front I can think of few cars better suited to a long journey. It’s at that point the lack of engine noise is a good thing: the Stinger is incredibly quiet on the motorway.

The Stinger is also aptly named for the sting it has in its tail. Rear wheel drive and 370PS means this is a Kia that demands serious respect. It bites.

On the track, I imagine you could get to grips with the car. With the width to play with I dare say you’d soon be having some incredible fun. But on the road, you have to be mindful of being a bit throttle-happy.

The steering is nice and heavy, and you’ll be glad it’s quick enough to catch the rear should it try and misbehave. Feedback through the wheel isn’t the strongest, but it is sharp enough for this not to be an issue.

Braking power is provided by Brembo disc brakes all-round: four-piston calipers at the front, two-piston at the back. The Stinger pulls up well, with strong bite and a good feel in the pedal. For the road they are ample, but I’d be keen to see how they’d stand up to some serious stick on a track.

Economy

With a 3.3-litre V6 under the bonnet, you could be forgiven for thinking the Kia Stinger will be a regular at the petrol station. And it’s easy to fall out with any car that guzzles its way through your wallet, week after week.

Take the official figures for fuel consumption: 28.5mpg on the combined cycle. Given that the reality is often far below the official figures, I was a little worried myself. Happily, it turned out I needn’t be.

The Kia Stinger has start/stop technology. It has an Eco drive mode which makes the throttle less responsive and the gearbox more eager to shift up. Having 8 gears also helps improve fuel consumption on the motorway.

So in reality you can achieve 28.5mpg. In fact, on long motorway drives you can better it. And that was a very pleasant surprise indeed.

CO2 emissions of 225g/km are a little on the high side. For example, the 3.0-litre turbocharged V6 engine in an Audi S5 Sportback emits just 174 g/km.

First year VED when you purchase the vehicle is £1,240. Subsequent years’ VED is the standard £140. However, there’s the ‘expensive car’ surcharge to contend with. It applies to cars costing more than £40,000.

Annoyingly, the Stinger GT S costs £40,535. That £535 means you’ll pay an extra £310 VED in years 2-6. The only saving grace is that all the Stinger’s rivals are more than £40,000 too, so the VED is comparable.

Practicality

The Stinger is a rather large car. As such, it has a spacious cabin. Having said that, the rear legroom looked to be less than expected. The reason for this is the extra deep rear seats. They’re comfortable, and taller passengers had no issues sat in the rear.

The boot, at 406 litres, is less than you’d get in an Audi S5 Sportback or BMW 340i Saloon, both of which hold 480 litres. But I wouldn’t exactly say the boot in the Stinger is cramped. There’s more than enough room for luggage and the weekly shopping.

Despite appearances, the Stinger can be a reasonably reserved car. In Comfort mode, acceleration is gentle, the suspension is soft and the gearbox is smooth. That makes the Stinger no harder to drive through town than a Ford Fiesta.

Parking isn’t a problem either thanks to the 360-degree camera with front and rear parking sensors. The adjustable power steering is also lighter in comfort mode, making manoeuvres easier.

Most surprisingly, the Stinger GT S is rated for towing. I’m not sure how many customers will use the feature, but the GT S can tow 750kg unbraked, and 1,500kg braked.

I would say that means you can take the caravan away for the weekend. But I don’t see the type of person buying a Stinger GT S being one to holiday in a polystyrene box.

Perhaps the only downside to practicality in the Stinger is going to come when the weather goes decidedly British on us. When the snow falls, you’d rather be in an Audi S5 with its Quattro all-wheel drive system that’s for sure.

Equipment

Unlike many manufacturers, Kia don’t do optional extras. You buy whichever grade comes with the toys you want. I can see the benefit of this; it is a simpler manufacturing process by standardising the product.

In order to make this system work from a consumer point of view, Kias tend to be more generously equipped than rivals. With the Stinger GT S, you get absolutely everything, and all as standard.

For convenience you have keyless entry and go, power front seats with driver memory function, adaptive cruise control and electronic parking brake with auto hold function.

The front seats are both heated and cooled, and the outer-rear seats are heated. A heated steering wheel is a treat on colder mornings.

In the multimedia department there’s wireless charging in the centre console, a Harmon Kardon sound system, satellite navigation, DAB radio and a heads-up display.

The Stinger also features an array of safety equipment, such as lane keeping assist, blind spot monitoring, driver alert system and autonomous emergency braking.

An electronic tailgate makes loading and unloading fun, while dual-zone climate control avoids arguing with your passenger about what temperature to have the cabin.

The list goes on and on. After spending a week with the Stinger there was nothing I felt it was missing in terms of equipment. With cars like the Audi S5 you always worry about the options list; how much it will add to the price of the car. With the Kia, you get what you are given, but that’s ample.

Value For Money

Since Kia first announced the Stinger, it’s been hotly anticipated. Despite this, it has still managed to meet or better the high expectations of the media.

The Stinger GT S costs £40,535. The only optional extra is premium paint, which adds £645. Sunset Yellow is the standard colour on the GT S, with all other colours subject to the premium.

So the bottom line is a car that costs a shade over £41,000. When you consider the performance capabilities that makes the Kia Stinger an apparent bargain compared to its German competitors.

And it’s not like you can say Kia has skimped with the Stinger. Sure, the interior isn’t quite as high-end as you might have liked. But adaptive dampers, Brembo brakes and the limited-slip differential and performance parts that mean business.

The equipment list is comprehensive, such that you don’t want for anything in terms of gadgets or technology. That such equipment is all standard on the Kia Stinger is an advantage over competitors, for which many luxuries are an optional extra.

By the time you configure an Audi S5 to a similar specification as the Stinger, you could be looking at a price that’s £15,000 higher. But that just leaves the current unknown for the Stinger as a new car: depreciation.

With the Audi, you know it will hold its value. You won’t struggle to sell it in 5 years’ time. The concern for me would be what a £40,000 Kia will be worth down the road. Hopefully with its 7-year, 100,000-mile it will surprise us all and hold value well.

Facts and Figures

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Exterior Styling

The small SUV is becoming a big player in the car market. Combining a compact family hatchback with a higher driving position seems to be a popular choice. Personalisation and individuality are also becoming more commonplace. So that sets me up nicely to introduce you to the Kia Stonic.

If you could sum up the styling in one word, I think “funky” would do. Kia has worked hard to make the Stonic cheeky and modern. On the First Edition (as we tested) two-tone colour schemes give a really fresh appearance. Our test car was Graphite with Lime Green roof, which was fantastic.

At the front the Stonic is unmistakeably Kia, featuring the ‘tiger nose’ grille. The lines are a combination of bold angles and sweeping curves, making the Stonic look bigger than it actually is. I couldn’t help but think that the Stonic looked a lot like a beefed up Kia Rio, but essentially that’s exactly what it is.

To the side, 17-inch two-tone alloy wheels fill the arches nicely. The C-pillar is prominent, and splits the secondary colour roof. Silver roof rails and privacy glass give a premium feel, whilst the plastic lower trims bring in a rugged edge.

At the back, the tough-looking bumper incorporates a silver diffuser, and a large exhaust tip. The secondary-colour spoiler is extended by black side trims, which is a nice design feature.

Overall this is a tough looking car, with broad arches, a tall stance and a slightly aggressive front end. I also think it looks better than the car from which it spawned: the Rio.

Interior Finish

Climb inside the Kia Stonic, and you’re greeted to the usual Kia interior that we all expect, but with the same funky edge as the exterior. The layout of the cabin will look familiar, and the various buttons and switches are logically laid out in a similar fashion to other models.

There are several colourful interiors available, which match the exterior colour chosen. So in our test car the dashboard and centre console featured lime green aceenting, as do the seats, and green stitching brings the whole design package together nicely.

The seats feature both medium grey and black artificial leather and the door armrests are a lighter grey. This moves away from the black on black interiors and helps create a light, airy atmosphere which in turn gives a greater sense of space.

In terms of quality, some of the plastics were a little scratchy, and it lacked those premium-feeling materials, but then this is true of most cars in this segment. On the whole the Kia Stonic feels well put together. I also like the multimedia screen, which sits on the top of the centre console rather than being incorporated into it.

Engine/Performance

This small SUV has a small range of engines, with a choice of 1.6-litre CRDi diesel, a 1.4-litre petrol and a 1.0-litre T-GDi turbocharged petrol. All feature 6-speed manual gearboxes. Automatic options, along with further trim levels, are expected to join the range this year.

Our test car featured the smallest of the three; the 1.0-litre T-GDi turbocharged petrol engine. I think this is actually the engine best suited to the Kia Stonic: it’s small in size but big in presence, offering the most power out of the three engines available.

Developing 118PS and 171Nm of torque, it will propel the Stonic from 0-62mph in 9.9 seconds and on to a top speed of 115mph. It doesn’t sound brilliant on paper, but with a throaty 3-cylinder soundtrack and an engaging 6-speed manual gearbox the Stonic certainly feels lively.

If you push hard into the higher realms of the rev range and work the gearbox, then you are rewarded with an engaging drive. But then you can also effortlessly cruise on the motorway, and potter round town. For a small engine the 1.0 T-GDi is a well-rounded package.

Ride / Handling

In general, crossovers are not the most thrilling of cars to drive. This is largely because they are based on hatchbacks with added road height, and that higher centre of gravity causes more lean and roll.

During normal driving the ride is comfortable. The seats weren’t the most comfortable on a longer journey, but around town the Kia Stonic absorbs little bumps and potholes well.

The steering is nicely weighted, and despite the styling making the Stonic feel big, from behind the wheel it feels small and nimble. The driving position was fine for me, but taller people may feel a little cramped behind the wheel.

More spirited driving emphasises the pitfalls of a taller stature, with corner lean and body roll becoming more apparent, exaggerated by a lack of lateral support in the seats. In a way it is a shame, because with such a lively engine the Stonic could have been great fun to drive.

I should also point out that the Kia Stonic, as with most small SUVs, is strictly front-wheel drive only. There are no clever grip systems or selectable drive modes, so the ‘Utility’ aspect of the SUV name might be called into question should you find yourself in a field.

Economy

Whichever engine you choose in the Kia Stonic, it will be reasonably frugal. All engines feature Intelligent Stop & Go (ISG) and with a kerb weight of 1,160kg to 1,255kg there isn’t a great deal of weight to haul around.

The 1.0-litre T-GDi engine featured in our test car claims 56.5mpg on the combined cycle, and is best suited to lower-mileage drivers. Anyone who does longer commutes may want to consider the diesel, because of its superior 67.3mpg on the combined cycle.

CO2 emissions start from 109g/km for the 1.6 CRDi, rising to 115g/km for the 1.0 T-GDi and to 125g/km for the 1.4 MPI. First year VED is £140 for the diesel and £160 for both petrol engines. Subsequent years are £140 across the range.

As with any small, turbocharged engine the T-GDi is brilliant if you drive gently; offering superb fuel consumption. Drive a little more enthusiastically and you can soon see the consumption figure drop.

Practicality

The cabin space in the Kia Stonic is largely comparable with the Rio on which it is based, albeit with a little more head room thanks to that taller frame.

The rear leg room is less than I was expecting given how big and chunky the Stonic looks from the outside. Adults would find longer journeys uncomfortable, but ultimately that is a drawback of the small SUV. For adults up front and kids in the back, the Stonic has enough space to be a useful family car.

Throughout the cabin you’ll find plenty of practical storage pockets, cup-holders and a decent 7 litre glovebox (which is becoming a rarity on cars these days). The central armrest also features a nifty storage compartment. In the rear, Kia have added drink holders for water bottles, however this failed to hold my 2-year old daughter’s drink bottle. More child-friendly storage would be welcomed, given that the Stonic is aimed at families.

The boot space on the Kia Stonic is 352 litres. This is fine for the weekly shop, but when you load up the kids and their possessions you might hope for a little more. When compared to rivals, the Stonic is small: the Citroen C3 Aircross has a boot space of 410 litres, for example.

Getting items in and out of the boot was easy thank to a false floor, providing a flat load floor and a wide opening. The Stonic’s rear seats also folded completely flat, making those larger Ikea items a breeze to load into the back.

Equipment

The ace up the sleeve of any Kia is the list of standard equipment, and the Stonic is no exception. A Kia Stonic ‘2’ gets 17-inch alloy wheels, a 7-inch TFT screen infotainment system with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, Bluetooth, electric windows, rear parking sensors, air conditioning and front LED daytime running lights.

The Stonic First Edition adds keyless entry with push-button start, satellite navigation, heated front seats, heated steering wheel, reversing camera, autonomous emergency breaking, blind spot detection and lane departure warning system.

The added safety features and driver assistance systems ensure the First Edition scores 5 stars in the Euro NCAP ratings. So you can be confident it will keep you and the family safe. It also reduces the insurance group by 2 groups (12 vs. 14) on the equivalent ‘2’. IT would seem that insurers now appreciate technology designed to help you avoid crashing.

Anyone I took out in the Stonic was impressed at how much equipment it featured. Not too many years ago the likes of a heated steering wheel would be inconceivable on what is essentially a family hatchback. But the fact is these creature comforts are easy to get used to, making the Stonic feel like a treat.

Value For Money

The Kia Stonic range starts at £16,295 OTR for the 1.4 MPI ‘2’. The most expensive model is the 1.6 CRDi First Edition which costs a still-reasonable £20,495 OTR. Considering the standard equipment you get, I’d call that exceptional value for money.

The only ‘optional extras’ relate to paint, with white paint costing £250 and other premium colours costing £545. The Kia Stonic won’t break the bank to buy, and it’s also backed by Kia’s 7-year, 100,000-mile warranty to give you peace of mind.

If you want even more value, then why not add Kia Care-3 with MOT? This comprises 3 services and the car’s first MOT. Priced at £329 for a diesel and £429 for a petrol it, like the Stonic itself, works out at great value.

Time will tell what residuals will be like on the Kia Stonic, but I would imagine that a car as comprehensively-equipped as the First Edition will have some demand in the second hand car market. The beauty of a Kia is that you can sell it at 5 years old and the new owner still has warranty remaining!

Facts and Figures

The post REVIEW – Kia Stonic 1.0T-GDi First Edition appeared first on Simply Motor.

As my friends never cease to point out, I do quite like a Kia. The Optima is a car I have driven several times over the years, and have generally been impressed. It is now available as an estate car and I do quite like those too. Called the Optima Sportswagon it aims to bring even more practicality and versatility to the spacious saloon. But at present there is still only one engine choice, albeit with the option of a 7-speed DCT gearbox. The Sportswagon brings with it a new trim level; the GT-Line S, so I grabbed one for a week to see what it had to offer. Would the small engine take away from the ‘GT’ element? Is the Optima too big? I set about finding the answers…

Looks – 9/10

I like the styling of the Optima. And the Sportswagon does no damage to the styling. If anything, I actually prefer the estate version. The GT-Line S is a sporty trim, so you get a bigger, more aggressive front bumper to compliment the angular headlights and sleek bonnet. The radar gadgetry is well-hidden at the bottom, whilst the 3D chrome grille is a twist on the traditional honeycomb. To the side 18-inch alloys are almost a little underwhelming on such a big car whilst chrome window surround and handle faces compliment silver roof rails and lower side skirt. At the back you get a shark-fin aerial, roof spoiler, prominent diffuser and a large oval exhaust either side. It may be a giant, but the Optima Sportswagon seems well-proportioned. It stands out, but isn’t in your face. Kia has done a great job with the styling; giving the Optima a sporty edge.

The interior has also been revamped for the GT-Line S. Kia has gone down the quintessential sports car checklist and made sure the Optima complies. Flat-bottomed, chunky steering wheel. Check. Black leather sports seats with contrast red stitching. Check. Aluminium sports pedals. Check. Steering wheel gear shift paddles. Check. The cabin of the Optima is fantastic. The plastics are nice quality. Everything feels well put together. There are no rattles, no squeaks, and no scratchy surfaces. The dashboard itself may not be leather, but there’s a stitched effect that makes it appear as though it is. The dials are simple: black background, red needles and white dials. But they are a crisp TFT display which is pleasing on the eye. The 8-inch multimedia screen is nicely integrated in the centre of the dashboard, and all the switchgear is logically laid out.

Handling/Performance – 7/10

So we come to performance. And I was dreading writing this part. I feel like I am repeating myself. This is the third Optima I have tested. And it is the third with a 1.7-litre diesel engine. I would choose to test a different one. But for one thing: there is only one choice. Power is an underwhelming 141PS and 340Nm of torque. There is something new- the 7-speed dual-clutch transmission (DCT) is a gem, and helps eek the most out of the power on offer. The Optima will do 0-62mph in 10.7 seconds and reach a top speed of 124mph. That’s not exactly GT-Line performance. And yet. On the motorway this thing is a runaway mine train. You really have to pay attention and watch your speed, or it will cruise at 90mph. Comfortably. Despite an apparent lack of power the Optima had an annoying feature of slipping a wheel if you accelerate with a bit of lock on. In truth, the GT-Line S blows hot and cold with looks vs. performance. I just wish Kia would stop messing around and give us a proper GT!

If you made an assumption based on the looks of the Optima Sportswagon, which is the size of a cruise ship, you may be forgiven for thinking it handles like one too. But it doesn’t. On bumpy roads it is composed. The steering, in Sport mode, is nicely weighted and responsive. The paddles behind the steering wheel give a more involved drive, and allow you to work that 1.7-litre engine to the max. It might weigh a hefty 1,770kg, but it stops well too. Body roll is minimal, and the sports seats hold you in place. And actually, because the engine isn’t overly powerful, you can go on maximum attack for longer periods of time. I don’t know how, but the 141PS estate car is a hoot and a half on the local A-roads. Once you get to grips with judging its width that is.

Economy – 10/10

I may sound like I’m being a little negative towards the little 1.7-litre engine, but this does bring with it a benefit when it comes to fuel economy. With start stop technology to save fuel when stationery, and the DCT gearbox being more efficient than a conventional automatic, the Optima can offer some impressive returns. Combined fuel consumption is 61.4mpg; impressive for a vehicle the size of a cruise liner. CO2 emissions of 120g/km mean a first year road tax of £160, followed by a flat rate £140. That’s under the new rules for cars registered after 1 April 2017, which somewhat level the playing field when it comes to road tax.

Practicality – 10/10

Now if you have read my review of the Optima, then you will know it is a vast and spacious car. So when you take that car and give it a gigantic boot, then you only make it more practical. If I could score it an 11 or a 12, I would. The Optima has some of the most generous rear legroom in any car you will see. The level of equipment on the GT-Line S is exhaustive. Satellite navigation, voice recognition, wireless phone charging, Smart Park Assist System (Parallel, perpendicular and departure parking assistance), 360-degree parking camera, blind spot detection and rear cross-traffic alert. The Kia feels like an everyday-man’s best friend. It’s the most luxurious, safe, well-equipped car for the family but at a fraction of the cost of its German rivals.

Fun – 7/10

When it comes to driver appeal, the Kia is somewhat lacking. There just isn’t enough excitement in the 1.7-litre diesel. With the all-new Stinger GT on the horizon, Kia is showing itself to have some sporty genes after all. So why not heat up the Optima a bit? Even a 200PS diesel would make a huge difference. But what about keeping you happy behind the wheel? Well the GT-Line S does have a lot going for it. The stereo is Harmon Kardon, so you get your favourite tunes in high quality. The flat-bottomed steering wheel and bright instrument cluster is engaging and eye catching. The Sportswagon looks great in a car park, and your friends will all be terribly impressed with the creature comforts on offer. Now Kia, drop the “Line” and give us a proper GT…

Concluding remarks

I have to say that my week with the Optima Sportswagon was a relatively busy one. Long-haul motorway slogs, short nips into town; I covered it all. And I have to say that the Kia was a great companion. I think the estate looks better than the saloon, and with the sporty styling it was right up my street. The engine is underpowered in some respects, but feels like a runaway train in others. I think the DCT gearbox is a big improvement, but it isn’t quite slick as the VW-Audi DSG offerings. What makes the Sportswagon desirable is the amount of technology included. This car is fully loaded, and is therefore a great car to live with. Don’t forget there’s a 7-year warranty for peace of mind. The GT-Line S DCT comes in at £30,595; reasonable when you start to consider what would be “optional” on rival cars. For more information log on to the Kia website or visit a local dealer. And if you can live with the small diesel, you’ll not regret it. If not… wait for the Stinger GT!

Total Score – 43/50

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