The Kia Ceed has been given a major overhaul for 2021 - and now comes with a sleek new exterior shell and an uprated interior.
The Ceed has long excelled at offering something for all motorists.
As before, there are hatchback, Ceed ‘Sportswagon’ estate and ‘ProCeed’ shooting brake versions to choose from. And there’s also a great choice of powertrains, from diesel mild-hybrids to more traditional petrol mills.
In range-topping ‘GT’ models, you can also expect a very healthy 201 bhp on tap underneath your right foot.
And now the Ceed is even more tempting, as it’s set to come in a much sleeker package.
Kia says the new exterior is ‘contemporary’ and comes with a ‘dynamic stance’. There’s a completely redesigned front, with the tiger-nose grille given a black gloss finish with a satin chrome upper. Two large side air intakes create a sportier look, while at the rear there’s a glossy black diffuser.
New headlamp designs have been introduced on all Ceed models, with full LED headlamps on ProCeed ‘GT-Line S’ and ‘GT’ versions featuring daytime running lights. There’s also a choice of six new alloy wheels, running up to the super sporty 18-inch rims with red accents available on GT variants.
And there are two new colour options - ‘Orange Fusion’ and ‘Machined Bronze’.
Inside the cabin, ProCeed GT-Line S models now get a large 12.3-inch instrument cluster screen paired with a 10.25-inch screen.
Meanwhile on all Ceed models, Kia says every aspect of the interior has been overhauled with ‘usability in mind’, such as the electronic parking brake switch and other features based around the ‘easy to use, easy to see’ principle which underlines the cabin design.
There’s also class-leading levels of safety.
The old blind-spot warning has been replaced with ‘active avoidance technology’. When operating the turning signal to change lanes, if there is a risk of collision with a rear side vehicle, the ‘Blind-spot Collision-Avoidance Assist’ (BCA) system will provide a warning. If you then ignore the warning, and the risk of a prang increases, the BCA actively controls the vehicle to help avoid a nasty accident.
The Driver Attention Warning (DAW+) system has also been updated to include clever ‘vehicle departure alert tech’, which provides a visual alert on the screen to inform the driver that the vehicle in front is driving away, so you don’t get caught napping at traffic lights or in slow-moving traffic.
Other ADAS features that continue to be available on the Ceed range include: Forward collision-avoidance assist (FCA), Lane Keep Assist, Intelligent Speed Limit Warning, Manual Speed Limit Assist and High Beam Assist.
When it comes to powertrains, they run from the frugal to the sporty.
There’s a host of mild-hybrid diesel engines, with horsepower beginning at 99bhp. There are also turbocharged petrol and diesel engines - either 1.0- and 1.5-litre petrol or a 1.6-litre diesel - all benefitting from Kia’s fuel-saving ‘Smartstream’ technology.
And if it’s performance you’re after, you’ll want to opt for a GT model with the 1.6-litre T-GDi engine. It’s another petrol unit that delivers 201 bhp and is mated to a dual-clutch transmission automatic gearbox.
Full UK specifications and pricing will be announced shortly before sales commence in the UK later this year.
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