Kia adds upgrades to Ceed range

Kia’s best-selling Ceed range has received a range of enhancements for 2021, including performance and design upgrades. The Ceed five-door hatchback, Ceed Sportswagon estate and ProCeed shooting brake versions will each have an entirely redesigned front-end, sporty updates to the rear, restyled alloys and refreshed body colours and interior when the new models go on sale.

 

The Ceed range was Kia’s first car designed, engineered and built in Europe specifically to appeal to European tastes. Now contributing to 28 per cent of Kia’s European market share, the Ceed range remains a strong contender and stands confidently alongside many best-selling brands that have dominated this segment for decades.

Full UK pricing and specifications for the new Ceed line-up will be revealed shortly before the new model goes on-sale in the UK later this year.

 

Bold and contemporary design

A completely redesigned front end features Kia’s new logo and the tiger-nose grille, which makes the Ceed a recognisable Kia, is upgraded to a black gloss finish with satin chrome upper and lower wing-shaped garnish for a sleek and modern appearance.

To the sides, two large side air intakes shoot through the front bumper creating the sportier look.

On the rear, to highlight the simplicity of the new Kia badge, the surface between the LED combi lamps has been smoothed out to accommodate the sleek new brand emblem. A new glossy black diffuser is added to the sporty rear bumper, which also echoes the satin chrome finish seen at the front of the car.

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 for added road presence and safety.

Three arrow-shaped modules surround an integrated LED fog light and high/low beam modules. These daytime running lights (DRLs) also act as the Ceed’s turn signals. GT-Line variants of the five-door hatch gain newly designed LED combination lamps comprised of 48 honeycomb-shaped modules surrounded by a red frame. The multi-functional lamps are positioned into five rows, covered with tinted glass. The LEDs on certain rows light up sequentially when the driver uses the turn signals.

The side view reveals new alloy designs across all variants in the line-up. Six styles are now available, three of which have been launched for the first time with this latest update: 16-inch alloys finished in silver; glossy black 17-inch alloy rims available exclusively on the GT-Line; and super sporty 18-inch alloys with red accents for GT variants.

To further enhance the exterior updates, two new colours are added to the line-up to replace the current Copper Stone option: Orange Fusion and Machined Bronze.

 

The very latest ADAS developments

The rejuvenated Ceed range offers class-leading levels of safety, driving convenience and parking technologies thanks to its enhanced suite of advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS). They help to reduce many of the inherent hazards and stresses of driving, protecting occupants and other road users on every journey.

Safety features have been improved, such as the previous blind-spot warning, which is replaced by an active avoidance technology. When operating the turning signal to change lanes, if there is a risk of collision with a rear side vehicle, the new Blind-spot Collision-Avoidance Assist (BCA) will provide a warning. After the warning, if the risk of collision increases, BCA actively controls the vehicle to help avoid a collision.

Driver Attention Warning (DAW+) has been updated to include leading vehicle departure alert tech, which provides a visual alert on the screen to inform the driver that the vehicle in front is driving away, such as 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), which detects not only cars and pedestrians but also cyclists; Lane Keep Assist; Intelligent Speed Limit Warning; Manual Speed Limit Assist and High Beam Assist. Kia’s ‘see better and be seen’ ethos has informed the intricate new design of the daytime running LED headlamps with integrated LED fog lamps. Five-door hatch versions also gain sequential turn signals in the new rear LEDs unique to certain variants.ADAS technologies that provide convenience to the driver have also been added with the latest enhancements across the Ceed range.

Parking manoeuvres are enhanced with the addition of a Rear-View Monitor (RVM) with a switch to display the rear tailgate camera. When reversing into a parking space, RVM displays an image of the space to assist with parking. This has now been developed to provide an additional view via the 1.0 megapixel camera should there be a need to attach a trailer to the Ceed. Additionally, the RVM now has a switch that can be activated while driving to allow the driver to see, via the camera, what might be approaching from behind. After parking the vehicle, the Safe Exit Warning (SEW) system can alert users if an approaching vehicle is detected by the open door.

The warning for rear cross-traffic has also been upgraded to assistive technology. Rear cross-traffic collision-avoidance assist (RCCA) will detect if there is a risk with an oncoming vehicle to the left or right and provide a warning. After the warning, if the risk continues, RCCA automatically assists with emergency braking to prevent an incident from occurring.

Certain UK models continue to offer Lane Follow Assist (LFA) with Smart Cruise Control (SCC). LFA and SCC are designed to make motorway driving more relaxing by controlling the speed of the vehicle relative to other vehicles in front of the car.

 

Advanced powertrains

The new Ceed range offers buyers a fully comprehensive choice of powertrain configurations, including mild-hybrid diesel engines (MHEV), with horsepower ranging from 99bhp to 201bhp. Ceed customers are also presented with a choice of turbocharged petrol and diesel engines, the 1.0- and 1.5-litre petrol and the 1.6-litre diesel powertrains all benefitting from Kia’s Smartstream technology.

GT models have an exclusive 1.6-litre T-GDi engine with a unique sound. The petrol engine is mated to the 7DCT and delivers a huge 201bhp. The experience behind the wheel can be further tailored to suit the driver’s mood and road conditions via paddle-shift levers and three drive modes: Eco, Comfort and Sport modes. These each tailor throttle response, steering weight and transmission shift times to match the desired driving experience.

The renewed Ceed family will go into production at Kia’s European manufacturing plant in Žilina, Slovakia this August and will be available across Europe by Q4.