Manufacturer | On the road

It’s been quite a journey for Korean brands in this country, particularly Kia.

From very much sideshow in the 1990s with some, shall we say, quirky models like the the Pride, the early Sportage, (a model I first drove on holiday in America in 2001 and totally unrecognisable in today’s line-up) and the Carens.

Korean cars were rock bottom price and offered cheap motoring with excellent warranties, a groundbreaking seven years on the case of Kia.

That all changed with financial crash and the scrappage scheme which made these cars even more affordabl and importantly a new customer base, but also ushered in a new era of motors starting to match the traditional brands.

The Ceed is an excellent example, with contemporary styling, (hide the badge and it could be any mainstream hatchback), smart looking, high quality interiors, a fine range of engines and of course retaining what was the ground-breaking seven year, unlimited miles warranty.

Renamed from the clunky looking cee’d, the car is real C-segment alternative and although no longer bargain basement, has plenty to offer for the money.

This particular model was all of £20k, so things have moved on apace. But it is jam packed with standard kit, many to be found on executive class cars, features torquey, fuel efficient engines, a spritely three-pot one-litre petrol in this case, and low running costs.

It’s no surprise it could be mistaken for a European hatchback given that it is designed in German and built in Slovakia.

New from the ground up this year, all engines meet the latest Euro-6d-Temp emissions regulations. There are 15 variants with five engines, two transmissions and six trims new safety and advanced driver assistance systems and it is the first Kia to offer Lane Following Assist technology

The exterior features a lower, wider and dynamic appearance, sitting on eye-catching alloy wheels, it has sharper lines than its predecessor and wider, so called ‘tiger-nose’ grille and lower air intake with so-called ‘Ice cube’ LED front daytime running lights.

A smart, if not stunning looking profile.

It gets even better inside with the roomier cabin featuring horizontal dashboard layout, high quality soft touch materials, neat, logical controls and switchgear and eight-inch touchscreen infotainment system on this model which controls navigation and smartphone connectivity via Apple Carplay or Android Auto.

It also features Bluetoother connectivity with voice recognition, DAB radio with MP3 capability and Kia Connected Services with TomTom Live.

Also standard on this model is reversing camera, cruise control and auto dimming mirror and a novel, but extremely useful addition is the windscreen washer level warning.

A clever redesign of existing dimensions means that available space is better used with more head, leg and shoulder room throughout.

In practical terms the latest model’s boot has a capacity of 395 litres with a split-level boot floor, while fold the split rear seats and 1,291 litres become available.

The split floor can give deeper boot space or be used to conceal items which can be secured with hooks. Extra storage comes from centre console storage box, front and rear door storage and setback pockets.

On the road the 118bhp petrol engine delivers decent pace, it hits 60mph in 10.7 seconds, but feels quicker with the throaty rasp of the three pot engine. Mated to a slick, six speed manual gearbox, it pulls well through all the gears. Economy is good with a claimed 48.7mpg.

Upgraded suspension means the ride is comfortable and the handling surprisingly sharp, making for a pleasant driving experience.

The C segment is a tough sector to crash, but this latest family-friendly Ceed has plenty going for it.

It’s still relatively cheap considering the equipment lieve, , is packed with kit, looks goods and has high quality build and fittings.

Oh, and there’s that seven year warranty of course.

Factfile

Price: £20,705

Mechanical: 118bhp, 998cc, 3cyl petrol engine driving front wheels via 6-speed manual gearbox

Max speed: 118mph

0-62mph: 10.7 seconds

Combined mpg: 48.7

Insurance group: 28E

CO2 emissions: 131g/km

Warranty: 7yrs/unlimited miles

Mazda3 2.0 122ps Sport Lux

By Bill McCarthy

In a packed field of competitors, to stand out from the crowd takes a bit of doing.

Step forward Mazda. The new Mazda3, is without doubt one of the lookers in the compact family car market.

Sleek, svelte, feline, particularly this exclusive model in pretty unimaginably named Polymer grey livery, prefer gun metal grey, matched with privacy glass, dark alloy wheels.

New for this year, it offers a huge range of standard equipment across the range, as well as high-end pieces of kit normally associated with executive/luxury brands.

The front features a sloping low nose with large front grille with lowered air scoop, flanked by slim light clusters which feature LED lighting.

The light are incorporated into the high boot line with twin exhaust.

There are five trim levels: SE-L, SE-L Lux, Sport Lux, GT Sport and GT Sport Tech..

All models feature head-up display with Traffic Sign Recognition,Radar Cruise Control, plus sat nav and smartphone connectivity via Apple CarPlay/Android Auto and an impressive eight-speaker audio system.

This model also included a reversing camera, multi-function steering wheel, smart keyless entry, heated front seats and frameless rear view mirror .

The interior is the best yet with the model featuring black leather seats with powered adjustment, a heated steering wheel.

The cabin has an executive feel, with soft touch plastics throughout and although the letter and trim makes the interior dark, it is nicely offset with chrome detailing throughout.

The firm says it takes a minimalist approach with every aspect of the cockpit laid out in perfect horizontal symmetry with the driver to deliver both ergonomic simplicity. If that means comfortable, then it is.

All models feature a seven-inch colour TFT driver instrument display, and the brain of the car is the 8.8-inch central display, controlling sat nav, infotainment and connectivity via central control dial.

It exudes comfort and luxury although leg and headroom is slight restricted for rear passengers.

This model features a two litre 122PS petrol engine which delivers plenty of grunt. Mated to a slick-shifting six-speed gearbox, it feels like a real driver’s car with plenty of shifts from maximum performance. Refined and free revving, acceleration is brisk, if not startling, hitting 60mph in around 10 seconds.

Brisk performance is accompanied by excellent handling, sharp steering and a firm ride.

Mazda says its SkyActiv-Vehicle Architecture is intended to optimise ride, refinement and handling and it certainly feels the case as the car turns in sweetly to corners, always feeling well balanced with the driver in control.

The only slight setback is the firm ride, which can be unsettling over rougher roads. As a hatchback the car needs to be practical with good stowage and storage space.

The Mazda3 is a family car and meets its role with plenty of oddments room in the front and back together with a decent sized easy to use boot which dramatically increases capacity as the offset split rear seats are folded.