turbo | 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

SEAT Ibiza FR 1.0 MPI

By Bill McCarthy

SEAT has always been proud of being known as the sporty arm of the VW empire, with sharp, dynamic design and handling across the range.

And that’s not to mention its appeal to a younger car buying public.

A 16-year-old relative looking to buy his first car in about 18 months time took a shine to this Ibiza modell and said it’s just the car he would want.

That’s not surprising since the five-door supermini has retained its place as the car of choice for first-time drivers in a magazine survey.

Supermini it may be, but space in the Ibiza has been maximised with a surprising amount of legroom for all occupants.

There are a number of reasons for it being a favourite among first-timers, these include excellent economy, low insurance and low taxation, plus dynamic handling and comprehensive safety features.

Built on the VW Group MQB modular platform SEAT became the first manufacturer in the group to deploy this architecture, which improves dynamic performance and technology.

There are six trim versions including the FR driven here. It does look good. Sporty and chic with sharp angles and creases, triangular headlight cluster with LED daytime running lights.

It also features FR badging, twin exhaust outlets, tinted rear glass and very smart alloy wheels. Metallic paint is a no-cost option. The interior mirrors this theme, chic and sporty, yet functional and intuitive.

The colourful interior has a high quality finish to fixtures and fitting and part-soft touch plastics finish. The FR features a sportier black cloth with red highlighting. This model also has two colour options for the ambient interior LED lighting.

Centre piece is the eight-inch touchscreen which controls the navigation system with full-colour, voice control, proximity sensor and 3D mapping. The clever smartphone connectivity includes MirrorLink, Android Auto and Apple Car Play for hands-free operation while on the move.

All controls are legible, logically placed and switchgear feels sturdy and robust. It comes with a choice of three petrol engines including the one litre, three cylinder engine mated with five-speed manual here. The sporty look is not matched by sporty performance from the 90ps engine designed more for economy than blistering pace with around 50mpg achievable and low CO2 emissions.

It proved surprisingly spritely off the mark, but hitting the 60mph mark take nearly 15 seconds as it runs out of puff.

Once up to speed however, it performs more than adequately on the motorway or cruising on dual carriageways.

In addition, SEAT Drive Profile allows the driver to select between Normal, Sport and Eco modes, plus a fourth Individual setting that lets them combine their preferred elements from the other three. Each mode adapts the responsiveness of the steering, throttle and gearbox to suit different driving preferences.

As a five-door hatchback, it is practical. Loadspace is excellent with a spacious 355 litres increasing to 1,165 litres when you fold the rear seats, via a low loading boot lip.

For peace of mind, particularly with younger driver, the Ibiza as a Euro NCAp five star safety rating.

Five-star safety as standard includes full complement of airbags, and active safety features usually found on larger cars, like front assist, hill hold control and multi-collision brake fitted to all versions.