#KIA 2019 Kia Ceed @ Driving

The Kia Ceed will go on sale in the UK on 1 August with prices starting from £18,295. Four trim lines will be available from launch - grade '2', 'Blue Edition', grade '3' and 'First Edition'.
Now in its third generation, the all-new Kia Ceed - designed, developed, engineered and built in Europe - strengthens Kia's presence in the European C-segment with a mature and athletic new design, innovative new technologies, and a more engaging drive.
Since the first-generation Kia cee'd started production at Kia's new Slovakian manufacturing facility in December 2006, more than 1.28 million units have been built. A new naming format - cee'd becomes Ceed - consolidates its reputation as a car for the Community of Europe, with European Design. More than 640,000 of the second-generation model were built between 2012 and 2018. As it enters its third iteration, the Kia Ceed is expected to account for an even greater proportion of Kia's European sales.
Like its predecessors, the new model has been designed, developed and engineered in Frankfurt by Kia's European design, product development and R&D teams. It is manufactured at the brand's production facility in ilina, Slovakia, alongside the Kia Sportage and Kia Venga.
Emilio Herrera, Chief Operating Officer for Kia Motors Europe, comments: "After more than a decade on sale, the Kia Ceed continues to underpin the brand's consistent growth across Europe. Like its predecessors, the new model has been designed and engineered exclusively for European buyers, fine-tuned thanks to the feedback from a growing Kia customer base. More than 1.3 million Ceed vehicles have been manufactured here since 2006, and the new model builds on everything that owners loved about earlier generations.
"The Ceed offers a contemporary, recognisable design, something which has been a key strength for the model since its inception. Advanced new technologies make the Ceed more comfortable, convenient to use and safe. Meanwhile, a range of new engines and European-tuned ride and handling will make it more enjoyable and engaging to drive. And Kia's unique seven-year warranty provides unrivalled reassurance to customers about the quality of their new vehicle."
The Kia Ceed five-door hatchback and Ceed Sportswagon goes on sale in the UK on 1 August 2018 as production of the Ceed five-door hatchback began in May 2018.
An expanded role for the Kia Ceed in the European C-segment
In 2017, the C-segment accounted for 22 per cent of all European vehicle sales, and is consistently one of the two largest segments by volume. The outgoing cee'd accounted for 16 per cent of Kia's total European sales in 2017, and has consistently ranked alongside the Sportage as one of the brand's best-selling models in Europe since its launch in 2012.
Emilio Herrera comments: "2006 saw Kia's European market share reach 1.5 per cent, and just over a decade later, in 2017, it's grown to 3.0 per cent. Since the introduction of the Ceed, Kia's annual European sales have more than doubled, with over 472,000 cars sold last year. The Kia Ceed model family will play a major role in our efforts to achieve annual sales in excess of half a million vehicles this year and beyond."
The Ceed occupies a unique position in the Kia line-up, perceived by buyers as the most dynamic and sporty vehicle to drive, while also being one of the most reliable, practical and recognisable. Aided by an expanded product line-up, which grew with the arrival of GT and GT Line models, Kia's C-segment hatchback represents the 'centre' of the brand.
Emilio Herrera adds: "The Ceed is now a recognisable sight on European roads, and buyers understand what it represents for Kia: reliability and quality, a focus on safety, a combination of great handling and refinement, and a generous range of technologies. Our customers also tell us that they love the fact that the Kia Ceed is designed, developed, engineered and built here in Europe."
More than 1.3 million cee'd models have been built at Kia's Slovakia manufacturing facility since its introduction in 2006. The five-door hatchback makes up the majority of sales, while Sportswagon models have accounted for approximately 40 per cent of all cee'd sales since its launch in 2007 (compared to around 30 per cent for other C-segment vehicles with tourer variants).
Exterior design
The Kia Ceed range has been designed at the brand's European design centre in Frankfurt, Germany, under the direction of Gregory Guillaume, European Head of Design, and Peter Schreyer, President of Design and Chief Design Officer. Carrying over the sporty, emotional design character of the Stinger, the Ceed conveys a more self-confident new look - one that is both emotive and precise in its execution.
BLOG
4RTURBO!
FACEBOOK
TWITTER
INSTAGRAM