1.6GDI auto hatch

Reliable family hatch

This is my second Ceed being a newer version of our 2009 1.6 facelift Ceed petrol auto. This version is a 3 in metallic grey. Its far superior in every way to our previous Ceed. The quality of materials in the cabin is better there is a quality feel to the car. It has paddle shifts to compliment the conventional auto box which quite frankly I hardly ever use. There are many more toys in this car including headlamps that illuminate corners at night as you turn the steering very helpful in dark country lanes. Its got satnav thats useful and a helpful reversing camera. The seats are an odd combo of cloth and leather or faux leather that need to be kept clean as the lighter bits get grubby quickly. I cover just 3000 miles pa now and most of my driving is in town or short local runs. Im showing 33.4 mpg. It improves on a long run. This newer Ceed is a bit quicker off the mark and has a higher top speed than our original Ceed. In practical terms we hardly notice the difference. The auto box isnt so instant on pickup and has an annoying flat spot when you first set off as if the fluid was low in the box. I have had this checked and its normal for the car. This car has been reliable as expected but has had one issue with the drivers lumbar support which is electric . It kept blowing the 30 amp fuse and was supposedly fixed by replacing the entire seat back motor etc . It still blows fuses when under load but can be used if you dont sit on the seat while adjusting it. When I have time it will be going back for further examination possibly a short in tne underseat wiring. The paintwork suffers from stone chipping as its a waterbased paint and easily damaged at the front. The car is very practical as you can move all the back seats as before to make a large loading area for carrying bulky items. I have carried five people in this car but its a bit squashed for three large adults in the back. Headroom is excellent its a comfortable car to drive if you are tall like me. In an ideal world I would like this car to have a bit more power but its ok for normal driving. There is a GT version with a mild turbo that is quicker but not available with an autobox. If you want a reliable car that gets you from A to B without drama this car is fine. KIA have some good finance deals if you want a new or nearly new car like this. If you want to buy with cash the older cars are now very cheap and may still have some of the 7 year warranty remaining.

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