It is the 1.6-litre CDRi under the spotlight in this test, using the same turbodiesel motor as found in the Carens. Its 1582cc allow it to produce 114bhp and 190lb ft of torque, all the while being Euro4 compatible.
There is nothing extraordinary about this engine, apart from one small endorsement. Kia is so confident of its longevity that it is willing to underwrite any potential failure from inlet manifold to driveshaft for the first seven years of the car’s life. Even for hardened enthusiasts, there comes a point when such mind-boggling support becomes as impressive as the spec sheet of the latest V12 Ferrari. Right now, rival manufacturers are wondering how it can be achieved economically.
Otherwise, the Cee’d is a conventional Euro-hatch: a two-box shape with lifting tailgate, MacPherson struts at the front and clumsily titled rear suspension aimed to dupe people into thinking that it’s fully independent, when in fact it is just a posh torsion beam. Still, when you could buy one in 2007, cover 12,000 miles a year and still make a legitimate warranty claim for a new engine or gearbox come late 2013, perhaps one shouldn’t bicker about rear axle sophistication.