2007 Kia Cee'd SR from UK and Ireland - Comments

The CD player made a very strange noise when I was putting in a CD. It then turned itself off and would not turn back on. I didn't have to drive the car for a couple of days, as it's our family car, and I had been using my car. The car wouldn't start, and the battery was completely dead. The fault was traced to the CD player, which the garage disconnected and ordered us a new one. 7 weeks later the new CD player is still not at the garage and we are musicless!

The car is very nice to drive, either round town or on long motorway trips, and you can have a little fun round the backroads with it.

The gearbox is sharp and precise, although it is a bit notchy at times.

The steering a bit over assisted.

The interior feels very well put together. There is a little bit of cheapness with the gray plastics, but it is a cheap car.

We chose the 1.4 RS for a family car that we didn't want to spend a lot of money buying, and we wanted a nice comfort and kit level.

The 1.4 engine isn't the quickest car to 60, but once it is up to speed, it will sit at 85 happily (I've got my Integra Type-R for speed)

Just wondered what made you take a step downward from a Chevrolet to a Kia? The new lacetti/vauxhall astra - same platform (due Paris Sep 08) will likely be leagues ahead of the Kia Ceed/Hyundai i30.

Comments like the one about aren't really valid anymore, Kia as a car company has come on leaps and bounds, their cars are now highly competitive. I don't work for them by the way! It's just a badge snobbery thing, unfortunately.

We had the chevy/daewoo lacetti for 3 years and it did not age well atall, we don't care bout the badge on that car as all we want it for is driving the kids bout the ceed is on par with the mazda 3 maybe even the focus, even the motor mags love the ceed and how often do a car mag like a korean budget car... never lol.

Hmm OK well I guess it all comes down to whether you can live to that kia badge attached to the car. That will then be your stumbling block you may face when selling on or trading in.

Can't imagine any young trendy image conscious kids would be too happy bout being transported around in a kia!

A kia car has a similar badge kudos to a lada or proton.

I do think the guy that is moaning about Kia, has no idea of what he is talking about, having owned several Kias and Daewoo / Chevrolet I can honestly say that the kia is light years ahead in build quality.

To give him some slack, I thing his comments are based on the Americian Market and their love / hate of the Kia Rio.

Kia budget manufacturer is light years ahead of Chevrolet mainstream manufacturer in terms of build quality - doubtful. It's like saying a fiat is better than a merc.

You don't happen to sell Kia by any chance; or are you just trying to convince yourself that you've bought one?

Like I said, the Kia badge does not bother us (got my Integra Type-R for the cool factor). We are only 25 and the badge snobbery really doesn't bother us. We could have got a much more expensive car, but why bother; if that car had Peugeot badges or Ford badges on it, it would be a best seller. Look at Hyundai, they were a "laughing stock" about 8 years ago, and look at where they are now with the likes of the Coupe and the Getz. All a car manufacturer needs is one breakthrough car to change their image, and the Cee'd is doing that for Kia. Still not convinced, then have a look at the amount of awards the car has won.

As far as I was aware hyundai are still a laughing stock. Both hyundai and kia represent lowest common denominator motoring.

If I bought one I would never hear the end of it from my mates.

These kia and hyundai cars don't so much lose value as freefall, take a look at whatcar values and kelly blue book. Don't expect to see much more than 30% of your money after 3 years, this is probably due to these cars have approximately zero desirability factor!

Kia have invested a billion euros in a brand new factory to build the Cee'd. Auto Express have been there to build one and drove it back to England and have kept it as a long term test car. To date nothing has gone wrong with it and they are very impressed with its build quality.

In the past Kia have produced some iffy cars, but judging by the Cee'd, they have finally started producing cars worth considering. A badge means nothing unless you are vain. I wouldn't hesitate to own a Kia over any of the other mainstream rivals.

All cars can go wrong - fact. The seven year warranty is excellent. The WHOLE CAR is covered for 5 years/100,000 miles, whilst the engine and gearbox are covered for 7 years/100,000 miles. I have read countless reviews on the Cee'd and I can't find a bad one, apart from some saying it lacks excitement, etc.

At the end of the day, it is a real contender against the astra/civic/focus etc. Unless people give brands like Kia a chance, they will never succeed (pardon the pun). Instead of comments like Kia are not comparable to brand x etc, do some research. I own a Vauxhall and believe me they have their fair share of problems. Even Japanese and German stuff goes wrong. Kia isn't trying to compete with a Golf or an A3 or a 1 Series. It is competing with Astra/Focus etc, and for the money there is no reason not to consider a Kia Cee'd, unless you're a badge snob.