Eco_cee’d indicating green Kia future!

The second cee’d: cee’d SW!

Written by himi on September 24th, 2007 in Kia Vehicles.

Kia adds useful estate to the cee’d range!

The market for small estates has taken something of a hammering recently with the onslaught of MPV and SUV alternatives. That’s not stopped Kia from introducing a new estate (or SW as the marketing men prefer to call it) version of the cee’d. In typically optimistic fashion Kia thinks people will come back to estate cars, and it might just be right.
The cee’d SW doesn’t grow a great deal in size externally; being some 235mm behind the rear wheels and just 10mm taller. However, those relatively modest dimensional increases add 200-litres to the boot capacity, while access to that load area is easier due to the bigger hatch and lower loading lip.

So it’s a more practical cee’d, for just Ł700 more than the hatchback. The addition of that bigger boot not only makes the cee’d a more credible family choice, but should also appeal to the fleet users that typically buy C-segment (Ford Focus, Vauxhall Astra etc.) estates. It’s good looking too, the cee’d’s style suiting the longer rear. The roof bars and smart upswept D-pillar add some flair to the cee’d’s neat, inoffensive styling. It’s a handsome car, which is impressive indeed given it’s Kia’s first ever estate. And Kia is pushing its cee’d range hard, the company seeing the C-segment as fair game in its ambitious growth plans.
Even so it’s being realistic with sales targets. So in estate guise the cee’d doesn’t come with the full complement of engines the hatchback is available with. Only 1.6-litre engines are available, in petrol and diesel, the diesel offering two outputs. They’re impressive though, particularly those diesels. Refinement in all is excellent, and although the 120bhp petrol engine suffers from a serious lack of lugging power it remains quiet when you’re giving it the revs it needs to make progress. Either of the diesels make up for the 1.6-litre petrol’s shortfall in useful torque. The 89bhp turbodiesel delivers 173lb.ft at 1,750-2,500rpm and the more powerful 113bhp version 188lb.ft at 1,900-2,750rpm.

Which one you’ll pick is likely to be driven purely by budget. The more powerful diesel is the obvious choice, but it’s Ł1,250 more than the lower output model and Ł2,000 more than the 1.6-litre petrol option. That does include an upgrade to LS spec though, and it’s worth having. The standard air conditioning is upgraded to full climate control, there are reversing sensors, rear electric windows, cloth and leather seats, metal grain-effect centre fascia, front foglamps and body coloured door handles. That’s not to say the GS model is lacking in standard kit, it including desirable equipment like full iPod connectivity and functionality through the stereo and steering wheel-mounted controls.

Those controls are clear and easy to operate too, the cee’d’s interior a match in build quality and style for its C-segment rivals. It’s simply laid out and clear, Kia finally putting the indicator stalk on the left side of the steering column too, in line with the majority of cars. That steering column adjusts for reach and rake, making it easy to find a comfortable position behind the wheel. The seats are a touch soft, but there’s plenty of space behind the front ones, giving passengers in the back decent legroom. When they’re not occupied they fold down easily enough, even if the mechanism is perhaps not quite as slick as some of the Kia’s pricier rivals.

Price is where Kia has traditionally appealed and that remains the case. It’s perhaps no longer the key reason why you’d choose a cee’d though, even when taking into consideration Kia’s phenomenal 7-year bumper-to-bumper warranty. The cee’d is a decent enough car, one that you can choose on merit rather than just budget. It does everything you want from a small estate and looks and feels good inside and out. The higher power diesel in particular is smooth and quiet, and quick enough too with a 0-62mph time of 11.7 seconds. All are quiet on the road though, and the ride is comfortable, too.
Comfortable perhaps, but it’s not particularly exciting drive. The steering lacks any real feel, nor does the gearshift like to be hurried. So the cee’d does its job admirably, but unremarkably. That’s not necessarily a complaint; the cee’d, particularly in SW guise, likely to appeal to a buyer who places practicality, equipment and cost at the top of their list for prospective purchases. And there are more than enough people out there who will undoubtedly find all of that and more in Kia’s cee’d SW.  [Source: Carenthusiast]

         

  

Eco_cee’d indicating green Kia future!

Written by himi on September 13th, 2007 in Kia Vehicles, R&D at Kia.

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KIA ECO_CEE’D; THE “GREEN PERFORMANCE” CONCEPT CAR

Kia is staging the World Premiere of a new “green-performance” concept car at Frankfurt. Called “eco_cee’d, the new concept is a development of the Kia pro_cee’d hatchback and aims to achieve better fuel consumption, with fewer emissions – while still delivering a lively, spirited drive.

Based on a pro_cee’d fitted with a lively yet frugal Euro-5 compliant, 115 ps, 1.6-litre diesel engine, the new eco_cee’d concept has been designed to hugely enhance the “®green” potential of the standard model. A combination of small but significant modifications to the base vehicle result in much improved fuel consumption (just 3.9 litres/100km) and reduced CO2 emissions (just 104 g/km).

The impressive performance, fuel economy and emissions figures of the eco-cee’d are largely the result of improved aerodynamics which bring the drag coefficient down to just Cd 0.29. To maximise the value of the aerodynamic and powertrain improvements, eco_cee’d is fitted with Kia’s new Idle Stop&Go and Regenerative Braking systems.
As a “green-performance” concept car the eco-cee’d demonstrates a part of Kia’s vision for the way ahead with future engine developments for next-generation environmentally friendly and fuel efficient production models – without losing sight of customer expectations for cars with a sporty design and fun-to-drive performance.
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Largest Kia Pro_cee’d photo gallery!

Written by himi on September 13th, 2007 in Kia Vehicles.

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Follow the link to read all Pro_cee’d press coverage and see even more great pictures from it’s unveiling at Frankfurt Motor Show!

** Kia Pro_cee’d at IAA 2007! (click here) **

The World Premiere of the new Kia pro_cee’d three-door hatchback, at the Frankfurt International Motor Show in Germany 11 September in production form, marks the latest expansion of the popular Kia cee’d family.

“The new Kia pro_cee’d offers consumers sensationally stylish looks with a truly sporty feel to the driving experience, while also retaining most of the attributes of the popular cee’d five-door hatchback – including excellent practicality and versatility,” enthuses Jean-Charles Lievens, Senior Vice President Kia Motors Europe.

“With performance, ride and handling that is even more responsive than the five-door, the pro_cee’d will be available with the same wide choice of engines and specifications as its sister car. I think pro_cee’d is truly a great looking car and we know for certain that it will delight existing Kia customers and attract numerous European consumers who find three-door cars particularly attractive and who have not yet considered our brand.”

Distinctive styling with a cee’d family theme

Thanks to its early conception in the cee’d family creative process, the pro_cee’d has ‘stand-alone’ good looks despite a large degree of commonality with other cee’d models, beneath the exterior skin.

“It is a completely resolved design, with only the bonnet and front wings carried over from the five-door, and features unique exterior panels to create its own distinctive style,” comments Gregory Guillaume, Kia Motors Europe Chief Designer. “We wanted to make pro_cee’d as ‘sporty’ as a cee’d could possibly be, while still remaining a member of our cee’d family.”

Because the Kia cee’d family of three models was conceived simultaneously, the new pro_cee’d three-door hatchback has the same in-depth engineering integrity as the five-door hatchback and the wagon. A total of 15 mm longer than the five-door, the pro_cee’d has longer overhangs – by 10 mm at the front and 5 mm at the rear.

Although the pro_cee’d roofline is 30 mm lower than its hatchback sibling, the 2650 mm wheelbase is retained, so the cabin has most of the cee’d’s proven practicality and versatility, with generous legroom and shoulder room. The new roofline and sloping C-pillar design bring about a small reduction in headroom – down 30 mm in front and 40 mm in the rear, but two 1.70-metre adults can sit comfortably in the rear.

Luggage capacity is also generous for this type of vehicle, totaling 340 litres – loaded up to the bottom of the rear windows and including 55 litres of storage in moulded trays beneath the floor, fitted as standard – just like the hatchback and the Sporty Wagon. The total capacity with the rear seats folded is class-competitive and only slightly down on the five-door cee’d hatchback.

Three models introduce the ‘qualitative revolution’

The launch of the Kia cee’d family (five-door hatchback, five-door Sporty Wagon and three-door pro_cee’d) marks a major turning point in Kia’s history. The bringing of this trio to the marketplace is the start of a new era. They are the first-ever Kia cars designed and manufactured in Europe and are already introducing a qualitative revolution for the brand.

The highest standards of engineering and the European-style aesthetics have been applied to every aspect of the cee’d creative process. Such is the quality and durability of cars manufactured at the new purpose-built Kia factory at Zilina in Slovakia, which every cee’d sold in Europe is backed by a 7-Year/150,000 km warranty.

[Source: Kia via Worldcarfans]

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Ex_cee’d cabrio heading to production afterall!?

Written by himi on September 10th, 2007 in Concept Cars, Kia Vehicles.

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Kia mulls alliance with Germany’s Karmann!

Acording to Reuters, South Korea’s Kia Motors Corporation is considering working together with German automotive supplier Karmann on a convertible car, the Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung reported.
“We are talking with Karmann about a cooperation,” the paper quoted Kia design head Peter Schreyer as saying in a preview of it’s Tuesday edition.
Karmann is already working on the roof construction for the convertible, which would be based on the sports model of the Kia middle-class Cee’d car, the paper said.
[Source: Reuters]
Now this is the news Kia enthusiasts were waiting for! After seeing a beautifull Kia Ex_cee’d concept car last year, we were praying for it to come into production!
After a very positive public reception at 2006 Paris Auto Show, we published a report about Kia canceling Ex_cee’d developement because of the high developement costs! The report was confirmed at that time.
But now, more than eight months later, rumors are spreading that Kia officials finnally changed their minds and gave the Ex_cee’d a green light!

Five star crash rating at EuroNCAP!

Written by himi on Wednesday, August 29th, 2007 in General News, Kia Vehicles, R&D at Kia.

Kia Motors’ Cee’d has been awarded a five-star safety rating in the latest Euro-NCAP (New Car Assessment Program) crash test results, according to the South Korean automaker Wednesday.

Euro NCAP is greatly encouraged with the five star result achieved by the Kia Cee’d, as it is the first Kia and first Korean car to do so since Euro NCAP first tested this make of car in 2003!
                
Front impact
The passenger compartment remained stable during the impact. Structures in the dashboard presented a risk of injury to the knees and femurs of the driver and the passenger. The clutch pedal moved rearward more than 100mm, but there was no rupture of the footwell.
Side impact
The Cee’d scored maximum points in the side impact and pole tests
Child-protection
The car scored maximum points for the dynamic performance of the 3 year old dummy in the frontal and side impacts. The front passenger’s airbag can be disabled, allowing a rearward facing child restraint to be used in that seating position. However, information provided to the driver about the status of the airbag is not sufficiently clear. The label warning of the dangers of using a rearward facing child restraint in the passenger’s seat without first disabling the airbag was not clear and was not permanently visible. The presence of ISOFIX anchorages in the rear outboard seats was not clearly marked.
 Click image to enlarge!
[Source: EuroNCAP]

Kia Cee’d wins 5-Star Euro NCAP safety rating!

Written by himi on Wednesday, August 29th, 2007 in Kia Vehicles, R&D at Kia.

 
The all-new Kia cee’d family car has been awarded a 5-Star safety rating in the latest Euro NCAP crash test results published today. The cee’d safety ratings – 5-Stars for Adult Protection, 4-Stars for Child Protection and 2-Stars for Pedestrian Protection – place it among the C-segment’s safest cars.
“The latest Euro NCAP result is a major landmark achievement for Kia. The cee’d is designed, engineered and built in Europe, to meet or surpass the expectations of European consumers in every respect – including safety,” commented Yong-Hwan Kim, Senior Executive Vice President & COO, Kia Motors Corporation. “The combination of the car’s many talents, plus the 5-Star safety rating and the unique Kia 7-Year warranty, will make the cee’d even more attractive to European consumers, offering real peace-of-mind and low ownership costs.
“Kia’s safety engineers developed the new cee’d to provide the highest levels of occupant protection in real-world accident scenarios. Our engineers predicted that cee’d would achieve a Euro NCAP 5-Star rating and this result confirms the major advances made by Kia with its latest C-segment family car,” added Mr. Kim.
For cee’d, Kia engineers initially concentrated on ensuring that the car had high levels of ‘active safety’ with good visibility, responsive and agile handling, and powerful braking, to enable Kia drivers to avoid accidents and other everyday motoring hazards.
The cee’d family will be soon become complete, when the five door cee’d model will be complemented by the stylish cee’d wagon – in dealer showrooms from September, and the launch of the exciting new three-door pro_cee’d model at the Frankfurt Show.
According to Jean-Charles Lievens, Senior Vice President, Kia Motors Europe, “The cee’d is the first Kia product and the first Korean-brand car ever to be awarded the top rating by a European safety organisation. The introduction of the Kia cee’d has brought about a qualitative revolution for Kia, and together with our highly-productive factory in Slovakia, is beginning to change the way Kia is perceived by consumers. Most of the cee’d five-door buyers are new ‘conquest’ customers switching to the Kia brand for the first time and we expect the cee’d wagon and three-door pro_cee’d models will accelerate this trend.”
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Click image to enlarge or follow the link for more crash data:
EuroNcap test report (click here)

Three-door Cee’d is out in open

Written by himi on Friday, August 31st, 2007 in General News, Kia Vehicles.

The ‘teasing’ is over – Kia has spilled the beans on its new three-door hatch.The Korean firm had previously released two taster pictures of the Pro_cee’d.
But now, we can bring you a full set, including one of the interior.Outside, a longer nose and reduced height give the hatch a much sleeker appearance than its five-door Cee’d brother.
There’s a shallower grille, new-look headlamps, a wider, lower bumper with a prominent lip spoiler, deeper air intake and updated foglights. In addition, a raked windscreen, longer doors, a steeply rising waistline and a tailgate spoiler set the car apart. Yet the Pro_cee’d is said to offer just as much versatility and practicality as the five-door. At 4,250mm long, Kia says it delivers class-leading passenger and load space, with generous legroom front and rear.The hatch’s front doors open wider for improved access, and the 60:40-split rear bench has been reworked so that the seatbacks can be folded flat without removing the head restraints. It’s offered with the same five-strong engine range as the Cee’d – all of which comply with Euro IV emissions regulations. There are three transmission options as well.As with the five-door and SW, it will come in a trio of spec choices.There’s also an optional Sports Pack, bringing 17-inch alloy wheels, stiffer dampers, special trim with ‘tyre track’ fabric and alloy pedals. The Pro_cee’d will make its public debut at the Frankfurt Motor Show in two weeks’ time, before going on sale early next year.
A high-performance variant is also likely to be added to the line-up at a later date. An insider at Kia has revealed to Auto Express that instead of a turbo petrol engine, this model will probably have a revised version of the 2.0-litre diesel tuned to around 180bhp.
[Source: Autoexpress]

Kia Patrol car – Slovakian Police order cee’d fleet!

Written by himi on Tuesday, September 11th, 2007 in General News, Kia Vehicles.

Kia Motors has been appointed an ‘Official Supplier’ to the Slovakian Ministry of the
Interior and awarded a contract to supply locally-manufactured Kia cee’d vehicles to the country’s police forces until 2010.

To mark this significant fleet order, Kia is displaying the first cee’d Police patrol car, complete with overall white and green-stripes livery and roof-top lights pod, at Frankfurt.

The first batch of 350 cee’d police patrol cars are scheduled for delivery by year-end. Over the next three years, up to 4,000 Kia vehicles could be ordered as part of the Interior Ministry’s re-equipment programme.