Has Kia lost the plot with the new Ceed?

[seven7]

Originally Posted by Spencernj

The 1.9 will definitely be the PD engine as will the 1.6 at that time.

Found the on-line brochure I downloaded when we looked in July 2010. Its dated January 2010 therefore the specs in it are relevant to the July cars we drove.

The 1.6 is described as "Common rail with DPF" the 1.9 as "PD Direct Fuel Injection" and the 2.0 as "Common Rail".

Sorry, but on this occasion you are definitely wrong.

[Spencernj]

Dont mind being wrong and yes I would seem to be on the 1.6 as you are right the PD engine does not support a DPF.

And the PD was killed off mid 2010 anyway due to Euro V emission standards.

I believe the CRD 1.6 is just a small version of the 2.0 and should be decent not driven one myself only a 2.0.

I only happen to know a little about these engines as Jeep used VW diesels until 2010 when they. swapped to using Mercedes

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[seven7]

Originally Posted by Spencernj

I believe the CRD 1.6 is just a small version of the 2.0 and should be decent not driven one myself only a 2.0.

Its certainly is not decent, its a slug. Both myself and Dubster have driven it and agree.

[Ace Demon]

Originally Posted by seven7

Disagree there. Our Ceed does not become useless at just above 3000 rpm. When you are overtaking it pulls well above 4000 rpm without the performance dropping off, the Focus was pretty much the same to be honest.

Same here. I get the impression that the pedal response has been given a deliberate feel to encourage a change up when driving gently- no point using 3000rpm when 2000rpm will do. Easy to do throttle-less engine and, in principle, the same algorithm that controls an autobox.

Press the pedal hard, it delivers just fine.

[Spencernj]

Originally Posted by seven7

Its certainly is not decent, its a slug. Both myself and Dubster have driven it and agree.

Then again I would not get the Seat anyway as I think they have gone off the boil compared to a few years ago. The Mark II Toledo/Original Leon was a great car but the latest models have gone a bit style over substance to me. (we had a 1.9 Altea in the family of a while after a two MkII Toledo's didn't like it much).

I was just using them as an example of the price range that Kia is now in is quite populated with reasonable cars and that Kia's USP was price -v- quality but the new Ceed seems a little "me-too" in price and spec and is not the "steal" the old one was. When I got the Kia which was only meant to be a stop-gap car I looked at the equivalent "Eco" Focus and Golf but could not justify the extra for them making the Kia a no-brainer if you could get over the badge snobbery. Now it would be more difficult.

Seems Honest John thinks the same as he says "Hyundai, Kia and Skoda have focussed more on value rather than list price, moved upmarket and got increasingly more expensive"

[skidlid]

Forget the old days when Kia's were cheap, cheerful cars with dated dynamics and pretty dreadful interiors, they were pretty reliable though.

Kia now want to play with the mainstream manufacturers and that means cars that compete head on. The old Ceed was a match for the Focus and from what I have seen the new one is even better.

Forget the ticket price, that's where the negotiations start. If the ticket price was final I would never have bought the last 2 Fords, managed about 25% off those to bring them down to a realistic price.

A new Focus Zetec 1.6 TDCi estate is virtually £20000. Its probably is not as well equipped if you looked closely at the spec sheet as the Ceed "2", for starters cruise control is £250 extra on the Focus. Its only 115 bhp against the Ceeds 128 bhp although the torque figures are similar.

The current price of the Ceed CRDi "2" SW is £18545, thats about £1700 less than the Focus after you add the Cruise option.

As noted in an earlier post its the £££'s difference top change that matters and not the brochure price but since the Ceed is bigger with a better dealer backup (trust me, Ford is not good when you need help) my money would still be on the Ceed even it it was about the same price. Our Ceed actually cost us about the same as the Focus we looked at but the Ceed was a way better car and we have had no regrets so far.

Most people don't want cheap, they want a product that does the job they want done. Providing the overall Ceed package is as good as the competitors it will sell.

If you want cheap buy a Dacia.

[dubster]

Spencer, I've not had any other diesels long-ish term, only driven diesel company cars for a day or two (Astra and a 5 series BMW auto - which also felt gutless tbh).

Wasn't impressed with the engine in the Altea but the car itself was pretty good, handled well, had a nice cockpit & reasonable stereo.

I certainly won't buy anything new again, but will gladly go back to a pro_cee'd when the current Astra dies.

Agreed their prices have jumped up a lot, but they're great value & spec for the money compared to ford/vauxhall/etc.

Am really interested to see the next pro_ in the flesh though. Not keen on the current 5 door cee'd and not sure the pro looks different enough from it, apart from 2 less doors