Road test: Kia cee’d ISG GT-Line

Now Kia cee’d proves that less really is more, says Martin Gurdon

In tune: the more powerful version of the 1.0 GT-Line pulls well from low speeds

12 November 2015

For mainstream car engine designers, less is more. Generally, this means smaller capacity engines with higher power outputs, helped by turbo charging.

Makes such as VW and Ford have gone down this route, as having three, rather than four, cylinders means that the engine does away with a quarter of its moving parts. Since making them go round takes energy, this impacts on the amount of fuel it uses.

Now Kia has joined this club with a 1.0 turbo petrol triple, the first member of a new family of engines, appearing for the first time in a mildly revamped cee’d.

Despite its weird name, this is a car with plenty of other skills, which have been enhanced by the 1.0 engine, or a new, 1.6 diesel, available with a seven-speed duel clutch self-shifting transmission for the first time. Older 1.4 and 1.6 petrols remain.

Space doesn’t permit a detailed rundown of the visual and spec upgrades visited on the car (illuminated USB port and extra bits of chrome anyone?), but it remains swoopy looking outside and decently spacious within.

The 1.0 is offered in two states of tune. The more powerful 118bhp version pulls very well from low speeds. You’d never guess it was a tiddler. Kia claims 57.6mpg combined, which means real-world economy ought to be 40-plus mpg, and the car comes with a seven- year/100,000 warranty.

So the reconstituted cee’d is efficient, well made, decently equipped and easy to live with, although at more than £20k, our GT-Line version was no longer cheap.

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