Kia Ceed Sportswagon – new 1.4 T-GDI, 600-litre boot

We’ve had a low res glimpse of it, now here’s the new Kia Ceed Sportswagon with full details. The wagon bodystyle of the latest C-segment Kia Ceed hatchback, which surfaced last month, was officially unveiled at the 2018 Geneva Motor Show. This Slovakian-made wagon is specifically for Europe, where 40% of Ceeds sold are Sportswagons.

The front and sides of the SW, up until the rear doors, appear identical to the Ceed hatchback, and that’s entirely expected. It’s a good thing too, as the new Ceed (did you know that it stands for Community of Europe, with European Design?) sports clean and restrained design that’s still immediately recognisable as a modern Kia.

Interestingly, Kia has gone for a more mature look. It says that the European-designed wagon’s straight lines replace the rounded-off edges of its predecessor, and that the sharp, straight lines visually lengthen the bonnet and give the car a more upright stance. The more horizontal shoulder line provides “a greater sense of maturity and strength.” If you look at the competition, it’s clear that Europeans are into clean and functional design.

The new Ceed Sportswagon is 20 mm wider (1,800 mm) and 20 mm lower (1,465 mm) than the outgoing estate, with a similar 2,650 mm wheelbase. The front overhang has been shortened by 20 mm but the rear overhang is extended by 115 mm, making the new Sportswagon 95 mm longer (4,600 mm) than the old car.

Kia claims a larger cabin – there’s greater shoulder room for rear passengers, while a 15 mm lower seating position in the rear creates more knee and legroom. Despite the lower roofline, the new platform and lowered front seating position maintains 987 mm of front headroom. The cargo area is 72 litres (14%) larger at 600 litres, which is larger than some D-segment wagons. The boot lip is also lower than before.

The 40:20:40 split rear seats can be folded flat with a single touch from a lever just inside the tailgate. There’s an underfloor box to secure smaller items, as well as a tonneau cover and a bag hook. Customers can specify a Smart Power Tailgate that opens automatically when it detects the Ceed’s smart key in close proximity.

The new Ceed SW shares the choice of powertrains as the five-door hatch. Petrol options include the 1.0 litre T-GDi with 120 PS and a new 1.4 litre T-GDi. Replacing the 1.6 litre GDI NA engine, the latter delivers 140 PS (which is 4% more) and a much wider torque band. Both petrols are fitted with a particulate filter to further reduce tailpipe emissions, ensuring the new Ceed goes beyond the requirements of the latest Euro 6d TEMP standard. A 100 PS 1.4 litre MPI engine will also be available.

In the diesel camp, the new ‘U3’ 1.6 litre CRDi uses Selective Catalytic Reduction (SCR) active emissions control technology to significantly reduce emissions. The new engine produces less CO2, particulate matter and NOx compared to earlier Kia diesels, and is available with either 115 PS or 136 PS. Torque is 280 Nm.

All engine will be paired with a six-speed manual, but the 1.4 T-GDi and 1.6 CRDi engines can also be paired to a seven-speed double-clutch automatic.

Kia says that the Ceed Sportswagon will be “the most high-tech car” in the compact tourer class when sales commence in Q4 this year. The ‘floating’ screen goes up to an 8.0-inch touchscreen navigation system powered by TomTom. The system is Apple CarPlay and Android Auto compatible. A JBL Premium sound system with Clari-Fi music restoration technology is optional, as are a wireless phone charger, heated and ventilated front seats, and heated rear seats.

Useful in Europe is the optional heated windshield. A first for Kia, it has nearly-imperceptible wires to gently heat the glass, melting away frost, ice and windscreen mist at the push of a button. Full LED headlamps are optional, but ‘ice cube’ LED DRLs from the previous GT Line are now standard across the board. The optional ECO Pack includes an Active Air Flap, underbody cover, lower suspension and low rolling resistance Michelin tyres.

Safety wise, seven airbags, High Beam Assist, Driver Attention Warning, Lane Keeping Assist and Forward Collision Warning with Forward Collision-Avoidance Assist are standard. Lane Following Assist, a Level 2 autonomous driving technology that operates between 0 and 130 km/h, is available. Smart Cruise Control with Stop & Go, Blind Spot Collision Warning, Rear Cross-Traffic Collision Warning, Smart Parking Assist, and pedestrian recognition with haptic steering wheel warnings for the Forward Collision-Avoidance Assist system are also available.

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