Kia Ceed SW, 2013

 

 

 

 

•  Kia Ceed SW, 2013

Just three months after the arrival of the stylish all-new Kia cee'd hatchback a second model joins the family - the Kia cee'd Sportswagon. Replacing the former Kia Ceed SW, it introduces a new model name which perfectly captures the new car's character: adventurous, sporty, modern and technologically advanced, but with even more of the practicality and value which made its predecessor a major success in the UK fleet and business market.

The Kia cee'd Sportswagon was revealed alongside the cee'd hatchback at the 2012 Geneva Motor Show, and matches it throughout for style, quality, technology, equipment and safety. Like its predecessor, it was designed and engineered at Kia's Frankfurt design studios and technical centre, and is made at the company's Žilina plant in Slovakia. The cee'd Sportswagon is exclusively for European markets.

The Kia Ceed SW has been one of Kia's leading models in the fleet market, and this year it is outselling the hatchback among business users. With more daring styling and advanced technology features, the cee'd Sportswagon is expected to have even more widespread appeal among user-choosers.

With the fleet market so dominant, the cee'd Sportswagon will be sold exclusively in the UK with advanced and highly efficient turbodiesel engines. With their high torque outputs and low operating and running costs, they are ideally suited to the heavy loads and high mileages often inflicted on estate cars by business operators.

The entry-level 89bhp 1.4 CRDi engine develops 220Nm of torque from just 1500rpm, while the 126bhp 1.6 CRDi raises the torque output to 260Nm from only 1900rpm. Both transmissions, including the automatic offered with the 1.6-litre engine, are six-speed units, while manual-gearbox models are fitted with Kia's Intelligent Stop & Go (ISG) fuel-saving, emissions-reducing engine stop/start technology.

As a result the 1.4-litre Kia cee'd Sportswagon is capable of 67.3mpg and has CO2 emissions as low as 109g/km, which means a Benefit-in-Kind (BIK) taxation rate of 15 per cent in 2012-13. Manual 1.6-litre versions, with CO2 emissions of 116g/km, fall into the 17 per cent BIK band, and are almost as sparing in their use of fuel, with official combined economy of 64.2mpg. With prices starting at £16,895 and rising to £24,795, and low maintenance and insurance costs, the new Kia cee'd Sportswagon will be an inexpensive car to run for business motorists and fleet operators, as well as private consumers.

Practical matters
On a practical level the new Kia cee'd Sportswagon will also appeal to those looking for a stylish and capacious estate car with the smallest possible footprint. At just over 4.5 metres long the Kia cee'd Sportswagon is more compact than its major European rivals, and just 15mm longer than the cee'd SW. Yet it offers greater luggage capacity than the majority of the competition - 528 litres up to the load cover with all seats upright and 1642 litres up to the roof with the 60:40 split rear seats folded flat.

Ease of loading has also been taken into consideration. The boot floor is flush with the tailgate opening and 60:40 split rear seat bases and backrests fold to ensure a completely flat load deck. Every version of the Kia cee'd Sportswagon has an under-floor storage compartment and side load areas, a retractable luggage cover, load-securing net hooks, a boot light and a 12-volt boot-mounted power socket.

Higher-specification models also have sliding aluminium luggage area rails and straps plus a high-level luggage barrier net to secure objects and prevent them from falling into the passenger compartment. Roof rails are standard on every model so that extra cargo can be carried outside the car. The cee'd Sportswagon has a payload of up to 500kg and can tow a braked trailer of 1500kg (manual versions).

Putting the 'sports' into Sportswagon
To ensure that the cee'd Sportswagon has the lean, lithe silhouette that its name suggests, it is not only a fraction longer than the previous cee'd SW but also 10mm narrower and 40mm lower, while still managing to offer full five-seater family space. Unusually for an estate car in its class, it has different rear doors to the cee'd hatchback so that the stylish upward sweep of the lower window graphic can continue all the way to the rear of the car without making the cabin dark or claustrophobic for passengers travelling in the back.

As with the new cee'd hatchback, the wheelbase - one of the longest in class at 2650mm - is unchanged, but the track widths have increased by 17mm at the front and 27mm at the rear to give the car a sportier stance and, along with revised suspension geometry, greater high-speed stability and cornering prowess. The cee'd Sportswagon remains unusual in its class in having fully independent front and rear suspension, with inherent advantages for ride and handling. These have been honed even further in the new car.

The Kia cee'd Sportswagon has a more sporty and premium look and feel than its predecessor, emphasised by its radically different proportions. It has a more cab-forward design and a rakish, coupé-like roofline which gives it a sportier stance and greater presence. Even the Kia badge is new - simpler, sleeker and more modern, with 'Kia' script in a raised section. At the front it is now mounted on the bonnet rather than in the radiator grille - another premium-class upgrade.

No stone has been left unturned in the quest to ensure the cee'd Sportswagon is more than a match for its European rivals. Every detail of the previous model came under scrutiny. If something needed to be changed, it was. One seemingly insignificant detail is the fuel-filler flap. In the Far East and America buyers like a separate release lever inside the car, while Europeans prefer it to be linked to the central locking system so that it can be opened with just a push - so that's what you will find.

European quality, safety and technology
The improvements in quality in the cee'd Sportswagon are actual as well as perceived. The tight shutlines would not look out of place on a premium-price luxury car, while most versions have an elegant chrome window surround. The entry-level model has a chromed grille surround, while all other versions have a graphite chrome surround with a black high-gloss mesh grille.

First impressions are matched when stepping into the cabin. Soft-touch surfaces, high-quality materials and lidded storage areas, subtle red ambient lighting, tactile door grab handles and precise panel gaps combine to give the interior of the cee'd Sportswagon a solid, mature, made-from-a-mould feel. This is emphasised by the improved refinement of the latest car. Torsional body strength has been increased by 51 per cent over the previous model. The windscreen is now bonded in rather than mounted in a seal, thus shutting out more exterior noise and adding to body rigidity. There is more filling in the pillar areas, new-style weather strips around the door frames, restyled door mirrors and thicker front door glass. All play a part in adding to refinement. Even the sealing strips on the door sills have been modified to make it more difficult for noise to enter the cabin.

The stiffer bodyshell is the result of a comprehensive package of reinforcements in critical areas with the aim of making the new Kia cee'd Sportswagon not just among the most efficient in its class, but also the safest. In total, 57 per cent of the new body is made from high-tensile steel, with ultra-high-tensile steel in the B-pillar structures.

There is an i-type subframe with a more rigid front apron, dashboard and side members. Horizontal and centre tunnel supports have been added in the dash area. The A-pillars, inner door rail and upper and lower body structures have been reinforced. New transverse cross-members link the front and rear suspension mounts, while the angle of the front side crash members has been decreased for better deformation. And there is a ring-type support around the rear roof rail and tailgate opening. The cee'd Sportswagon also provides better pedestrian protection in the event of a collision, and is easier and cheaper to repair after a low-speed (9mph or lower) accident.

The extensive standard active and passive safety equipment of the previous generation cee'd SW - including Electronic Stability Control (ESC), Vehicle Stability Management (VSM), Hill-start Assist Control (HAC) and six airbags - has been supplemented with new features in the Sportswagon. All versions have Emergency Stop Signalling (ESS), which causes the rear brake lamps to flash in an emergency stop to alert following drivers. Depending on model, static and active cornering lights, a colour reversing camera, a Parallel Park Assist System (PPAS) which automatically steers the car into kerbside spaces and a Lane Departure Warning System are also available.

Driver and passenger comfort have also been substantially upgraded. Most models now have a Flex Steer function within the standard Motor Driven Power Steering with three settings - Comfort, Normal and Sport - so that the level of assistance can be increased when parking and decreased to make the car more stable at highway speeds.

An electronic parking brake, a heated steering wheel, automatic lights and wipers, larger vents to deliver more air to the rear footwells, dual-zone automatic air conditioning with soft and fast air-flow modes, 10-way adjustable driver's memory seat and electric lumbar support are all new features for Kia's mid-sized estate car.

The audio systems have been upgraded and are now fully integrated into the dash for a higher-quality appearance, and feature improved functionality. They incorporate Bluetooth with voice recognition in 10 languages and music streaming, iPod connectivity through the original iPod cable and 600Mb of MP3 memory within the head unit. The high-grade Audio plus Navigation system now has a 20 per cent more powerful control unit and permits voice recognition in 13 languages, full UK postcode entry when setting navigation instructions, Traffic Messaging Channel information and full phone number download from the owner's mobile telephone.

The Kia cee'd Sportswagon in the UK
The cee'd Sportswagon is available in four trim grades - named '1', '2', '3' and '4' in the now-customary Kia UK fashion - with the option of a '4 Tech' version of the cee'd Sportswagon '4'.

All models from the '1' feature a comprehensive list of standard equipment, including luggage area under-floor tray and side tray, a retractable and removable load cover, a boot light and a rear 12-volt power socket and roof rails. Also standard are electrically adjustable heated door mirrors, tilt and telescopic steering wheel adjustment and a height-adjustable driver's seat, air conditioning, steering wheel-mounted controls, front electric windows with auto up and down function, daytime running lights, remote central locking, cooled glovebox, flat-folding 60:40 split rear seats, ambient front lighting, an iPod-compatible audio system with radio and CD player, USB port and Bluetooth connectivity, ESC and VSM, HAC (Hill-start Assist Control), six airbags, speed-sensitive auto door locking and alloy wheels on all 1.6-litre versions.

cee'd Sportswagon '2' adds cornering lights, LED daytime running lights and rear combination lamps, electrically folding and heated door mirrors with LED indicators and kerbside lights, leather trim on the steering wheel, gearshifter and handbrake, greater use of chrome highlights, a rear centre armrest, all-round electric windows, luggage net, cruise control with speed limiter, reversing sensors and the Flex Steer function.

cee'd Sportswagon '3' has in addition privacy glass, automatic headlights with a 'follow-me-home' function, rain-sensing front wipers with de-icing elements, a height-adjustable front passenger's seat, electric lumbar support on both front seats, black and silver seat cloth, auto-dimming rear-view mirror, dual-zone automatic air conditioning with two-step air-flow control and a seven-inch touchscreen satellite navigation with European mapping, UK postcode entry with built-in colour reversing camera.

cee'd Sportswagon '4' introduces the luggage area rail and partition system and barrier net, larger (17-inch) alloys, exterior illumination on the front door handles, black leather seats with contrasting grey inserts and three-stage heating, a heated steering wheel and electronic parking brake, an engine stop/start button and smart entry system, rear air ventilation, a premium centre console with sliding cover and a speed and multi-function LCD high-definition colour display, while the cee'd '4 Tech' is distinguished by its panoramic sunroof, 10-way power-adjustable driver's seat with memory, Parallel Park Assist System including front parking sensors, Lane Departure Warning System and Xenon adaptive front lighting system with automatic levelling.

As with every Kia, the new cee'd Sportswagon comes with a fully transferable seven-year, 100,000-mile warranty.

KIA cee'd SPORTSWAGON: BUSINESS CLASS
The Kia Ceed SW has been one of Kia's leading models in the fleet market, and this year it is outselling the hatchback four-to-one among business users. With more daring styling and advanced technology features, the new cee'd Sportswagon is expected to have even more widespread appeal among user-choosers.

The success of Kia's compact estate car in the business market has been built not just on price but also on its value-for-money specification, and this is even more evident with the more highly equipped cee'd Sportswagon.

Even the entry-level cee'd Sportswagon '1' leaves nothing to be desired. Highlights of the standard specification include electrically adjustable heated door mirrors, tilt and telescopic steering wheel adjustment and a height-adjustable driver's seat, air conditioning, steering wheel-mounted controls, Bluetooth, an iPod-compatible audio system and alloy wheels on all 1.6-litre versions.

Further up the range, cornering lights, cruise control with speed limiter, reversing sensors, Flex Steer, automatic headlights and front wipers, dual-zone automatic air conditioning, a seven-inch touchscreen satellite navigation system, leather seats, a speed and multi-function LCD full colour display, a panoramic sunroof, 10-way power-adjustable driver's seat with memory, a Parallel Parking Assist System, Lane Departure Warning and Xenon adaptive front lighting are fitted, depending on model.

And as with every Kia, the new cee'd Sportswagon comes with a seven-year, 100,000-mile fully transferable warranty.

With the fleet market so dominant, the cee'd Sportswagon will be sold exclusively in the UK with advanced and highly efficient turbodiesel engines. With their high torque outputs and low operating and running costs they are ideally suited to the heavy loads and high mileages often inflicted on estate cars by business operators. The 1.4-litre CRDi turbodiesel engine is new to Kia's compact estate model, while the 1.6-litre CRDi turbodiesel develops 5Nm more than that in the previous Kia Ceed SW.

Six-speed gearboxes become standard across the range. Manual-gearbox models are fitted with Kia's Intelligent Stop & Go (ISG) fuel-saving stop/start technology, which means improved fuel economy, lower CO2 emissions and a Benefit-in-Kind (BIK) taxation of 15 per cent for the 1.4 CRDi and 17 per cent for the manual 1.6 CRDi in 2012-13.

With prices starting at £16,895 and rising to £24,795, fuel economy of well over 60mpg for all manual models and low maintenance and insurance costs, the new Kia cee'd Sportswagon will be an inexpensive car to run for business motorists, fleet operators and retail customers.

Servicing
Routine servicing is needed only once a year or every 20,000 miles for both petrol and diesel versions.

Care-3 - Kia's servicing package for retail customers - is available for the cee'd Sportswagon and offers a fixed cost and inflation-proof servicing for the first three or five years. All work will be carried out by trained product technicians, using genuine Kia replacement parts and specified oils.

The Care-3 package is just £299 including VAT, which covers the first three services, while the Care-3 Plus package is £549 including VAT which covers the first five services.

Both packages are transferable should the vehicle be sold, and if a vehicle with a Care-3 package is sold on the new next owner may upgrade to the five-year service package. The cost of the vehicle's first MoT test fee can be included for an additional £30.

EUROPEAN BY DESIGN
The cee'd family is fundamental to Kia's policy of creating specific cars in and for the markets where they are sold, and the Kia Ceed SW and new cee'd Sportswagon perfectly illustrate that. While there is little or no appetite for estate cars in the Korean domestic market, Kia recognises their importance in Europe, and planned one right from the start of the design stage for the first cee'd family.

The cee'd range is designed and engineered at Kia's Frankfurt design studios and technical centre, and is made at the company's Žilina plant in Slovakia. It is sold exclusively in European markets. From the outset, it was therefore imperative that it was seen as European - not just in styling and ride and handling, or through the availability of state-of-the-art diesel engines, but also in the hundreds of small details which separate European preferences from those in other parts of the world.

Haptics - how things feel and move - and ergonomics, the placement of controls and inter-relation between them, were of paramount importance and played a large part in the design. Europeans like handwheel-type seat adjusters because they offer a fine degree of backrest angle variation, for instance, and they prefer the indicator stalk on the left of the steering column rather than the right. The cee'd designers took note of this. In Europe, quality is also as much about how things feel and look as it is about durability, so the designers also addressed these issues.

For the new cee'd range there is an even finer amount of small detail to ensure the car is in many ways more European than its European competitors. No stone has been left unturned. Every detail of the previous model came under scrutiny. If something needed to be changed, it was. One seemingly insignificant detail is the fuel-filler flap. In the Far East and America buyers like a separate release lever inside the car, while Europeans prefer it to be linked to the central locking system so that it can be opened with just a push - so that's what you will find.

In cold, hard figures, the cee'd Sportswagon is 15mm longer, 10mm narrower and - partly as a result of a 10mm reduction in ride height - 40mm lower than its predecessor. The wheelbase, one of the longest in class at 2650mm, is unchanged, but the track widths have increased by 17mm at the front and 27mm at the rear to give the car a sportier stance and, along with the revised suspension geometry, greater high-speed stability and cornering prowess.

At just over 4.5 metres long the cee'd Sportswagon is more compact than all its major European rivals, yet it offers greater luggage capacity than any of them - 528 litres up to the load cover with all seats upright and 1642 litres up to the roof with the 60:40 split rear seats folded flat. This is 10 per cent more than at least one leading European estate car.

Ease of loading has also been taken into consideration. The boot floor is flush with the tailgate opening and the 60:40 split rear seat bases and backrests fold to ensure a completely flat load deck. Every version of the cee'd Sportswagon has an under-floor storage compartment and side load areas, a retractable luggage cover, load-securing net hooks, a boot light and a 12-volt boot-mounted power socket.

Higher-specification models also have sliding aluminium luggage area rails and straps plus a luggage barrier net to secure objects and prevent them from moving around in the rear. Roof rails are standard on every model so that extra cargo can be carried outside the car. The cee'd Sportswagon has a payload of up to 500kg and can tow a braked trailer of 1,500kg (manual versions).

The most obvious change between the Kia Ceed SW and the cee'd Sportswagon is found in their proportions. The new model has a more cab-forward design and a rakish, coupé-like roofline which gives it a sportier stance and greater presence, without impinging on the original car's outstanding passenger space. Unusually for an estate car in its class, it has different rear doors to the cee'd hatchback so that the stylish upward sweep of the lower window graphic can continue all the way to the rear of the car without making the cabin dark or claustrophobic for passengers travelling in the back.

Kia's Chief Design Officer Peter Schreyer says: 'We wanted to build on the strengths that have already made the first-generation model such a success, but with added emotion and character and improved proportions and stance.'

The athletic appearance of the new cee'd Sportswagon is emphasised by its significantly wider front and rear tracks and heightened by the availability of wheels of up to 17-inches in diameter, tightly encased by the stylish bodywork. With its steeply angled A-pillars, low belt line and emphatic glasshouse, the cee'd Sportswagon has something of a coupé-like profile, while the front is dominated by the latest interpretation of the Kia 'tiger-nose' grille flanked by wrap-around lamp clusters housing signature LED daytime running lights on the majority of models.

Even the Kia badge is new - simpler, sleeker and more modern, with 'Kia' script in a raised section. At the front it is now mounted on the bonnet rather than the radiator grille - another small, premium-class upgrade.

The aerodynamics have been improved so that the cee'd Sportswagon cuts through the air more efficiently at speed. The co-efficient of drag is 0.30. Even a tiny improvement in Cd brings measurable benefits in fuel economy. Kia aerodynamicists spent more than 100 hours in the wind tunnel at the company's research and development centre at Namyang, in Korea, to effect an improvement in the car's Cd.

Improvements in quality are actual as well as perceived. The tight shutlines would not look out of place on premium car, while most versions have an elegant chromed window surround. The entry-level model has a chromed grille surround, while all other versions have a graphite chrome surround with a black high-gloss mesh grille.

First impressions are matched when stepping into the cabin. The classy new key fob with metallised inserts is merely a foretaste of what is to come. Soft-touch surfaces, high-quality materials, damped sun visors and lidded storage areas, red ambient lighting, tactile door grab handles and precise panel gaps combine to give the interior of the new cee'd a solid, mature, made-from-a-mould feel. Even the operation of the tailgate has come in for scrutiny, and now features improved self-closing force.

The elevation in quality is emphasised by the improved refinement of the latest car. Torsional body strength has been increased by 51 per cent over the previous model, aided by a windscreen which is now bonded in rather than mounted in a seal, thus shutting out more exterior noise. There are new-style weather strips around the door frames, more filling in the pillar areas, restyled door mirrors and thicker front door glass. Even the sealing strips on the door sills have been modified to make it more difficult for noise to enter the cabin.

The driver-centric dashboard layout features intuitive controls clearly grouped, with superb attention to detail. Kia's familiar three-dial sporty instrument layout is enhanced by a speed and multi-function LCD full colour display on the '4' and '4 Tech' versions, while trim level '3' and above have the Audio and Navigation system with seven-inch touchscreen and built-in reversing camera.

There are newly shaped seats offering greater side support, with 10-way power-adjustment and memory on the driver's side in the '4 Tech'. Fin-style door grab handles, an asymmetric centre console surround framing a deep storage area, bright chrome highlights in the majority of models, soft-touch surfaces and padded door trims and storage boxes all attest to the attention to detail and enhanced quality of the cee'd Sportswagon.

In the UK the car is available with a choice of seven exterior colours, depending on version. The interior of cee'd Sportswagon '1' is trimmed in black 'Abstract' cloth, cee'd Sportswagon '2' is in black and silver 'Oval' cloth and cee'd Sportswagon '3' has either black or stone cloth - dependent on exterior colour, with a contrasting Mesh design and faux leather inserts. cee'd Sportswagon '4' and '4 Tech' have black leather upholstery with grey inserts.

RANGE FINDER
The new cee'd Sportswagon is available in four trim grades - named '1', '2', '3' and '4' in the now-customary Kia UK fashion - with the option of a '4 Tech' version of cee'd Sportswagon '4'.

All models from the '1' feature a comprehensive list of standard equipment, including luggage area under-floor tray and side tray, a retractable and removable load cover, a boot light and a rear 12-volt power socket. Also standard are electrically adjustable heated door mirrors, tilt and telescopic steering wheel adjustment and a height-adjustable driver's seat, air conditioning, steering wheel-mounted controls, front electric windows, projection headlights, daytime running lights, remote central locking, a cooled glovebox, a flat-folding 60:40 split rear seat, ambient front lighting, an iPod-compatible audio system with radio and CD player, USB port and Bluetooth connectivity, ESP and VSM, HAC (Hill-start Assist Control), six airbags, speed-sensitive auto door locking and alloy wheels on all 1.6-litre versions.

cee'd Sportswagon '2' adds cornering lights, LED daytime running lights and rear combination lamps, electrically folding and heated door mirrors, leather trim on the steering wheel, luggage net, gearshifter and handbrake, greater use of chrome highlights, a rear centre armrest, all-round electric windows, cruise control with speed limiter, reversing sensors and the Flex Steer function.

cee'd Sportswagon '3' has in addition privacy glass, automatic headlights with a 'follow-me-home' function, rain-sensing front wipers with de-icing elements, a height-adjustable front passenger's seat, electric lumbar support on both front seats, dual-zone automatic air conditioning with two-step air-flow control and a seven-inch touchscreen satellite navigation with European mapping, full UK postcode entry and built-in colour reversing camera system.

cee'd Sportswagon '4' introduces the luggage area rail and partition system and barrier net, larger (17-inch) alloys, exterior illumination on the front door handles, black leather seats with contrasting grey inserts and three-stage heating, a heated steering wheel and electronic parking brake, an engine stop/start button and smart entry system, rear air ventilation, a premium centre console with sliding cover and a speed and multi-function LCD full colour display, while the cee'd '4 Tech' is distinguished by its panoramic sunroof, 10-way power-adjustable driver's seat with memory, Parallel Parking Assist System including front parking sensors, Lane Departure Warning System and Xenon adaptive front lighting with automatic levelling.

THE TECHNICAL STORY
From the outset the entire cee'd range has been roundly praised for its smooth and torquey engines, European driving dynamics - aided by the comparative rarity in the C-segment of independent multi-link rear suspension where most rivals have a simple twist beam - and refined driving manners. But Kia is not a company to rest on its laurels. Every single aspect of the powertrains, running gear and noise suppression measures has come under scrutiny to see if it could be made better. The result is a comprehensive package of changes that has made the performance, economy, driveability, ride and handling and NVH (noise, vibration and harshness) of the cee'd Sportswagon better than that of its predecessor.

With the fleet market so important to sales of Kia's compact estate car, the cee'd Sportswagon will be sold exclusively in the UK with advanced and highly efficient turbodiesel engines. With their high torque outputs and low operating and running costs they are ideally suited to the heavy loads and high mileages often inflicted on estate cars by business operators.

Completely revised suspension and steering geometry and tuning have preserved the outstanding handling of the Kia Ceed SW while adding greater finesse to the ride of the Sportswagon. A variable-assistance Flex Steer system is standard on the majority of models, allowing greater personalisation and a set-up to suit any owner, whether the car is being driven in crowded town streets or on fast highways. There has been a major step forward in NVH, too, thanks to a minutely detailed inspection of all areas of the car. The outcome of all this is that the cee'd Sportswagon is more enjoyable to drive and quieter to ride in and has a more mature, more premium feel.

The engines
Two engines - 1.4- and 1.6-litre turbodiesels from the European-designed and European-made U2 range - are available in the new cee'd Sportswagon. Both are 16-valve double overhead camshaft units with a cast-iron block and bedplate and an aluminium oil pan. The 1.4-litre unit has a wastegate turbocharger while the 1.6 features a variable geometry turbocharger which adjusts the flow of exhaust gases by altering the angle of the turbo vanes according to engine requirements to raise performance while reducing fuel consumption and emissions. The 1.6 also has variable swirl control. This increases swirl at low-to-mid loads to reduce emissions and decreases it at high loads to maximise power.

Both now deliver better low-speed performance. An improved electronic control unit reduces noise and emissions by optimising the amount of fuel injected and the injection time. Up to five injections per cycle at a maximum pressure of 1600 bar are possible. A plastic oil filter housing and intake manifold help to improve refinement

All manual versions of the cee'd Sportswagon have Kia's Intelligent Stop & Go (ISG) engine stop/start system to cut fuel consumption and CO2 emissions to zero when at rest in traffic.

The 1.4-litre (1,396cc) CRDi engine develops 89bhp at 4000rpm and 220Nm of torque between 1,500 and 2,750rpm. This is sufficient to ensure sprightly performance with excellent driveability through a six-speed manual gearbox. The 0-60mph dash takes 13.4 seconds and the top speed is 106mph. Yet with fuel economy of 67.3mpg and CO2 emissions of 109g/km, retail buyers pay only £20 in Vehicle Excise Duty (VED) in year two, with nothing to pay in the first year, while business users enjoy a 15 per cent Benefit-in-Kind (BIK) taxation rating.

The 1.6-litre U2 engine is available with either a six-speed manual or six-speed automatic gearbox. In manual form with ISG, CO2 emissions are 116g/km. That means a BIK rate of 17 per cent. Fuel economy is 64.2mpg. It delivers excellent performance even when fully laden, with 0-60mph acceleration in only 10.8 seconds on the way to a top speed of 120mph. For buyers who prefer the convenience of an automatic gearbox, Kia offers the 1.6 CRDi with a six-speed torque converter transmission in place of the four-speed unit which was available with the Kia Ceed SW. This brings down CO2 emissions from 154g/km to 149g/km and raises fuel economy by almost 2mpg to 50.4mpg. The diesel automatic version of the new cee'd Sportswagon can accelerate from 0-60mph in 11.7 seconds and has a top speed of 115mph.

EcoDynamics and ISG
All versions of the new cee'd Sportswagon feature Kia's EcoDynamics fuel-saving, CO2-reducing technologies, while manual models have ISG, Kia's engine stop/start system. A gearshift indicator on manual models advises the driver of the most efficient change-up points. Kia has also developed a kick-down switch for the accelerator to prevent unintentional full use. A small resistance felt through the accelerator pedal at full load helps drivers to avoid excessive fuel consumption, without impairing responsiveness when maximum power is needed. Other innovative technologies as part of the EcoDynamics package include a power-saving alternator management system, Motor Driven Power Steering and low rolling resistance tyres - fitted to the 15" wheels - which are 14 per cent more efficient than standard tyres.

ISG consists of crankshaft position, battery and vacuum sensors plus neutral, on-off and clutch switches that feed into an electronic control unit. This operates the ISG starter, intelligent alternator and cluster. The air conditioning units and bonnet switch also feed into the ISG ECU.

The crankshaft position sensor measures the crank angle during engine run-out and monitors it while the vehicle is stopped, ensuring the starter is activated for as short a time as possible by optimising cranking and combustion. The battery sensor monitors the battery condition and temperature, while the clutch and neutral switches recognise when the driver wishes to continue driving and ensures the engine is started. There is a brake booster pressure sensor to make sure the engine continues to operate if brake boost falls too low.

A new heavy-duty maintenance-free AGM (Absorbent Glass Mat) battery delivers the power necessary to run the system, and intelligent alternator management reduces drain on the battery while accelerating and recharges the battery when coasting and braking.

All the driver has to do is stop, put the car into neutral and lift his or her foot off the clutch. After a brief pause, the engine cuts out. It restarts as soon as the driver pushes the clutch. The system has been engineered not to stop the engine during warm-up from a cold start or if the air conditioning system is working hard. Drivers can also manually turn off the ISG system through a switch on the dashboard.

Transmissions
Six-speed gearboxes are standard with every version of the new cee'd Sportswagon. The six-speed manual gearboxes familiar from other models in the Kia range feature detailed modifications to improve shift quality.

The 1.6-litre U2 turbodiesel engine is available with six-speed torque converter automatic with improved shifting and functionality. It replaces the four-speed gearbox in the Kia Ceed SW. This ensures considerably stronger performance and driveability with more relaxed cruising and improvements in both fuel economy and emissions.

This innovative and intelligent transmission is the most compact six-speed unit in the world, helped by a unique flat torque converter which alone saves 12mm in packaging. The number of moving parts has also been kept to a minimum. All of this helps to ensure weight is kept to a minimum.

It features three planetary gearsets and four pinion differentials. A cleverly designed hydraulic pressure control unit allows the solenoid valves to be individually calibrated at the assembly plant in Korea, ensuring ultra-fast, smooth and precise gearchanges. It also incorporates Neutral Control, which shifts from D (Drive) to N (Neutral) after the car has been stationary for a few seconds to save fuel.

Drive selection is performed via a sophisticated new straight-type lever with a smart rubber gaiter in place of the open stepped gate with the Kia Ceed SW. All the driver has to do is push a button at the side of the selector and it glides into the required spot. It is not only easier to use than the previous selector, but adds an extra premium look and feel to the cabin.

Suspension, steering and brakes
European driving conditions impose different challenges to those found almost anywhere else on earth. Motorway speeds are generally higher. Towns and cities often have narrow, bumpy streets. And in-between there are winding country roads, mountain passes and twisting lanes. To cope with this eclectic mix a car must be both agile and supple.

Kia demanded that its compact all-European models should not only look and feel European but should behave European, too. That is why they have the comparative rarity in class of an expensive fully independent rear suspension system in place of the more commonly used and cheaper twist beam, and a wheelbase that is one of the longest in class. Motor Driven Power Steering (MDPS) provides the right degree of assistance and weighting while reducing fuel consumption by around 3 per cent. And powerful all-disc brakes - with anti-lock (ABS), electronic force distribution (EBD) and Brake Assist (BAS) - ensure stable and sure stopping in the shortest possible distance. Electronic Stability Control (ESC) is also a standard feature.

For the cee'd Sportswagon virtually every aspect has been revised to maintain the excellent handling of the Kia Ceed SW while providing better steering response and feedback and a more assured ride. The 51 per cent stiffer body of the new model was the perfect starting point for the objectives set by Kia's European engineering teams, to which can be added the 10mm reduction in ride height and the considerably wider track widths (17mm at the front and 32mm at the rear). The suspension geometry and tuning have also been changed to allow the engineers to meet their targets.

The front castor angle has been increased to improve steering reaction and grip by maintaining a flatter tyre contact with the road. There are new front wheel bearings and larger suspension bushes, which are now steel-in-rubber, and the front wheel knuckle has been reinforced. At the rear, the inner pick-up points of the lateral suspension arms are further apart to provide better lateral stiffness and the steel-in-rubber bushes reduce internal friction and contribute towards a better ride quality. The spring rates are lower and there are softer damper settings and shorter bump stops to allow more wheel travel. The springs are side-loaded to reduce friction, and at the rear there is a thicker anti-roll bar. The outcome is that none of the agility of the Kia Ceed SW has been lost, but the Sportswagon delivers a more compliant ride.

There have also been significant revisions to the MDPS power steering to provide more linear responses. The steering gear has been changed and there is new geometry and a straighter tie-rod which ensures more accurate response with less friction.

All except the entry-level cee'd Sportswagon '1' also have as standard the new Kia Flex Steer system. This permits drivers to personalise the level of assistance provided by the MDPS system at the touch of a button. It provides three stages of assistance - Comfort, which is ideal for parking manoeuvres in tight spaces or slow urban driving; Normal, which is the default mode; or Sport, which requires more steering effort and is therefore suited to fast highway driving where maximum stability is demanded. Whichever setting the owner chooses is maintained even after the engine has been switched off so that, for example, if the car is parked in town it will continue to be light and easy to drive upon restart.

All-disc brakes, ventilated at the front, are again standard and they are backed up by ABS, EBD and BAS. A new 300mm front disc is fitted to cee'd Sportswagon '2' and above, and the friction materials are new, while a lot of attention has been paid to the software of the ABS system to improve braking feel. The new electronic parking brake is standard on cee'd Sportswagon '4' and '4 Tech'. It features an automatic off function when the car pulls away, removing the need for the driver to manually release a button.

The cee'd Sportswagon is equipped with third-generation ESC and now features a Vehicle Stability Management (VSM) system which communicates with the steering to stabilise the car when it is braking or accelerating on roads with differing levels of grip from left to right. Hill-start Assist Control is again standard to ensure the car pulls away smoothly without rolling backwards when setting off on steep inclines - this is achieved by momentarily applying the brakes, for two seconds on manual versions and 0.8 seconds on automatic versions.

Improved NVH
Kia has raised the already high levels of refinement in the Kia Ceed SW with a series of new measures to counter NVH (noise, vibration and harshness) as part of its review of every single facet of the car.

The improved aerodynamics (Cd 0.30) and carefully shaped door mirrors significantly reduce the incursion of wind noise into the cabin, but Kia has not stopped there. Joints have been added to the ends of the belt-line weather strips, while the weather strips around the door frames are now single-piece 'one-turn' items to reduce wind noise. The front door glass is thicker and the windscreen is now bonded in rather than mounted in a seal, which not only makes the car more rigid but also aids quietness. The pillar filling areas have been enlarged and even the sill trim strips have been revised to minimise the chance of noise seeping into the cabin.

The 51 per cent stiffer bodyshell and revised rear suspension reduce the possibilities for road noise to enter the cabin, and there is more sound absorption material throughout the car. Combustion noise from the engines is less as a result of enlarged engine covers, while boom in all models is reduced by a rigid hollow-core driveshaft. A new three-point engine mounting system in place of the former four-point arrangement also aids refinement, while acceleration vibration is minimised by a revised roll-mounting system.

As an added touch of refinement, there is now a dual-shell horn with a more premium-sounding tone.

SAFETY FIRST
The ambitious target with the cee'd Sportswagon was class-leading safety - not just a five-star Euro-NCAP rating, but a higher score than any competitor. To achieve that, there have been major advances in body engineering and pedestrian protection, while features previously found only on expensive premium cars become available. Electronic Stability Control (ESP), Vehicle Stability Management (VSM), plus Hill-start Assist Control (HAC) are standard every model.

The bodyshell of the cee'd Sportswagon is 51 per cent stiffer than that of the Kia Ceed SW as a result of a comprehensive package of reinforcements in critical areas. Even the windscreen is now bonded in rather than mounted in a sealing strip, which aids both rigidity and refinement. In total, 57 per cent of the new body is made from high-tensile steel, with ultra-high-tensile steel in the B-pillar structures.

There is an i-type subframe with more rigid side members, front apron and dashboard. Horizontal and centre tunnel supports have been added in the dash area. The A-pillars, inner door rail and upper and lower body structures have been reinforced. New transverse cross-members link the front and rear suspension mounts, new pressings attach the boot floor to the tailgate opening, the roof rail is connected to the C-pillar and there is a new floor cross-member. All of this serves to provide a safety 'ring' around the tailgate area.

At the front, the side crash members have shallower slant angles which help to disperse collision energy more effectively, while side impact protection is boosted by reinforced front door belt inner rails, hot-stamped B-pillars and roof sides, ultra-high-tensile steel lower body sill structures and a roof gusset connecting the side inner panels and the roof rails.

Every model comes as standard with six airbags - twin front, side and side curtains - to provide all-round chest, face and head protection. Seat-belt recognition monitors detect if the belt on an occupied seat is not fastened or is opened during a journey.

To reduce the cost of repairs after low-speed (9mph or less) collisions, there is a crash box integrated into the front bumper rails to minimise deformation of the front side member, while at the rear the side members have been reinforced so that they are better able to resist deformation at similar speed.

Improved pedestrian safety comes through collapsible headlamps, a stiffer lower bumper lip and shock-absorbing structures in the bonnet and bonnet hinges.

The extensive active and passive safety equipment of the Kia Ceed SW - including ESC, VSM and HAC - has been supplemented with new features. Electronic Stability Control (ESC) detects when the car is being driven in a manner or on a surface which might cause a loss of control and brakes one or more wheels, reduces engine torque - or both - to stabilise it; Vehicle Stability Management (VSM) keeps the car stable when accelerating or braking on roads with different levels of grip from left to right; Hill-start Assist Control (HAC) prevents it from rolling backwards when setting off on steep gradients by holding the brakes for two seconds (0.8 seconds on the automatic version). Brake Assist (BAS), which ensures maximum stopping power in an emergency regardless of the force applied to the pedal by the driver, is again standard.

In addition, all versions of the cee'd Sportswagon have Emergency Stop Signalling (ESS), which causes the rear brake lamps to flash in an emergency stop to alert following drivers. Daytime running lights - LED-type on grade '2' and above - are now standard. All models except the entry-level cee'd Sportswagon now have static cornering lights which provide a broader beam when steering to ensure quicker recognition of roadside objects at night. They operate through separate lights built into the headlamp units, and activate when the steering angle is more than 35 degrees at speeds of 6mph and above, or 50 degrees when the car is stationary. They switch off if the steering angle falls below 20 degrees.

Automatic headlight control is standard on grades '3', '4' and '4 Tech', while '4 Tech' also has Xenon headlamps with an adaptive function which continuously adjusts the up/down and left/right angle of the beam according to steering wheel movements and the car's speed. This increases the driver's range of vision when driving on twisty or bumpy roads at night. All versions have an LED high-level rear stop light while trim grade '2' and above have LED combination rear lamp clusters.

Reversing sensors are standard from level '2' upwards, while levels '3' and '4' have a colour reversing camera integrated into the navigation screen. cee'd Sportswagon '4 Tech' adds to this with the Parallel Park Assist System (PPAS) which, at the press of a button, automatically steers the car into kerbside spaces while the driver operates the accelerator, brakes and gears. Front, rear and side sensors first decide whether the parking space is large enough for the car and then the system directs it in. A display in the instrument panel allows the driver to monitor progress.

The top-of-the-range model also comes as standard with a Lane Departure Warning System which monitors the position of the vehicle within road lanes, from a camera positioned next to the interior rear view mirror, and warns the driver, via visual and audible alerts, if the vehicle deviates from its lane without the indicators being switched on.

MANUFACTURING AND THE ENVIRONMENT
The story of the cee'd family will always be inextricably linked with that of Kia's European manufacturing facility at Žilina in Slovakia. Without the one, there might never have been the other.

By the mid-2000s Kia had established a policy of building cars in and for the markets where they were to be sold, wherever possible. In Europe that meant a compact hatchback and estate to compete in the most important market segment, the C-sector. And from the outset it was always going to be an exclusively European product.

Žilina was identified as the place where it would be made. Slovakia, which had become a member of the EU in 2004, had a history in engineering, a highly qualified workforce, a well-developed transport infrastructure, an established automotive supply chain and a national government committed to helping new businesses.

Kia was given tax-break and land incentives by the Slovakian government and has in turn worked with the authorities for the benefit of the local community. The local authority has established a training centre close to the plant, where Kia has provided the expertise to develop courses in such things as computers and welding technologies. These courses are available for all people across the region.

The new factory has brought a much-needed boost to Žilina. Since opening, 10,000 jobs have been created nearby with more than a dozen parts and components suppliers. Employment at the factory was increased by 900 to 3,900 staff when the third shift came into effect in January 2012. Žilina is now able to produce 300,000 cars a year as well as 450,000 engine units.

Žilina was completed ahead of schedule and the quality of the pilot production cars it started making towards the end of 2005 was so good that Kia took the confident decision to launch the cee'd range with a seven-year, 100,000-mile transferable warranty, subject to wear-and-tear limitations.

That confidence has been more than justified by the quality of the cars made at Žilina, which passed the one million mark in 2011. The Sportage and Venga are now made at Žilina alongside the cee'd. The introduction of the new cee'd and cee'd Sportswagon on the Žilina production lines neatly completes a circle begun less than six years ago.

Green from the word go
As an all-new, start-up facility, Kia was determined that Žilina would set the highest environmental standards. For Kia, environmental protection is not just about a few headline-grabbing tailpipe emissions figures. It encompasses every aspect of the manufacturing, distribution, sales, use and scrapping of cars. Kia was the first manufacturer in the world to establish a dedicated environmental research and development centre, at Mabuk, to the south-east of the Korean capital, Seoul. Mabuk was involved in the design and development of the Žilina plant.

Manufacturing demands and environmental responsibility do not always go hand-in-hand, but Žilina sets the highest environmental standards and is a benchmark for the European automotive industry. Even the location is environmentally important, reducing the distances that cars need to be transported across western, central and eastern Europe. Seventy-five per cent of the parts used in the plant are sourced from Western Europe, which also helps to cut down on unnecessary transport.

The assembly shop uses revolutionary technology for improving air quality. The basic principle is that all vapours and gases are exhausted through the building's floor rather than through the roof. This new under-floor extraction system stops harmful gases from circulating at higher levels where they could be inhaled by assembly line workers or vented to the outside.

A Regenerative Thermal Oxidizer (RTO) process is used to eliminate odour and hydrocarbons in the paint drying facility. The RTO is also highly efficient in terms of energy conservation, greatly contributing to reductions in greenhouse gas emissions and energy consumption.

New approaches and technology are used wherever possible to reduce the environmental impact of the factory and the search for cleaner and more efficient processes is on-going. Bore holes are regularly drilled to make sure that no oils or pollutants make their way into the ground, while laboratories test the waste products.

International recognition
The hard work was rewarded in February 2008 when Žilina was formally certified as an environmentally-friendly facility. The International Certificate of Environmental Management, or ISO 14001, recognises the detailed work put into creating a state-of-the-art energy-efficient factory.

This was quickly followed by two more awards in May of the same year. Kia Motors received international certificates which recognise the advanced environmental design and manufacturing processes at Žilina. German-based TÜV presented Kia with DFE (Design for Environment) and LCA (Life Cycle Assessment) environment certificates after rigorous inspection of the company's design and manufacturing operations.

DFE (ISO 14062) evaluates a car's environmental friendliness during its design and development, plus its recyclability. DFE also requires that the assembly plant for the car reaches ISO 14001. LCA (ISO 14040) examines the car's overall manufacturing process and its lifetime environmental impact, including choice of materials and measures to reduce fuel consumption and engine exhaust emissions.

The weatherproof factory
Žilina lies deep in the Slovakian countryside at the foot of the Tatra Mountains - lovely in the summer, but in the winter temperatures dip to minus 28 degrees centigrade. Winter lasts a full six months, which greatly influenced the layout of the plant.

The press, body, paint and final assembly shops are constructed in a square so that cars and parts do not have to go outside at any point. The engines are assembled on a factory site next door and delivered to the final line by overground tunnel. This enclosed facility means that large exterior doors are not needed, unlike at traditional plants. In turn this reduces the need for high levels of heating as doors are not constantly being opened and closed.

Quality control
Žilina has state-of-the-art testing facilities at every stage of production. For example, panel quality in the press shop is controlled by a unique inspection system which can recognise and evaluate in less than one millisecond defects according to pre-determined quality tolerance levels.

Some 20 per cent of Žilina's quality control staff have experience with other car manufacturers or suppliers. Some have returned to their home town after working at automotive manufacturing facilities elsewhere. All cars are checked as they come off the line to make sure electrical systems and mechanical parts are working. This is followed by a drive around the factory's test track to ensure there are no squeaks or rattles. Some two per cent of production undergoes a much closer inspection using sophisticated measuring equipment to ensure that fit and finish is up to specification.

Kia devised an innovative new Rotation Dipping Painting system to ensure cee'd is totally resistant to corrosion, and that its paintwork has a uniform lustre. Bodies are rotated through a forward somersault while immersed in the paint tank to achieve this. Kia is so pleased with the process that cee'd range comes with a five-year paint warranty and 12-year anti-perforation warranty as standard.