TEST DRIVE – 2011 Kia Cee’d

 

 

By Jackson Hayes

 

LISBON, PORTUGAL – One of the most entertaining drives in southern Portugal has to be the winding stretch of road running from just outside the small town of Aljezur to the cozy seaside village of Monte Clerigo.

 

The race to the Atlantic starts with a sharp left exit off the N120, south of the Aljezur city limit. The road heaves left and right as it winds up tall hills and under the whirling blades of the giant power-generating windmills that dot the countryside.

 

After a series of minor switchbacks that locals seemed compelled to take as fast as possible, the road somewhat straightens out as it runs along a hilltop peak overlooking vast valleys on both sides.

 

Views of tumbling countryside soon give way to one final hairpin that reveals the splendour of Monte Clerigo, a wide swath of beach and a deep blue expanse of ocean.

 

Albeit brief, the roughly 10 km stretch has nearly everything you want when you test a car – quick ascents, sharp turns, a long straight away and even a natural, elongated chicane – and provided a wonderfully fitting route to test our Portuguese wheels, the 2011 Kia Cee’d.

 

The Cee’d is best described to Canadians as a European take on the Kia Forte 5-door. It comes in three variations, the base Cee’d five-door, the sporty Pro Cee’d two door, and the top line Cee’d SW five-door.

 

According to Matthew Bendall, Kia Motors U.K. press officer, the European designed Cee’d is built at the automaker’s Slovakian assembly plant and hit the market in 2007. After just 18 months in dealerships though, it was treated to a facelift that included a sleeker front end, a more stylish centre consol and the addition of the Peter Schreyer family grille.

 

The Cee’d’s bizarre name comes from a combination of Communauté Economique Européenne (CEE), the French abbreviation of European Economic Community, and the phrase European design, which somehow accounts for the apostrophe and the ‘d.’

 

Its interesting name notwithstanding, the Cee’d has 1.4 L and 1.6 L engine options available in both gasoline and diesel throughout the range. This Europe-only model also has an ecoDynamic option that includes what Kia calls “Intelligent stop and go technology.”

Essentially, the engine shuts off whenever the car is stationary, cutting down on emissions and reducing fuel consumption by up to 15 per cent.

 

Other green features include energy-saving tires and a slightly annoying optimal gearshift indicator that lets manual transmission drivers know exactly what gear they should be in to maximize fuel economy.

 

Our test model was the five-door SW, 1.6-litre twin-cam 16-valve turbo diesel engine delivering 113 bhp with a six-speed manual transmission. The 113 bhp version attains peak power at 4,000 rpm while delivering maximum torque of 255Nm across a wide band, in this case, 1,900 to 2,750 rpm.

 

The vehicle was also equipped with the ecoDynamic system, full iPod, USB and auxiliary connectivity, a BlueTooth hands free system and steering wheel mounted controls for the stereo, cruise control and phone system.

 

All base models have air conditioning, six standard airbags, traction control, ABS and electronic stability control.

 

What strikes you first when driving a Cee’d SW is just how light the vehicle feels. Even with four adults and luggage in the trunk, the surprisingly peppy 1.6 L engine had no noticeable lull in acceleration while whipping though morning traffic in Lisbon.

 

Hitting sixth gear on the open highway, it really had no issue keeping up with the infamous lead foots that roar down Portugal’s A2 highway. In fact, keeping pace with traffic was more of an issue of driver fortitude than vehicle capability.

 

The car’s steering has taken some gentle jabs from the European automotive press for not being as responsive as its more expensive rivals. While I understand their complaints, I have always felt driving comfort should trump sharp responsiveness when it comes to a passenger vehicle like the Cee’d.

 

Having sportscar-like feedback is fun on stretches of road like the one to Monte Clerigo, but I would argue most drivers would prefer an easier and more pleasant ride when there are groceries in the trunk and children in the back seat.

 

That said, a retuned suspension that the company says is more in tune with European roads gives the car a nice feel through turns. There is a larger diameter rear anti-roll stabilizer bar that is stiffer than previous models and reduces understeer to deliver even more dynamic handling in corners.

 

Main competitors include a bevy of models you won’t seen on Canadian streets anytime soon like the Vauxhall Astra and Renault Megane. One main rival that North American drivers are familiar with would be the Ford Focus.

 

After 11 days and 1,351 km that included long stretches of open highway, tight corners in seaside villages and quick dashes down rural sideroads, I was sold on the Cee’d.

 

The 1.6 L diesel had enough gusto to handle Portugal’s pick-your-own-speed-limit style and certainly enough maneuverability to make all the roundabouts, s-curves and narrow European corners plaster a smile on my sunburned lips.

 

Couple that ride with the functionality of a hatchback, an attractive MSRP and solid seven year warranty in the U.K. and it is easy to understand why Kia is doing so well all over the world – just have to do something about that name.

 

BODY TYPE: Five-door hatchback

ENGINE: 1.6-litre twin-cam 16-valve turbo diesel

FUEL ECONOMY: 61.4 mpg

MSRP: Varies depending on country. 2011 prices in the U.K. range from £13,495 to £19,645