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Finance a used Kia Creed Review from i3 car finance

Kia has added a touch of polish to its third-generation Creed family hatchback. Kia's third-generation Creed has been improved further to bolster its offering in the Focus-class family hatchback segment with better looks, additional technology and a higher level of safety equipment. A strong suit of the product is its value, as is its industry-leading warranty. Clearly, there are a lot of positives to be found here.

Background

The Ceed family hatchback is a great example of why Kia continues to grow as one of the world's fastest-growing automotive brands. Over a million Ceed models have already been built since the Slovakian factory opened in 2006. In the volume Focus and Golf-dominated Family Hatchback segment, auto historians will look back on the original version of this car (then badged ceed) as a landmark design, challenging Europe's and Japan's market leaders on their own terms. The car was built in the heart of Europe for the heart of the European motor industry, thus the unusual name, which combines the French abbreviation for the European Community (CE) and the title of this project car (ED). The company shamed the established players by offering an astonishing 7-year warranty and matching their quality while massively undercutting their prices. However, times change, and so do market segments. In 2018, Kia redesigned this MK3 'CD'-series model with a new look and added more efficient engines and technology. Enhanced the package three years later, resulting in the car we're going to see here.

Driving Experience

Drivers will find a few new features under the hood. On the petrol side, the previous 1.4 T-GDi engine has been replaced by a cleaner 1.5 T-GDi engine with more power (158bhp) and mated to either a 6-speed manual transmission or '7DCT' dual-clutch automatic. Kia's 1.6-litre CRDi diesel was equipped with 48V mild-hybrid tech at the end of the MK3's production run and now the company has paired this 134bhp engine with its latest 'iMT' transmission. This 'clutch-by-wire' system contributes to the MHEV system's enhanced fuel efficiency and lower CO2 emissions while still retaining a conventional manual transmission. Optionally, a '7DCT' auto transmission is available. Most of the sales will be of the 1.0-litre T-GDi petrol three-cylinder engine with 118 bhp and manual transmission. At the top of the range, the GT models are available with a 201bhp 1.6-litre T-GDi petrol turbo. As a result, not much has changed dynamically, but not much need to, Kia having benchmarked the family hatch class leaders when the MK3 Ceed was first introduced in 2018. Furthermore, its fully independent suspension system provides more responsive and agile handling than the torsion beam system found on cheaper Golf and Focus models, complemented by carefully chosen spring and damper rates and quite a fast steering rack. Developed on Europe's varied road surfaces, the ride remains comfortable while giving drivers a feeling of tighter body control under cornering and greater stability at elevated speeds. Some of this tuning took place in the UK to ensure the Ceed would perform well on our unique roads.

Design and Build

Options include a five-door hatchback, Sportswagon estate, and shooting brake-style ProCeed. This facelift goes beyond the usual nip and tuck, however, with smarter headlamps flanked by a 'tiger nose' grille now finished in black gloss with chrome accents. Even more overt are the two large side air intakes that shoot through the front bumper, giving the car a sportier look. In the rear, the area between the LED combi lamps has been smoothed out to accommodate the company's newest brand emblem. The sportier rear bumper now has a glossy black diffuser. The interior decor is a bit more upmarket, with sophisticated colour schemes and smoother materials. In higher grades, the instrument cluster comes with a 12.3-inch digital display with high-res graphics. A 10.25-inch frameless display with infotainment, navigation, and telematics connectivity is also standard. For ease of use, while driving, the centre console is angled slightly toward the driver's seat. There's sufficient shoulder room in the back for rear passengers by class standards. In the standard hatch, the boot is a decent 395 litres. For a ProCeed shooting brake, there are 594 litres and for a Sportswagon estate, there are 625 litres.