Kia cee’d Facelifted – launches at Frankfurt

It’s been Hyundai that has taken the glory lately at the budget end of cars. But Kia are playing a good game, and the cee’d is very much up there as a budget option to a mainstream European model like the Golf or Focus. True, it’s very derivative and not terribly exciting, but if your reason to have a car is for ‘Transport’ instead of the ‘Drive’, then Kia is a definite option.

The Ki cee’d rides well, has a good choice of engine options and is well bolted together. It even comes with a seven year warranty, so even if it did fall apart – which it won’t – you’re covered. It is also getting Kia’s ISG (Idle, Stop, Go), which is Kia’s version of Stop Start.

And Kia has announced that they’re facelifting the cee’d and unveiling it at the Frankfurt Motor Show in September. They’ve even played with the sheet metal, giving the cee’d a new bonnet plus changes to the bumper, lights and and grill. A sort of ‘Soul’ makeover. Inside you get a new steering wheel, new controls for the AirCon, new instruments and a revised sound system.

A far from bad buy for the budget-conscience transport-seeker.