Kia previews new-look cee'd

 What's new?

Kia has revealed details of the 2016 cee'd range with updated styling, the addition of a new 1.0-litre ecoTurbo engine and a range of extra equipment. The updated models will go on sale across Europe from July 2015.

Outside

Kia's corporate 'tiger nose' grille is unchanged but there is a wider, more angular front bumper with chrome trim around the fog lamps plus oval-shaped grille mesh. At the back, the bumper is re-profiled and LED tail lights are fitted. A choice of new 16- and 17-inch alloy wheel designs is available while the sporting cee'd GT gets a new, 18-inch wheel design.

Inside

Changes have been kept to a minimum inside, but there are new chrome highlights around the cabin and anti-scratch, gloss black trim for the centre fascia panel. Diesel models get additional sound and vibration absorbing materials to cut interior noise levels. The diesel engines are also fitted with sound absorbing material on the block, oil pan and particulate filter.

Cee'd and pro_cee'd GT models feature a flat-bottomed sports steering wheel, an aluminium engine start button and Recaro seats trimmed in suede. An electronic sound generator synthesises the noise of the engine when the driver presses the 'GT Mode' button on the steering wheel.

Under the bonnet

There is a new 1.0-litre, turbocharged three-cylinder petrol engine, the first of a range of downsized engines from Kia. Two power outputs are offered, 100- or 120hp, both with peak torque of 172Nm. Final homologation for fuel consumption and CO₂emissions is still to be completed but it promises to be the lowest of any petrol-powered cee'd to date.

Along with that, the 1.6-litre CRDi diesel has a new high-pressure injection system. This is available with 110hp, which has CO₂emissions of 102g/km or 94g/km when fitted with stop-start. There is a more powerful version of the 1.6 diesel, which produces 136hp, up from 128hp, and this can be ordered with Kia's new six-speed double clutch automatic transmission.

GT models get a new turbo, which is claimed to improve mid-range acceleration and the official 0-100km/h time is now 7.6 seconds; CO₂ emissions are 170g/km.

Changes to the suspension are designed to reduce vibration and improve on-centre steering feel. The power steering system is revised to give a linear response according to Kia. A new torque vectoring system is designed to reduce understeer.

Irish launch details for the updated Kia cee'd have not yet been confirmed.

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