Kia Ceed 3 1.6 diesel 113bhp 6 speed manual

Disappointed. Don't believe the warranty hype and economy claims

Had a Ceed for a week as a work's hire car to cover 100 motorway miles per day. The car was good on the motorway and so decided to buy one thinking the 7 year warranty and respectable on paper economy figures would suit my 50 mile per day commute. The reality of owning the car for 20 months and 25,000 miles of motoring has been to put it politely 'unpleasant.' I would strongly urge anyone to read my honest review and think very carefully before buying Kia.

My car was a Kia Direct car. Kia topped the warranty back up to 7 years, gave 2 years free breakdown cover and offered interest free credit up to £7000 of the purchase price. Harbour Kia in Whitstable were very polite and straightforward during the sales process. However once I had bought the car it took me several months and a complaint e-mail to Kia UK to obtain the warranty top up and breakdown paperwork from Kia Whitstable.

I lost count how many times the car went to the main dealer Kia Blackpool - at least 7 times. Problems started straightaway. Trim inside the boot tailgate was hanging off. The driver's seat had to be replaced due to loose components inside. The radio decided when it wanted to turn off and on. The injectors / glow plugs started to fail causing blue smoke on start up. The car ate tyres. I bought 7 tyres in total, with the Continentals lasting only 12,000 miles at £130 each.

The biggest problem was the rear suspension not able to cope with the factory fitted 17 inch wheels, causing a horrendous droning / drumming road noise and uneven tyre wear on the inside edges. The wear was consistent with that on an old car running on failed shock absorbers. This problem was never sorted and cost me £175 (£125 two tyres and £50 tracking fee). Kia Technical insisted they wanted the tracking checking but wouldn't refund the cost even though the tracking was fine. Kia UK Customer Services attitude was appalling. Kia Technical are even worse.

The car was dull to drive. Very nose heavy, noisy and unrefined. It is badly geared - can't use 4th at 30mph but can be in 5th at 40. Gearbox rough - feels like an old car which has had a hard life. Economy was shocking averaging only 42 to 45 - long way short of the claimed 60+mpg.

I ended up putting two budget tyres on the car to temporarily 'cure' the droning / drumming noise and sold it, losing £4000 in depreciation over 20 months.

Report as offensive