Top marks for Kia cee’d

The five-door hatchback achieved high scores for adult occupant protection (89 per cent), child occupant protection (88 per cent) and safety assist equipment (86 per cent), recording the maximum possible score in the dynamic element of the child occupant safety test. EuroNCAP testers were also impressed with the inclusion of electronic stability control across the entire new cee’d range in Europe ahead of it becoming a compulsory test criteria.

“The previous generation cee’d was 
the first Kia to achieve a five-star EuroNCAP rating. In the last five years, testing criteria have become tougher, making it harder 
for manufacturers’ products to be awarded top marks.

“It is a testament to Kia’s on-going commitment to vehicle safety that we are able to once again achieve a high score for the cee’d,” said Benny Oeyen, vice-president marketing and product planning, Kia Motors Europe.

“From the outset of the new model’s development, Kia’s engineers were dedicated to creating a car that delivers sophistication and refinement as well as the very best safety technology to protect drivers, their families and pedestrians in the event of an accident,” concludes Oeyen.

Standard safety equipment fitted to the new cee’d across Europe includes six airbags (front, side and curtain), seatbelt reminders (front and rear), ESC (Electronic Stability Control), HAC (Hill Assist Control) to prevent roll-back, VSM (Vehicle Stability Management) and ESS (Emergency Stop Signal) which flashes the brake lights when the driver is making an emergency stop.

Following the success of the cee’d in the EuroNCAP ratings, September 10 saw the launch of its stable-mate, the cee’d Sportswagon which will be tested at a later date. The new cee’d joins five other Kia models, Rio, Venga, Soul, Sportage and Sorento, in scoring a five-Star rating in EuroNCAP crash test results.