Kia Ceed Sportswagon PHEV (2020-2021) interior & comfort
Generous equipment and solid build quality count in the Ceed SW's favour here, but it lacks any real design flair or sense of luxury
You probably won't buy a Kia Ceed Sportswagon PHEV on the strength of its interior alone. It's not particularly eye-catching or luxurious; more functional and sensible. But as this plug-in hybrid version of the car is only available in Kia's '3' trim level, standard equipment is not stingy.
Kia Ceed Sportswagon PHEV hybrid dashboard
Some silver trim here and there doesn't do much to break up the overwhelmingly black and grey ambience of the Ceed Sportswagon's interior; there are plenty of more stylishly designed alternatives out there. On the plus side, the Kia's interior is well screwed together, the plastics and other materials are high quality and layout is very logical and straightforward. Probably the dashboard's best feature is the large and clear 10.25 inch touchscreen display, angled towards the driver, which is discussed in the 'Infotainment, apps & sat nav' section below.
Equipment, options & accessories
Choosing you Kia Ceed Sportswagon PHEV shouldn't be a chore. There's only one trim level available – called 3 – and the only extras are the £750 Advanced Driver Assistance Pack (detailed on the 'Reliability & Safety' page of this review), as well as the optional and premium paint colours (priced at £260 and £570 respectively).
The standard kit list is long, incorporating 17-inch alloy wheels, privacy glass, rain-sensing front wipers, dual-zone automatic air-conditioning, power-folding door mirrors, an auto-dimming rear-view mirror, rear parking sensors, black cloth seat trim with faux leather bolsters, a leather-trimmed steering wheel and gearshift, a rear centre armrest with cupholders, 60:40 split-folding rear seats, cruise control, front foglights, LED headlights and running lights, plus a set of power-folding heated door mirrors.
Infotainment, apps & sat nav
We've already praised this UVO Connect system in other Kia models like the e-Niro and Soul EV, and it's just as impressive in this application. Clear and intuitive graphics and menus and a wide range of features mean it's the equal of anything you'd find in premium German models, and vastly superior to the systems of some direct competitors. A built-in SIM card retrieves live data on things like traffic information, the weather, points of interest, and potential on and off-street parking near your destination.
You can also use the system to access lots of information about the hybrid system, such as remaining charge levels in the battery and energy usage. Furthermore, owners can use the touchscreen to schedule when the car should charge when plugged in at home in order to take advantage of cheaper off-peak energy tariffs. Apple CarPlay and Android Auto smartphone connectivity is standard, so you can use your phone's navigation, messaging and music apps via the car's screen.
