Need to shift kids, shopping or luggage? Long before MPVs and SUVs came along, the humble estate car was the likely purchase.

Now Kia has introduced one into its line-up, based on successful, European–built five-door hatchback the cee'd.

Web Editor Adrian Higgins put the Kia cee’d SW through its paces at the international launch in Croatia.

Before you even step into a Kia there are a few things which help give buyers piece of mind.

Not least among them, that whopping seven-year warranty.

And then there’s the price.

A fiver under £13,000 for the entry-level model at launch with the range-topping 1.6-litre diesel sneaking under the £15,000 barrier by the same margin.

Take your eyes off the impressive pricing and cast them over the car itself and the good impression is reinforced.

Kia has produced a good-looking car in the cee’d and this model shares much with the manufacturer’s well-received hatchback. It is 235mm longer and 10mm taller but based on the same platform as the core car.

The rear lights are reminiscent of estate king Volvo’s V50 and are a nice detail.

Inside, the car is recognisably a Kia though it is easy to spot the manufacturer’s ongoing improvements.

The indicator stalk is now on the traditional side, a development which will be applied to all future Kia models. The SW, like most new Kias, now boasts an integrated stereo unit with USB port, auxiliary port and MP3 capability.

The bulbous central console and flanking vertical air vents are also a Kia hallmark and buyers will have a choice of two trims, both of which are to a very good specification, when it goes on sale on September 1.

The entry-level GS features 16” alloy wheels, roof rails, front electric windows, air conditioning and cooled glove box, front seat lumbar adjust and active headlights as well as leather steering wheel, gear knob, parking lever and armrest and plenty more.

The LS spec adds full climate control, rear electric windows, parking sensors and front fog lights.

Practicality is vital to those shopping for an estate and the SW delivers.

Stack the car to the rear window and you’ll have 534 litres of space to fill – and another 55 in trays below the boot floor. Fold the rear seats and there is a total of 1664 litres to play with, 300 litres more than the regular hatchback.

Kia has also built the tailgate hinges into the roof, making access to the boot easier in small spaces.

The car is powered by a 1.6-litre engine.

Buyers opting for the GS trim can choose between an 89bhp diesel version or a 120bhp petrol model.

The LS trim adds the choice of an automatic version of the petrol model as well as a 113bhp version of the diesel engine.

The diesel is expected to be the bigger seller and we preferred the more powerful model.

We drove two to a car at launch and felt the extra pulling power of the 113bhp model would be a wise investment, especially with more passengers and luggage.

The 11.7 seconds it takes to go from 0-62mph is only 0.6 seconds slower than the petrol model but opt for the 89bhp diesel model and that drags out to 14.1 seconds.

Fuel economy on the diesel is excellent with average consumption of 57.6mpg promised for the diesel models. The manual petrol model returns 43.5mpg while the automatic will cover 40.9mpg.

Another shout for the diesel then.

The 113bhp diesel model’s top speed of 116.8mph is only 2.5mph less than the manual petrol model can achieve. Though the less powerful diesel engine’s top speed drops to 106mph.

We drove the car along hilly, sometimes poorly-maintained roads near the Croatian resort of Split.

Even so the ride was comfortable, six hours driving over two days left us free of aches and pains. The handling is perfectly good for the job too.

Low insurance, tax of £115 or £140 per year depending on model chosen and a sell-on price improved by that huge warranty will make for economical motoring.

And in terms of safety, Kia is hoping to achieve a five star EuroNCAP rating following tests later this year.

Kia has ambitious plans to woo more buyers in the UK, and the Cee’d SW, like the core model, should help the cause.

Rivals

Volvo V50
Volkswagen Golf Plus
Vauxhall Zafira