What's the news?
Kia has launched the Sportswagon estate version of the new Ceed (we've already seen the hatchback) at the Geneva Motor Show, and it comes with a massive 600-litre boot. That's fractionally smaller than the benchmark Skoda Octavia Combi's, but it's bigger than what you get in the (much physically larger) Volvo V90.
Half a million European buyers have bought a Ceed Sportswagon since the model was first launched in 2007, and that's around 40 per cent of total Ceed sales, a higher proportion than you'd find in most competitors.
The Sportswagon gets the same sharp-edged design that we've already seen in the five-door hatchback model, and around the back it has some very BMW-esque lights. Buyers will be able to choose from 11 paint and three wheel options, one of them a 17-inch diamond-cut alloy.
It's 20mm wider and lower than the old Sportswagon, with the same wheelbase of 2.6 metres, and a rear overhang extended by 115mm. That 600-litre boot is 70 litres larger than that of the outgoing Sportswagon, and it gets 40:20:40 split rear seats and a 'Smart' power tailgate that opens when it detects that the key is near the back of the car.
Engines will mirror those of the hatchback, starting with the 1.0-litre turbo three-cylinder petrol model with 120hp, and a new 140hp 1.4-litre petrol turbo four-cylinder. The 1.6-litre CRDi diesel has also been updated, and that will come with a choice of either 115hp or 136hp power outputs. A seven-speed dual-clutch automatic will be available as an option.
Michael Cole, Chief Operating Officer for Kia Motors Europe, commented: "The Kia Ceed Sportswagon has been consistently successful since its debut more than a decade ago. Tourers are particularly popular with European buyers, and the Ceed Sportswagon is no exception - since 2007, it has enjoyed almost as many sales as its five-door hatchback sibling. Created exclusively for European customers, the Ceed Sportswagon will once again prove itself as a practical and good-looking choice for customers in search of maximum versatility.
"The new Ceed Sportswagon features the same contemporary design and technologies as the Ceed five-door hatchback, but with even greater cargo capacity - it actually offers more storage space than many D-segment tourers. With its efficient new engines, European-tuned ride and handling, and unrivalled quality, the Ceed Sportswagon is a compelling choice in a highly competitive segment."
Sales of the new Sportswagon will start towards the back end of this year.