I test drove new Kia XCeed GT-Line S – it might turn out to be one of the best-value family cars ever

I AM starting to wonder if our smartphones are making us stupid. Or lazy. Or both.

We don’t do simple sums in our heads any more. We use the calculator app.

5

5

We don’t memorise family phone numbers. We go to “favourites”.

We don’t read maps. We blindly follow the satnav, even though we know we should have turned left half a mile ago.

We don’t store information because our devices have all the answers whenever we need them.

It’s getting to the point where we don’t even question whether deals are real deals — meal deals, car finance deals, Black Friday deals, and so on.

Not all of them are. But I’m pretty sure this one is.

Let’s all give our noggins a little workout and crunch the numbers.

According to Kia, right now you can save up to £3,389 on a new petrol XCeed.

That’s £2,500 deposit contribution, plus another £500 for existing Kia owners, plus two free services worth £389.

Most read in Motors

NEARING AN END

John Lundstram 'agrees' Rangers exit as midfielder closes in on summer move

IT'S OVER

Rangers flop QUITS football at 29 - nine days after wife confirms marriage split

'SHAMEFUL'

Fury as Scots school cancels 6th year prom after prankster pupils trash building

SHOW FURY

'Real-life Martha' from Baby Reindeer slams show and says 'I'm the victim here'

It means a £23,395 XCeed ‘2’ costs £201 a month over three years on PCP, based on 8,000 miles a year, with a £5k deposit or trade-in.

Hmmm. Strokes chin.

That’s £201 divided by four weeks = £50.25 a week, divided by seven days = £7 something a day.

For a solid and stress-free family motor that’s outside your door whenever you want it.

It’s actually £7.18 a day because I double-checked it on my phone.

If you can afford a bit extra, the £25,395 GT-Line is £246 a month. Less than £9 a day.

The top-spec GT-Line S pictured here in Kermit green is £358 a month. Under £13 a day.

The key differences being looks and onboard luxuries because technically all three cars are the same.

They use the same 1.5-litre turbo with six-speed manual and do very similar numbers.

We actually averaged the official 44mpg on a mix of motorway and B-roads.

The GT-Line S is also available as an auto for those who want an easy life dotting around town.

Which brings me nicely to my next point.

Kia has clearly engineered XCeed for modern life because almost every aspect of the GT-Line S is really rather good.

It has heated seats front and back, so there’s no race to ride shotgun on the school run.

5

Onboard luxuries

It has USB ports front and back. Big cup holders front and back. Sliding panoramic sunroof. Heated steering wheel. Twin screens. JBL sound system.

You can switch off the dastardly Lane Keep Assist which constantly tugs at the steering wheel with a simple button, while the reversing camera has dynamic guidelines to stop you having a whoopsie at Tesco.

Everything is easy with this car. Everything makes sense.
Well, almost everything.

I do have one gripe and it is to do with smartphones.

To use Apple CarPlay, you need to connect your device with a cable, which obviously charges the phone at the same time.

Yet there’s a wireless phone charging tray.

Really? Without wireless Apple CarPlay there’s little point in having a wireless phone charger.

5

5

Other Kias have both. But for some reason this car doesn’t.

That aside, XCeed is one of the best-value family cars on sale today.

Read more on the Scottish Sun

BEV TIME

Still Game star spotted knocking back pints but 'Bobby the barman didn’t pour it’

'SHAMEFUL'

Fury as Scots school cancels 6th year prom after prankster pupils trash building

In time, it might turn out to be one of the best-value family cars ever.

Because the future is pointing towards battery-powered, self-driving smartphones on wheels and that’ll totally numb my brain.