With an extensive range of standard safety and driver assistance features, Kia cee’d Sportswagon safety is very good. The Kia cee’d hatchback, on which the Sportswagon is based, achieved the maximum five-star safety rating in Euro NCAP crash testing. Each Sportswagon’s standard safety equipment includes six airbags, electronic stability control, vehicle stability management, hill-start assist, brake assist and emergency stop signalling which causes the brake lamps to flash during emergency stops.

The Sportswagon is substantially safer than the previous generation, the SW, as the bodyshell is 51 percent stiffer and the crash structures have been improved to help dissipate energy more effectively. Kia has also looked to reduce the chance of costly repairs during low-speed crashes. Both the front and rear structures of the car are designed to minimise deformation during collisions taking place at less than 9mph, meaning repair and replacement bills should be less costly.

Being an estate, you’d hope that Kia cee’d Sportswagon practicality was a strong point. Fortunately, in this instance, the flexibility and storage capability of the Sportswagon is excellent. The boot offers 528 litres of storage space, up to the level of the retractable load cover, and 1,642 litres up to the roof with the rear seats folded flat. For comparison a Volkswagen Golf Estate offers 505 litres and 1,495 litres respectively.

That’s less than the Sportswagon in both instances. Kia has also thought carefully about how to make all of the available storage space easy to use. The rear seats, which are split 60:40, are quick to drop and they fold down completely flat. The floor is flush with the tailgate opening too, so with the seats down you have a very long and easy to load boot.

Each version of the cee’d Sportswagon features roof rails, myriad under-floor storage compartments in the boot, a retractable luggage cover, load-securing net hooks, a boot light and a 12-volt power socket. Opt for a ‘4’ specification car or higher and it’ll come with a useful sliding luggage rail and strap system in the boot, as well as a barrier net to stop things falling into the passenger compartment.

A space-saver spare wheel is standard on all models. That means if you do get a flat tyre you won’t have to rely on a repair kit, which can sometimes be ineffective. If you should ever need to, manual version of the Sportswagon can tow a 1,500kg braked trailer or a 650kg unbraked trailer. In terms of interior space there’s room for five adults and numerous storage points, including an overhead push-to-release tray for sunglasses, large front door bins and two cup holders.