News

Less than six years ago the Kia cee’d was launched to critical acclaim. Now, RRG Kia is delighted to be launching an all-new second-generation cee’d to build on its predecessor’s pioneering work. The new Kia cee’d will be available to Bury’s residents from £14,395 on 1 June 2012.

Gareth Mawdsley, Sales Manager, RRG Kia Bury commented: “The first cee’d model changed everything for Kia. The quality was like nothing ever seen before from the manufacturer. Now, every model that Kia produces manages to turn heads, and the new cee’d will be no different; new model cee’d proves that Kia is serious about good-looking cars and quality engineering that delivers low running costs and an enjoyable drive.”

The cee’d was the first car to be offered with Kia’s industry-leading seven-year, 100,000-mile transferable warranty – a feature now standard on every model in the range, and will be standard for the all-new cee’d launched this month.

The second-generation cee’d raises the benchmark for fuel-efficiency in its class, with average fuel consumption reductions of 4 per cent and CO2 emissions as low as 97g/km for the 1.6-litre diesel model – a remarkably low figure for a non-hybrid car.

All 1.6-litre manual versions of the cee’d are equipped with ISG (Intelligent Stop & Go), Kia’s engine stop/start system which is a major contributor to the efficiency improvements of the new range. By shutting down the engine when the car comes to rest and the driver puts the gearlever into neutral and releases the clutch, it ensures that no fuel is used and no CO2 is emitted while waiting in traffic. The engine restarts as soon as the clutch is pressed.   

The extensive standard and passive safety equipment of the previous cee’d – including Electronic Stability Control (ESC), Vehicle Stability Management (VSM), Hill-start Assist Control (HAC) and six airbags – has been supplemented with new features. All versions of the new cee’d have Emergency Stop Signalling (ESS) which causes the rear brake lamps to flash in an emergency stop to alert following drivers.

The new and improved audio system on cee’d incorporates Bluetooth with voice recognition in 10 languages, music streaming, iPod connectivity through the original iPod cable and 600Mb of MP3 memory within the headunit. 

The new cee’d is available in four trim grades – named ‘1’, ‘2’, ‘3’ and ‘4’ in the now-customary Kia UK fashion – with the option of a ‘4 Tech’ version of cee’d ‘4’. All feature a comprehensive list of standard equipment, including electrically adjustable heated door mirrors, tilt and telescopic steering wheel adjustment and a height-adjustable driver’s seat, air conditioning, steering wheel-mounted controls, front electric windows, projection headlights, daytime running lights, remote central locking, a cooled glovebox, a flat-folding 60:40 split rear seat, ambient front lighting, an iPod-compatible audio system with radio and CD player, USB port and Bluetooth connectivity, ESP and VSM, HAC (Hill-start Assist Control), six airbags and speed-sensitive auto door locking.

The new cee’d, like its predecessor, was designed and engineered at Kia’s Frankfurt design studios and technical centre and is made at the company’s Žilina plant in Slovakia. Unlike the previous model, the new cee’d has been designed from the ground up by Kia’s celebrated Chief Design Officer, Peter Schreyer.

As with all Kias, the cee’d comes with Kia's unique seven-year or 100,000-mile warranty, which is fully transferable to subsequent owners.

For more details, contact RRG Kia Bury.

RRG Toyota Rochdale was awarded with the top honours at Toyota’s ‘Ichiban’ European Customer Satisfaction Award event held on 8 May in the National Assembly Building in Budapest.

The Rochdale dealership was recognised for its exceptional performance in customer satisfaction in both Sales and After Sales areas. The award was presented to the Centre Principal Peter Smith by Didier Leroy, President & CEO of Toyota Motor Europe (TME).

Approximately 2,600 European retailers were evaluated on their results during a continuous performance monitoring, which is included in the company’s standards. Based on a very demanding set of selection criteria, 42 retailers achieved this distinct recognition by Toyota in Europe.

Speaking at the awards ceremony, Didier Leroy, President and CEO of TME said: ‘We need to exceed customer expectations through our products and at every point of customer contact. It is the customer’s choice to purchase a Toyota and we want to make sure that they remain happy with that decision!’

‘Ichiban’ is the Japanese word borrowed from ‘Okyakusama Ichiban’ which means ‘Customer First’, with ‘Ichiban’ meaning ‘first’ or ‘number one’. Since the beginning of the TME’s annual Ichiban Awards in 2007, Customer Satisfaction performance of the Toyota retailers has improved by some 24% points in Sales and 17% points in After Sales.

Peter Smith commented, ‘Complete Customer Satisfaction drives everything that we do at RRG, it is our first priority, so being recognised and awarded for this is the ultimate accolade; we are all exceptionally proud.’

RRG have assembled an elite team of focused and mentally strong individuals to carry out the coast to coast bike ride.

The A Team is:

Mike Knowles - RRG Peugeot
John Garfield - Peugeot Rochdale
Ian Spencer - Peugeot Rochdale
Gareth Mawdsley - Kia Bury
Jonathon Taylor - RRG Peugeot
Mike Gubbins - Peugeot Financial Services

The route that has been chosen is the off road 210 mile route that takes in 3 national parks.

The team are doing the ride for charity to raise funds for the St Gemma hospice which provides specialist medical and nursing care for people with life threatening illnesses, predominantly cancer, along with support for their families.

The team set off on their gruelling expedition on Tuesday 1st May and aim to have completed their ride by lunchtime on Saturday 5th May.

If you would like to support the team in their fundraising efforts, you can make donations by visiting www.justgiving.com/Rrgc2c

Aygo, Prius and iQ rated best for running costs in Auto Express reader’s poll

When it comes to lasting value for money, you can’t do better than a Toyota. That’s according to the views of UK motorists who rate Aygo, iQ and Prius the top performers in terms of running costs in Auto Express’s 2012 Driver Power survey.

Not only did Toyota achieve a clean sweep of the top three positions, the second generation Prius rounded off the top five to set the seal on an emphatic success.

Toyota “clearly has a knack of keeping costs down” the survey declares in announcing the result this week, which saw the top three models all scoring more than 90 per cent. The results were based on the opinions of 29,000 motorists who took part in this year’s research.

With record high fuel prices, the real-world efficiency of Toyota engines is a crucial factor in helping keep customer budgets under control. The one-litre, three-cylinder VVT-i engine which powers Aygo and iQ has been a class-winner many times over in the International Engine of the Year Awards, while Hybrid Synergy Drive, the full hybrid powertrain featured in Prius, demonstrates how Toyota’s industry-leading advanced technologies are user-friendly and reliable, as well as being refined, clean and fuel-frugal.

For Toyota the success is also independent proof of how its strategy for designing cost effectiveness into its vehicles is working, not least in attracting lower insurance premiums and lower bills for servicing, maintenance and repair.

For example, long-life components are used where possible, and parts of the car that most often need repairing or replacing as a result of the most typical knocks and accidents in day-to-day driving are quick and simple to fit, saving on labour time and costs. Moreover, customers have the benefit of  Toyota’s five-year/100,000-mile warranty protection on all new petrol and diesel models.

The lasting quality of Toyota hybrid power is reflected in the fact the second generation Prius remains a top-rated performer in the view of motorists, taking fifth place in the survey’s running costs category.

The current Prius also made an impressive debut in the overall Driver Power rankings, claiming seventh place, the full hybrid model having “proven its abilities beyond all doubt,” according to Auto Express, and scoring strongly not only in terms of running costs, but also in its ease of driving, use of technology and its reliability and build quality. Notably both generations of Prius ranked in the top 10 in the survey’s category for build quality and reliability.

Jon Williams, Managing Director Toyota GB, said: “There can be no better judges of the day-to-day value of driving a Toyota than the drivers themselves and these results demonstrate how our commitment to quality in every aspect of the cars we make and sell is delivering real benefits in terms of how much it costs our customers to run and maintain their vehicles.”

Production of the high-performance GS 450h, has started at the Tahara Plant, in Japan. Bearing Lexus’ bold new design identity and equipped with the second-generation Lexus Hybrid Drive powertrain, the GS 450h is gearing up for market launch in the UK this summer.

The all-new GS features a powerful, commanding road presence, while the refined interior offers a driver-focused cockpit and advanced safety and comfort. There is more space for driver and passengers, and significantly more room for luggage.



The GS combines sharp, accurate steering and excellent body control, with outstanding high-speed stability.

The GS 450h is also the world’s first front engine rear-wheel drive performance saloon to be equipped with a full hybrid system.

Featuring a V6 Atkinson cycle petrol engine with next generation D-4S direct injection technology, the GS delivers 345bhp.

As a result, the GS 450h will accelerate from 0-62mph in 5.9 seconds and has a top speed electronically limited to 155mph.

Even so, CO2 emissions start from just 137 g/km, while combined fuel economy is 47.8mpg.



Production of the GS 250 started in January, and this model is already launched in Japan and the USA.

Demand for new GS has been very strong – about 4,000 all-new GS cars have already been sold between January and February this year.

If you would like any further information on the GS get in touch with one of our Lexus dealerships, Lexus Bolton, Lexus Manchester and Lexus Stockport.