If an accident is unavoidable, new Kia cee'd is engineered to safeguard the occupants with a robust bodyshell and a range of passive safety measures to offer its occupants maximum possible protection. All five seats have manually adjustable head restraints and three-point seatbelts as standard. Integrated 'active' head restraints are standard on both front seats in EX and TX models. During a rear impact, these head restraints move forwards to reduce whiplash injuries to the neck or back. The system is available on LX models as an optional extra.

Every new Kia cee'd hatchback and wagon is equipped with six airbags - dual front airbags, front side airbags and full-length curtain airbags, protecting the occupants in both seat rows - as standard.

All safety systems work together to provide full passenger protection, so simultaneously with an airbag inflation, a signal is relayed to the other airbags and to the seatbelt pre-tensioners, activating them if appropriate. The passenger side front airbag features an on-off switch so it can be deactivated if children occupy that seat.

The rear side doors of cee'd are fitted with child safety locks and two ISOFIX anchor points are fitted in the back row seats for the attachment of child safety seats.