The XCeed is the newest model to Kia’s growing portfolio. As the X suggests, it’s a “crossover” version of Kia’s hatchback The Kia Ceed and is placed somewhere in between the hatch and an SUV. Crossovers are nothing new, But, it now seems that manufacturers will be missing out on market that is growing for these cars. Kia is aiming the XCeed less at those wanting a rougher, more robust version of the Ceed and more at people who like its sporty appeal combined with a slightly more commanding view of the road. The commanding view of the road is becoming ever more important to car owners.
While the underpinnings are shared mainly with the normal Ceed, which is an excellent base to start from sharing the same platform and the same 2,650mm wheelbase, the exterior design is far from simply being the hatchback with added off-road inspired rugged touches. The panelling is different, with only the front doors shared. There’s a clear family resemblance, but the nose and tail are quite different when placed side by side, with a sloping roofline and more pronounced rear end. Usual crossover inspired touches like protective wheel arch cladding and front, and rear skid plates are present and correct, while the XCeed rides 42mm taller too.
It’s still far from being a car you could take off-road – the fact a Sport driving mode is found on our range-topping First Edition model rather than anything suggesting beaten trackability says a lot – but it suitably projects a tougher look, and the seating position feels just about taller than the regular Ceed.
The 1353cc Turbocharged engine in the car on test was full of life, giving power throughout its rev range, the size of the engine delivers more performance than I expected from an engine of that size, matched with the seven-speed auto gearbox it is more than adequate for a car of this size. The Xceed feels good on the road, yes, it drives nicely and copes well with the bumpy Northern Irish roads, I think the state of our roads is one reason why crossovers are so popular as the taller ride height helps with absorbing the bumps.
The XCeed’s interior is immediately identifiable as a Ceed family model, though the First Edition’s black interior with yellow contrast stitching and yellow trim elements is exclusive to the XCeed and quite striking. I am not sure how easy it will be to keep clean. The interior is top quality and simple in design which is refreshing. In terms of space and comfort, there’s a similar amount of room in the cabin to hatchbacks, including the Golf and Focus.The Xceed is not that different from the excellent Kia Ceed if you like to sit a little higher ]and you want the look of the urban toughness, well, the Xceed will not let you down in any way
Kia XCeed 1.4 T-GDi First Edition 7-DCT Price as Tested.£29.195 Mpg 40.4.
