1st Kia XCeed

New SUV may be based on the Ceed hatchback, but it has a breadth of abilities all of its own

THE XCeed sits on Kia’s compact car platform, the same as the regular Ceed hatchback, but the transformation into an SUV means there’s now 44mm more room between the road and the car’s side sills, while the body itself is also longer and wider than that of the hatch.

These increases in dimensions are only marginal though, while the wheelbase is the same as the standard Ceed’s, so the relationship is clear to see, even if the changes mostly comprise subtle styling tweaks to make this model look a little sleeker, even with its big, chunky wheel arches. They’re relatively successful.

The XCeed’s engine line-up is more compact than that in the Ceed range, and it’s the 134bhp 1.6-litre turbodiesel we’re testing here, which comes only in 3 specification.

Although diesel might not be flavour of the month, it’s easy to forget how flexible these smaller turbocharged units are. With 280Nm of torque (20Nm less than the Ford) produced from just 1,500rpm the engine simply doesn’t need working as hard as a downsized turbo petrol would; you can leave it in one gear and just let the motor pull.

For example, the XCeed took only 5.8 seconds to accelerate from 30mph to 50mph in fourth gear. The dash from 50mph to 70mph in sixth took 10.3 seconds. These results were 1.2 and 1.4 seconds respectively faster than the Focus managed.

The engine is refined, too. The fact it doesn’t need revving too high to make progress helps, but it’s surprisingly smooth and quiet nevertheless – and the Ford is arguably slightly better still. The Kia’s six-speed manual gearbox is a little notchy to shift, but the weight of the action is nice.

The XCeed rides well too. That extra suspension travel is noticeable and the damping is mostly forgiving so it traverses even bad bumps in the road with a decent degree of compliance.

This comes at the expense of just a little body control, especially compared with the Focus, which feels a little firmer and therefore less relaxing. The Kia’s comfort will likely be more welcome than driving performance for most owners here.

Cabin quality in 3 trim is good and just edges the XCeed ahead of the Focus. The materials are mostly nice, and the new 10. 25-inch infotainment is a great focal point in the cabin.

Nav, phone connectivity, LED lights, heated seats, climate and cruise control, keyless operation, a reversing camera with parking sensors and even a heated steering wheel are all included, and the Kia is £250 cheaper than the Ford as well.