Xceedingly good
The new Kia has fine power and nice style
EVER since its launch in 2006, the Ceed has been one of Kia’s most popular cars. Until 2018, the name was stylised as Cee’d, which was exceptionally annoying, as I never quite could remember where that apostrophe went – was it C’eed, Ce’ed, or Cee’d? The day I heard they were abandoning it, I opened champagne.
There was, of course, an explanation. The car was designed for Europe, and the CEE bit derived from what many European countries called the European Economic Community, with the ED at the end standing for European Design. One was dropped and replaced with the apostrophe, but it all made no sense.
So, good riddance and all that. Many loyal customers of the nameplate no doubt liked the hatchback, but probably were being seduced by the trend towards crossover/SUV bodystyles. Rather than let them disappear to the four winds, Kia came up with the XCeed, a crossover version of the car. Far from being a box-ticking exercise, though, it has real chops, bringing cute styling and fine power and handling to the range.
I tested it last year in the South of France and on the back roads of Provence and greatly enjoyed it, despite an unexpected deviation from the main route that took me thorough back alleys in Marseille that offered side clearance you could measure in single-digit millimetres. It wasn’t only the 28degree outside temperature that left me in a lather of sweat.
AS I wrote back then, I really liked the styling, under the guiding hand of Gregory Guillaume, vice president of design for Kia Motors Europe. The double grille and chrome accents are a departure from the tiger nose grille familiar across the range. The car shares only the driver and passenger doors with its hatchback sibling; beyond that, all the panels are new and unique. It also is 85mm longer than the hatch, and 90mm shorter than the Sportage, and also taller than the former and shorter than the latter. With a front-seat hip point higher than the hatchback by 44mm, it’s also easier to get in and out of.
Unlike many crossovers, which still go for a boxy look, here it’s more of a coupé style, with a nicely tapered glasshouse and chrome roof rails. A lot of attention has been paid to the rear too, which is one of the nicest and most unfussy out there. My test car this week was blue, but if I were buying, I’d go for the colour you see on this page. It’s called Quantum Yellow and in strong sunshine, it’s a standout, appearing almost gold.
Inside, the car is spacious. There is 426 litres of storage space in the cargo area, expandable to 1,378 litres with the rear bench folded. There are cupholders and deep door pockets, and USB input for Android Auto and Apple CarPlay (Bluetooth connectivity of both is on the way). There’s also a QI wireless charge pad for compatible phones, depending on the trim level. The infotainment screen allows two people to connect at the same time, and the display can be split in three to show multiple bits of information like what song is on your Spotify, the weather, and navigation.
Safety tech features smart cruise control with Stop & Go, forward collision warning with car and pedestrian detection, speed limit warning, smart parking assist, lane-keeping assist, high beam assist and driver attention warning.
As of now, two powertrains are available – a 1.0-litre, three cylinder turbo petrol putting out 118hp, and the 115hp 1.6-litre diesel version I drove. Depending on demand, Kia might bring in the 1.4-litre 138hp petrol version too, and definitely will make available the plug-in hybrid with 1.6-litre petrol engine and 44.5kW electric motor. Paired with an 8.9kWh battery, this is expected to allow for up to 60km driving in full electric mode, more than enough for the daily commute of most.
The ride and handling are not exactly sporty, but they’re very assured for a compact crossover, and most will use the car in urban conditions anyway. A 0-100kph of 11.4 seconds is modest, but fine for around town, while motorway performance is smooth and very quiet for a diesel.
I gave the XCeed a mention in many cars of the year at the end of January, because for what it does and who it’s designed for, it certainly does the trick, and it’s another impressive addition to the Korean brand’s roster.