Kia XCeed: more crossover than SUV

The new Kia XCeed offers an alternative to traditional SUVs, with a body that is closer to what we could call a crossover.

Kia continues exploring new market niches, and now it does so with the new Kia XCeed, of which we already knew a bit more than its future unveiling after a leak, which led to the early release of the first images of the XCeed.

Now, Kia has provided us with the complete information on this new vehicle, which uses the technical base of the Kia Ceed. And from the very start, Kia insists on making it clear that we are not dealing with an SUV (Sport Utility Vehicle), but with a CUV (Crossover Utility Vehicle).

But what is an SUV and what is a CUV? Well, it depends on which brand you ask. In the case of the Kia XCeed, they call it crossover because they say it offers a driving position between that of a passenger car and an SUV, with a low waistline.

The exterior design of the Kia XCeed

The truth is that, looking at the images of the Kia XCeed, it seems to us that it has little of an SUV… and you can call it whatever crossover you like.

Keeping the 2.65-metre wheelbase, it is slightly bigger than the Kia Ceed with a 5-door body, with almost 10 cm more length, reaching 4.40 metres. It gains everything in the overhangs: 25 mm at the front and 60 mm at the rear. It is also slightly larger in width and height: 1.83 and 1.49 metres, respectively.

Its silhouette therefore moves away from the conventional SUVs it could compete with, such as a Nissan Qashqai or a Seat Ateca. It is also clear that the XCeed does not have many ambitions when it comes to leaving the asphalt. The body’s ground clearance ranges between about 174 and 184 mm, depending on the chosen wheels and tyres, which range from 16 to 18 inches. That is 42 mm more than the 5-door Ceed.

Externally, some distinctive features are the cladding used on the wheel arches and sills, the silver roof bars, or the lower skirt on the bumper. The front design also moves away a little from the characteristic look of the brand’s latest models, to give the XCeed its own personality.

A practical and versatile interior

Apart from a few details, the dashboard design of the XCeed does not differ much from the Ceed. One of the main novelties is the debut of a digital instrument cluster, with a 12.3-inch screen (31 cm) and high resolution. It is configurable and allows the display of navigation, contacts or notifications from safety and driver-assistance systems.

This instrument cluster will be offered as an option, depending on the market and equipment level, so it will not be available on every XCeed. The rest will carry the classic instrumentation with analogue dials and a 3.8-inch monochrome or 4.2-inch colour screen, depending on the model.

Another novelty debuting on the XCeed in Europe is the connectivity system called UVO Connect. Through the floating screen on the centre console, which can be up to 10.25 inches (26 cm), and thanks to an eSIM card installed in the vehicle, services are offered such as access to real-time traffic information, parking availability and prices, remote sending of destinations to the vehicle’s navigation, and many others.

In both the most advanced system and the option with an 8-inch (20 cm) screen, compatibility with Android Auto and Apple CarPlay is offered.

Another very important aspect of the Kia XCeed’s cabin is the interior space and boot capacity. We will have to wait to measure it inside. But at first glance, those 42 mm of extra seat height compared with the Ceed suggest a raised driving position and easier entry and exit.

The boot capacity announced by Kia is 426 litres, according to VDA standards. This may seem little, given the length of the body. But compared with the Ceed, it is 31 litres more. It also exceeds the just over 400 litres of its “sibling”, the even more SUV-like Kia Niro. With the seats folded, it can reach 1,378 litres. They feature a split rear seatback in a 40:20:40 ratio, and the boot floor can be positioned on two levels.
Engine range of the Kia XCeed
Few surprises in this section: the XCeed logically uses the engines already known from other models in the Kia range.

Three petrol engines and two diesels are offered.

Among the petrol units, there is the 1.0 T-GDi three-cylinder with 120 CV, followed by a 1.4 T-GDi four-cylinder with 140 CV. The most powerful version is reserved for the 1.6 T-GDi with 204 CV, used in the Ceed GT and ProCeed GT.

Under the Smartstream name, the 1.6 turbodiesel comes in two power variants, with 115 or 136 CV. All engines except the 1.0 T-GDi can be combined with a 6-speed manual gearbox or a 7-speed dual-clutch transmission.

By the end of 2020, Kia announces the arrival of electrified versions, both a Mild Hybrid with a 48-volt electrical system, and a Ceed plug-in hybrid.

On the chassis, Kia has made some adjustments to differentiate the XCeed’s behaviour. Among them, the dampers add hydraulic rebound stops to improve ride comfort on potholed roads. Steering assistance has also been increased, to offer a quicker response to the first movements of the wheel. The springs have a softer calibration, 7% on the front axle and 4% on the rear axle, also aimed at favouring comfort.

The Kia XCeed, which is built at the brand’s factory in Žilina, Slovakia, where the 5-door Kia Ceed, Ceed Tourer and ProCeed are also produced exclusively for Europe, will reach the market in September. As is customary for the brand, it will come with a 7-year or 150,000 km warranty.
Kia XCeed image gallery

Technical specifications of this car

CrossoverKIA XCeed14 versions · from 28,585 €