Kia XCeed: Not Just Visually Impressive

2023 Author: Eric Donovan | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-08-25 09:36

There are a variety of crossover models from manufacturers. Do you still need a car like the Kia XCeed? Why not, when he's as attractive as the Korean.

With the XCeed, Kia wants to cut another piece of the ever-growing SUV cake, because especially in the vehicle length range between 4.10 and 4.40 meters, not only the supply but also the demand is constantly growing.

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So now the XCeed and with it the question of why you should buy this crossover? On the one hand, Kia has the Niro, which is only 4 centimeters shorter, and on the other hand, the Sportage, an SUV that is only 9 centimeters longer. However: The Niro is only available as a hybrid, plug-in hybrid and electric car and the Sportage is not only significantly larger, it is also available with all-wheel drive, making it suitable for easier terrain.

XCeed only with front wheel drive

What the XCeed, which is only available with front-wheel drive, is supposed to do for the brand is already clear at first glance: In addition to the comfort of higher seating, it is above all a beautiful, visually harmonious car. The long bonnet ends in the “tiger nose” grill typical of the brand, a narrow air inlet decorated with plenty of chrome in the currently popular honeycomb look and the branding above it that is supposed to represent the “nose”. A honeycomb pattern on the front apron under the license plate.

The rear looks extremely successful, strong and muscular, you could almost think of an Audi here. The sideline is also convincing, the high waistline only allows for a relatively narrow window area, but the eye is delighted by the beguiling roof curve that slopes elegantly towards the rear and ends in a wide C-pillar. Apart from sports cars like the Kia Stinger, we have hardly seen a more visually successful model from a Korean brand.

Conventional interior

The interior is a bit more conventional, but that should be rated positively. The material selection and processing is at the upper end of the class level. For the first time there is a digital, 12.3-inch instrument cluster, which is very easy to read, at an additional cost. Also on request, a 10.25-inch touchscreen can be attached in the middle, which is responsible for navigation and infotainment displays. All buttons are also nice and large and clearly arranged; For a vehicle from the volume segment, it is almost exemplary.

With Kia and Hyundai you can see again and again that the Koreans like to use German vehicles as models, the closeness to the clarity of a Volkswagen cockpit is unmistakable here. And we want this to be understood as a compliment. Did we miss something? Yes, we lacked a head-up display for the grade 1+ and the touchscreen should react a little more smoothly.

Although only 1.48 meters high, you can enjoy sufficient headroom in the XCeed if you are not 1.90 meters tall. At the back it is tighter, long trips could be rather uncomfortable for adults, but it is definitely enough for children. There are enough pockets and shelves and the trunk has a capacity of 426 liters. If you have no passengers in the rear, you can expand it to just under 1,380 liters. These are good values for this class.

Five engines on offer

The XCeed is currently offered with five engines, in addition to two 1.6-liter diesels with 115 and 136 hp, there are three petrol engines. The 1.0-liter is a three-cylinder with 120 hp, in the next stage there is a 1.4-liter four-cylinder with 140 hp and the top model even develops 204 hp from a 1.6-liter displacement. All engines are turbo-assisted. We decided on common sense and ordered the medium gasoline engine, as the three-cylinder is more suitable for short journeys and the large gasoline engine almost overpowered the compact SUV.

You definitely can't go wrong with the 1.4 liter and its 140 hp. The unit reacts spontaneously and develops its power evenly. In just under 10 seconds, the XCeed storms to 100 km / h - a maximum of 200 km / h. If you want to convert the power of the engine into driving pleasure, you have to expect a considerable surcharge on the standard consumption, as is usual with gasoline engines.

At the end of the test, despite the cautious driving style, we were 7.7 liters and thus around 2 liters above the norm. In our test car, instead of the standard manual six-speed gearbox, the seven-speed double clutch, which costs 2,000 euros, was installed. It is more comfortably tuned, but fits in wonderfully with the vehicle's design. The chassis, on the other hand, is designed to be taut, as is typical of the brand, and could provide a little more comfort on poorer routes. But that's not really bad and you are rewarded with a very stable body behavior when cornering quickly.

Price starts at 21,390 euros

And what does the fun cost? Well, the XCeed is available from 21,390 euros, but there is the 1.0-liter petrol engine and the not so sparse basic equipment "Edition 7". The upper end of the price list marks the version with a large petrol engine and DSG gearbox for 37,540 euros. Our test car with the 1.4-liter Otto came in the so-called launch edition, which, including the automatic, is on the list for 33,390 euros. A proud price, but the equipment is also lavish. Among other things, sat-nav, heated seats in the front and rear, an electric tailgate and the JBL sound system are included. There are also various assistance systems. Typical of Kia is the inductive charging station for the mobile phone and of course the exemplary 7-year guarantee up to 150,000 kilometers.

No clairvoyant skills are therefore required to predict the XCeed to be an appropriate market success. The SUV is visually convincing, offers enough space and very good workmanship. The Korean is not exactly cheap, but also not more expensive than its direct competitors, thanks to the good equipment and the long guarantee, the bottom line is that it is an attractive offer in terms of price. (SP-X)