For their European success, Kia should thank their SUV's and crossovers. The Sorento, the Sportage and the Stonic.
Between the last two, there's quite some space left. Of course, Kia wants to fill that space, and they're trying that with this XCeed.
Just like the name insinuates, it's a brother of the regular Ceed. Or rather a far nephew, because except for this part, everything is exclusive to the XCeed.
Kia themselves call it a sporty, urban crossover. A all-in-one-solution which drives as sporty as a hatchback but as practcial as an SUV.
Kia hopes that it's going to be a success of course, and it's up to us to decide whether or not it's going to be.
Let's start with the practicalities. It's on the same wheelbase as the Ceed hatchback, but it's been lengthened at the front and rear axles.
That means there's more luggage space, with a grand total of 426 litres. 31 more than the Ceed hatchback, as Kia proudly claims.
And they're not lying, but they forget to mention that it's 199 litres less than the Ceed Sportswagon. So if you want space, you should go...
for the station wagon. If you want style as well, the Kia Proceed has more space to offer as well. However, the rear seat is supposed to have...
more space than the Proceed, Kia says.
I'm 1.80 m. myself and I'm always pretty far forward. I do have to say, I'm alright when I sit behind myself.
It's too bad that I can't fit my feet beneath the seat, but my knees are free. Just like my head, barely. I can feel the top of my head...
touching the ceiling sometimes, but for the average adult it's not too bad. You can compare it with the hatchback, just like you...
can compare it with the hatchback if you look at the front. You'll recognize a lot of stuff.
The aircon controls, all of the buttons, the steering wheel... It all looks very neat and it feels sturdy. The materials aren't world class,
but it has received an upgrade that there's a new multimedia system. In time, that'll go to the Ceed hatchback, but it debuts in this XCeed.
It's bigger than we've seen before, but it still has the logical structure to it. The responses are pretty quick, so it's a nice way to control your multimedia.
You also get some more space for additional features and Apple CarPlay- and Android Auto-connectivity. So it's up to date again.
Also, in the more luxurious trim levels, you can get the new Supervision-instrument cluster. Completely digital and it looks very good.
The graphics are good and it's very quick. However, if you compare it with Volkswagen and what they do with a digital instrument cluster...
I mean, you can't project a whole map on there. So it adds to the experience, but it's not more practical per se.
Right, the practicalities aside. Time for the driving-like-a-hatchback. When the current Ceed was introduced, it surprised us with its sturdy...
ride and a decent handling. However, when you raise the car, there's a risk that the springs have to be incredibly hard to still...
retain that handling. Luckily, Kia has done something else. They've said that if you want a crossover, you have to accept the fact...
that you can't corner as quickly. A fair compromise if you ask me. For that reason, it won't be available as a GT-Line or GT.
Instead of hardening the springs, they've softened them. Also, they've installed hydraulic bump stops, which are like...
shock breakers in the shock breakers. So when you go over a speed bump, it won't reach the process rubbers.
So in fact, the front springs are now seven percent softer whilst the rear springs are still four percent softer.
That means it's heaving about as a whole, and that's a very pleasant compromis they've found. It didn't change a lot though,
it's still a crossover which feels very dynamic. A bit like the way the Ceed feels compared to its rivals, that's how this feels...
when compared with other crossovers. A nice and comfortable whole. The contact with the road surface lets you know you can drive it quickly...
when you want to. It has very sticky ContiSport Contact 5-tires, so it has enough grip. The steering has been sharpened as well.
So as a whole, it's a nicely driving car with enough comfort, but without becoming too weak. Nicely inbetween the very dynamic Toyota C-HR...
and the weak Citroën C5 Aircross. Just right. Then, the engines. We already know them from the Kia Ceed. The range starts with...
a 1.0-litre 3-cylinder T-GDI producing 120 horsepower. Above that is the engine I'm driving right now, the 1.4-litre T-GDI 4-cylinder producing...
140 horsepower and more importantly, 220 Nm of torque. From my experience with the hatchback, I know that the 1.0-litre...
will do. For this higher and heavier XCeed that will be the case as well, but when you're driving on the motorway, the additional torque will be welcome.
As a whole however, the engine is good. It's able to produce its performance without too much effort and it keeps quiet most of the time.
If you're looking for the limit, there's always some power left. Not too much however. Also, if you want an automatic gearbox,
you should keep saving some money, because you're not able to combine that with the 1.0-litre. It starts at the 1.4-litre.
For that, you get a 7-speed DCT, so with a double clutch. It surely isn't the most refined automatic gearbox available.
Especially in slow traffic, or in traffic jams or if you want to turn around in a street, it can be a bit shocky.
That could be better. Also, it tends to wait too long before it changes back. You really have to press on before it actually changes back.
When it's rolling however, it's nice and smooth. It has seemless gear changes and everything is alright actually. Just everything.
But that raises one question: what does it add to the Ceed Hatchback? Well, not a lot. Except for the price that is.
Compared to a similarly equipped hatchback, it's over €4.000 more expensive. And for a total between €30.000 and €40.000,
I think that's a whole lot of money for a car which offers only 31 additional litres of luggage space, is a tad more comfortable and is slightly...
higher up. On the other hand, the same goes for a lot of crossovers, but the segment keeps on growing...