When it comes to hybrids, Toyota has more and more competitors to face. However, they're also becoming exclusive.
You probably know what I mean, because yes there are more hybrids nowadays, but they're almost all plug-in hybrids.
It's the same with this Kia Xceed, because as a PHEV, it's a very attractive alternative to the popular Toyota C-HR Hybrid.
However, it's slightly different.
Since the C-HR was facelifted in 2019, most of the attention has gone to the 184 horsepower High Power Hybrid-version.
For this test however, we've gone with the good old 1.8-litre hybrid. It shares its drivetrain with the least powerful version of the Corolla...
Hybrid, but with the Prius as well. It produces 122 horsepower, which is enough for the most people. I'll get back to that, because I can get...
why Toyota thought it was necessary to put a more powerful version next to it. It's just not very quick according to today's standards.
We're pretty spoiled with lots of fast EV's, but with a 0-100-time of 11 seconds, you're just not impressing anyone.
So, depending on what you're used to, it can be a bit slow for your taste when you're trying to overtake someone.
However, I'm going to emphasize the fact that it's powerful enough for most people. That's because the car produces power in a very relaxed way.
It's a relatively big engine, even by today's standards. It sounds relaxed, it runs relaxed, so when you're not going fast, it doesn't feel like it has...
to try too hard to get up to speed. Also, when you put your foot down, it feels much more natural than it used to in Toyota-hybrids.
Because the car doesn't get pinned on a certain amount of revs and it's always allowed to rev a little higher, it feels more like a regular engine.
It all sounds nicer and it doesn't feel as out of breath as it once did.
Also, the strong points of Toyota-hybrids have remained. Or even better, they've been improved. Toyota is still developing this system...
and you'll notice. The way the electricity and petrol work together is seemless. Except for the noise of course.
Also, because of the gearless transmission, accelerating goes without any bumps or anything. Incredibly smooth. It's easy to reach a...
good mileage as well. Lastly, this drivetrain has already proven itself to be incredibly reliable. Enough reasons to go for a Toyota-hybrid.
When the C-HR was launched in 2016, it was the car which had to dust off Toyota's boring image. It did that with its funky shapes...
and they didn't really change that in the facelift. They altered the rear- and headlights, but other than that it has remained the same.
It also tried to improve Toyota's image with the handling. This is one of the first Toyota's built on the TNGA-platform, on which pretty much...
every Toyota is built. It delivered incredibly nice handling and that hasn't changed. It's comfortable to begin with. After a speed bump, it only...
heaves once. Also, it remains stable in corners. Especially for a car that's this high up on its wheels, that's pretty remarkable.
It's nice and communicative. It's direct which makes you feel you're involved in the drive, without it getting annoying or nervous.
Because of that, a big audience likes the way it drives.
However, I don't like the seating position that much. It just doesn't feel right to me. The steering wheel doesn't come close enough.
Of course, that's a matter of taste. And everybody is different. However, I'm sure more people don't like that. Also, because the steering...
wheel doesn't come as close as you'd like, you need to move the seat forwards. And then your knees will touch the dashboard.
Also, the seat could've been lower for me. Also, you can't choose the way the seat stands by yourself. You need to choose a preset.
That makes it very hard to find the perfect seating position.
What I do like however, is the feeling of quality and used materials. The dashboard is very well built and panels fit nicely.
The used materials are very good, or in the places that count. Sure, there are some hard plastics in this interior. You can't not have them in this...
segment. What I do have to say is that the design has been forced to be funky. It fits the C-HR, but it makes the interior a bit messy.
But that's something you have to decide for yourself. What does stand out however, is the screen. It literally stands out on top of the dashboard.
It's one of the most important changes in the facelift of last year. It now has different buttons to reach certain menu's.
It even has a turning knob for the volume. That's much better than those annoying sliders or touch buttons.
The system itself has been renewed as well. It now features Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. Something which is always welcome on...
infotainment systems. Luckily, the system itself works nicely as well. You can customize the home screen to your liking...
so you can decide what's always in the screen. That means you have a system which works nicely without too much problems.
However, there are systems which work faster and better and which have a more logical design. Like in the Kia, for example.
With a 10.3-inch screen, the Kia-screen isn't only bigger than in the Toyota, it's a widescreen one as well. Also, it reacts incredibly quickly.
It's not like you're waiting for seconds in the Toyota, but this works incredibly quickly which is very nice.
Also, the way it's been designed is very logical. The main menu has features like satnav, multimedia and battery information. But if you...
you want to customize it, you can. However, you're able to split the screen so you can show additional information.
Driving information, the weather, multimedia, your phone, or even a smaller map if you've got the main screen in use for something else.
You can customize it all to your own taste. The menu's are clear as well, so it's all good in here.
Underneath the screen, there are touch buttons I do have to admit. They do react very quickly though and there's a physical volume button.
The Xceed comes with a digital instrument cluster as well, starting at the second trim level. It's pretty big and it looks very good.
However, it doesn't have a lot of added value. It's not like in Volkswagen- products that the dials disappear and make it a full-screen map or...
anything. The dials are always present, so it's probably more of a gimmick than something that holds a lot of value.
The rest of the dashboard is a little tighter than the Toyota, and the design is much more accessible. Or less boring, whatever...
you prefer. The build quality is decent, but Toyota wins that point. This has more cheap materials which makes it feel less premium.
What does feel very good however is the seating position. I'm much more comfortable in here than in the Toyota. Also, the steering wheel...
is much more adjustable. It even comes with electrically adjustable seats. But that's a matter of choosing the most expensive trim level.
In here however, I'm much better than in the Toyota.
And it's the same story in the back. And it has nothing to do with the amount of available space, remarkably enough.
In both cars, it's pretty good. I've got about a centimetre left around my knees and my head. The big difference however is found in the windows.
It's all pretty normal back here, but in a C-HR it feels a lot like you're trapped. Small windows and a low, black roof. Also, it has very thick...
C-styles. As an adult, you'll feel trapped and as a child, you probably won't be able to look out of the window.
That's a big drawback of the C-HR. If we move further back, to the luggage space, we get to a place in which the Xceed usually wins from the C-HR.
The C-HR only has 377 litres to offer, which isn't a lot. However, as a plug-in hybrid, the Xceed has to compromise a lot on luggage space.
That means there's only 291 litres left, so the Toyota takes the point here. I do have to say that because of the floor size, the Kia looks...
to be more spacious than it actually is. But anything below 300 litres just isn't enough.
The reason that this plug-Xceed has a smaller boot is because of the battery pack of course.
It's a 8,9 kWh-battery pack, which should be able to get you around 50 km electrical range. Something you can forget about in the Toyota.
So that's a point this Kia takes. The drivetrain isn't entirely new, we've already seen it in the Niro.
That means this car has an atmospheric engine as well which runs in an Atkinson-cycle. That's an engine which is down on power...
but has a lot of efficiency. In this case, that's not a 1.8, but a 1.6. But that Kia chooses an atmospheric engine, is very remarkable.
European manufacturers generally choose small turbocharged engines for their plug-in hybrids. Engines found in regular versions as well.
And that means in a lot of cases, that when the electricity runs out, the engine is still as economical or uneconomical as their non-hybrid brothers.
Together with the electric motor, the 1.6 produces 141 horsepower. That's exactly one horse more than the T-GDI we tested some time before this.
Also, that's a very popular version. However, that doesn't mean this is just as quick as that 1.4 T-GDI. This is 200 kg heavier.
The performance is pretty much the same as the Toyota, on paper that is. It does 0-100 km/h in 11 seconds and flat out it does 160 km/h.
That's 10 km/h less than the Toyota's top speed, so don't expect to be turning heads in the pub.
Despite the cars being almost just as fast, the Kia feels very different to drive. That's because Kia doesn't use a CVT-automatic...
gearbox, but a DCT-automatic gearbox. That's a double-clutch automatic gearbox, found in a lot of other cars as well.
This particular gearbox is a 6-speed though, instead of a 7-speed.
You don't need that extra gear if you ask me. The most important part is that the car changes gear smoothly, and because of that it feels much...
more like a regular car. If you're used to a petrol car with automatic gearbox that is. Not only changing gears feels smooth,
the transition between petrol and electricity feels very smooth as well. Kia isn't unfamiliar with hybrid-technology, because they've had the Niro...
for years, and you can see that in here. Everything works together nicely.
I do have to say, if everything's turned off. Like the ventilation very low and the radio off, you do hear a high-pitched noise.
That could be annoying, but it's pretty windy outside today and the climate control has to work a tad harder. So I don't hear it anymore.
So it's only a small thing to mention. Other than that, it's a very nice drivetrain which doesn't make it a drag monster,
but which still fits with the car.
Just like Toyota, Kia has chosen for a sturdy and comfortable suspension setup. Having said that, it's very sturdy whilst being comfortable as well.
The steering is very heavy for a Kia, so it's very communicative. However, it's not as playful as the C-HR. And that's because of the added weight.
That's what a plug-in hybrid always brings to the table. It's about 200 kg heavier than the regular Xceed, so it's heavier than the C-HR as well.
What stands out the most however, if you get into this car after being in the C-HR, is the fact that it feels like a bigger car.
And that isn't strange, because it is a bigger car. In width that is. And that's not strange either, because it's more expensive as well.
This Xceed is a tad more expensive than a regular 1.4-litre T-GDI with automatic gearbox, so it's around €35.000. That means it's around €4.000...
more expensive than the cheapest Toyota C-HR 1.8. And if you compare the top-of-the-range-versions, there's still a gap of €3.000.
You could earn that back to only drive this car electrically, so that you almost haven't got any fuel costs. Or electricity costs I should say.
But if that's doable and if you should do that, will have to wait for the test in the magazine. Go read that.