The KIA Sportage and Sorento are the SUVs that catapulted KIA to the top of buyers shortlists in the UK. They’re both excellent examples of KIAs understanding of the European market and shortly after those models, the likes of the NIRO and Soul followed. Now, there’s another big KIA to stick on your Christmas list. Meet the new XCEED…
What is it?
The XCEED positions itself as a ‘Crossover Utility Vehicle’ or CUV. The car will boast all the practicality and comfort benefits of an SUV while offering the dynamic and sporty handling of a hatchback. The XCEED will offer a substantial 426 litres of luggage room in the boot, more than any hatchback on the market, and this will increase to 1,378 litres when you fold the rear seats down.
Upon sale, there will only be turbocharged engines available, with hybrid options following in the near future. You currently have the choice between three petrol units (a 1.0 litre, a 1.4 litre and a 1.6 litre) or two diesel units, which are both 1.6 litres with varying power outputs.
There are currently no fuel efficiency figures provided by KIA as the vehicle is yet to be fully homologated. You’ll have to keep your eyes peeled to find which engine drinks the least, although we can guess that the lesser powered diesel will be the most fuel efficient.
The XCEED is going to slip into the middle of KIAs model lineup, a bit bigger than the five-door Cee’d hatchback but not quite as hefty as the Sportage SUV.
KIA recognise that there is a huge demand for SUVs, but that doesn’t mean every car should look the same, behave the same and offer the same characteristics. There is room for creativity and ingenuity inside a crowded marketplace.
Chief Operating Officer for KIA Motors Europe, Emilio Herrera, commented: “The Kia XCeed addresses the growing desire for cars which offer more emotion and dynamism than an SUV, both in terms of the way a car looks and drives. Yet these customers don’t want to lose the practicality that a larger car offers them. Our new CUV meets these needs, with a distinctive and modern design wrapped around a spacious, versatile body. Merging the strengths of both hatchback and SUV, the Kia XCeed offers something refreshing and different for European consumers.”
The XCEED will be manufactured at KIA European production plant in Zilina, in Slovakia, where KIA also produce the Ceed five-door, Ceed Sportswagon and Pro-Ceed Shooting Brake… very Ceedy.
The XCEED will go on sale in Autumn of 2019 exclusively in Europe and, as you’d expect from KIA, every new model will come with a 7-year/100,000-mile warranty. The actual on-sale date for UK buyers will be confirmed in due course.