Kia XCeed 1.5 T-GDI GT-Line S (2022 - )

Kia has given its striking XCeed crossover a makeover with a bold new look, improved interior quality and the introduction of new GT-Line and GT-Line S trim levels that join the XCeed ‘2’ and ‘3’ grades. The ‘4’ grade has now been dropped.

Although it is based on the Ceed but with an elevated ride height, the XCeed has proved a successful model in its own right for the Korean carmaker selling more than 120,000 units across Europe. And it accounted for 10 per cent of Kia’s UK sales in 2021.

The latest model line-up features a range of petrol and plug-in hybrid powertrains as well as an extensive number of generously-equipped trims. And all models come with Kia’s class-leading seven-year, 100,000-mile warranty too.

Our Kia XCeed in new range-topping GT-Line S trim certainly looked the business with its dynamic design along with Spirit Green paintwork. Eye catching features include distinctive LED daytime running lights, a gloss black radiator grille, panoramic sunroof, chrome window surrounds, privacy glass, silver roof rails, new-look LED tail lights, 18-inch alloy wheels, plus body-coloured bumpers, door handles, side sill mountings and rear spoiler.

The interior of the five-door SUV is upmarket too with black leather and suede seat upholstery, a leather trimmed steering wheel, lots of GT-Line badging, a floating 10.25-inch touchscreen navigation system and 12.3-inch TFT cluster display.

The front and outer rear seats can be heated and there are memory settings for the driver. All readouts, dials and controls are ideally positioned for ease of use and there is a plethora of tech to be explored.

Creature comforts include a pitch perfect eight-speaker JBL sound system, Apple CarPlay and Android Auto smartphone connection, a reversing camera with dynamic guidelines, wireless mobile phone charger, Bluetooth and smart park assist which will make you look the ultimate expert when squeezing into a tight parking space.

And it’s easy to stay connected on the move with two front USB ports (one is USB-C) along with a USB C-type port in the rear.

Our Kia XCeed test car in GT-Line S guise was powered by a four-cylinder 1.5-litre turbocharged, petrol engine delivering 158bhp and 253Nm of torque. It had a six-speed manual gearbox and could reach 60mph from a standing start in 8.7 seconds with a top speed of 129mph.
With its slightly elevated seating, the driver benefits from excellent all-round visibility and the turbocharged petrol engine delivers the goods when it comes to performance. The acceleration is smooth and responsive through the manual gears and the road holding also impresses out on the more challenging country lanes.
It's a car that quickly reaches 70mph on motorways and will cruise effortlessly at that speed although it gets a little noisier when driven hard. Special mention to the excellent suspension system though that smoothed out all but the roughest road surface despite riding on 18-inch alloy wheels, which is standard on all versions apart from the PHEV which has 16-inch wheels.
The steering is nicely weighted offering ample driver feedback and the car is agile enough to cope with busy town centre traffic with a turning circle of 10.4 metres.
We took a shorter run out in the XCeed ‘3’ PHEV which also impressed. It’s not so dynamic to drive as the GT-Line S model, but would be ideal for any city dwellers that can make full use of the EV miles.

The Kia XCeed is 4,395mm long, 1,826mm wide and is 1,495mm in height. The wheelbase is 2,650mm which means there is plenty of space inside the car for passengers and their luggage.
There is bags of room up front for the driver and passenger and, provided the front seats are not pushed too far back, there is space for a couple more adults in the back. Add a third and it gets a little too cosy. But this is a family car, so it would be perfect for children or teenagers.
The boot is accessed via a powered tailgate and can swallow 426 litres of kit, a limit that increases to 1,378 litres with the 60:40 split-folding rear seats dropped flat. The XCeed PHEV offers boot capacities of 291 and 1,243 litres respectively.
There are lots of convenient storage options throughout the car to store bits and pieces too, including a glovebox, front and rear cup holders, door pockets, a central cubby bin, seat back nets and a sunglasses compartment.

The new 2022 Kia XCeed line-up starts from £23,345 (OTR) for the ‘2’ model, increasing to £25,345 for the GT-Line, £25,845 for the ‘3” 1.5 manual, £30,345 for the GT-Line S (as tested) and finally, £32,945 for the ‘3’ 1.6 PHEV.
As is the Kia way, there were no optional extras on our test car to catch buyers out at the check-out desk, 
According to official figures, under WLTP testing, the vehicle could deliver a combined 44.8mpg with carbon emissions of 143g/km.
The CO2 figure would result in a first-year road tax charge (or Vehicle Excise Duty to give it its official title) of £230. This would drop to the standard annual fee of £165 after 12 months.
If you are looking for extra efficiency, then the XCeed 1.6 GDi PHEV has an official combined 201.7mpg which would be achievable if owners made the most of the 36.6 miles of electric-only miles and charged the battery regularly. This model also has a much lower carbon emissions figure of just 32g/km which would result in a number of financial savings, especially for business drivers who would see a 12 per cent Benefit in Kind tax rating. 
The test car sits in insurance group 18

Kia has proved itself to be a major player in the C-Crossover segment and the latest XCeed is further proof of just why the brand is so popular these days.
Long gone are the cheap, plastic-ridden interiors. Nowadays, the inside of all Kia models are upmarket with the very latest in technology. The XCeed also drives really well while offering excellent safety in the process.
It is the complete all-rounder for any active family that wants to see value for their money without scrimping on quality.