KIA finally shows the facelift it has given to one of its most popular models in our market, the KIA Xceed. It is a model that derives from the conventional KIA Ceed and evolves towards a crossover format and that has in its plug-in hybrid option one of the most interesting electrified alternatives in all of Spain.
However, the version with the largest battery is not the only one to suffer novelties, since the rest of the XCeed range also debuts the same aesthetic novelties, and also in the electrification section, since the most conventional thermal mechanics now release microhybrid technology, while the option of a conventional (non-plug-in) hybrid will continue to exist. It is especially striking that the micro-hybrid technology is also released by the 1.6-liter diesel engine.
In the design section, the changes shown by the renewed XCeed are not too many, and they are also light. Instead, they are effective enough to show that the model has undergone a cosmetic makeover. The headlights have been renewed, now offering a more modern image, while the front air intakes and the front bumper itself do the same.
At the rear, the trend continues with a new bumper design, with a false diffuser and a chrome insert that emulates the shapes of exhaust outlets. The LED technology optical groups also show a new design on the inside, with a new light signature attesting to this.
In the mechanical section, all engines light hybrids now use an intelligent manual gearbox, called iMT. According to KIA, instead of a hydraulic steering wheel, the XCeed’s manual gearbox works purely electronically and in conjunction with the Mild-Hybrid Starting Generator (MHSG), which allows the engine to be switched off when the vehicle coasts to a stop and up to speeds 125 kilometers per hour for short periods of time, which according to the brand, saves up to 3% of fuel in real driving conditions.
The plug-in hybrid option continues to be articulated around it 1.6-liter petrol block and 8.9 kWh battery. This option is uniquely available in conjunction with a dual-clutch automatic gearbox. The electric motor, meanwhile, produces 44.5 kW of power (60 hp), and together the total power figure of the XCeed plug-in hybrid is 141 hp (complemented by 261 Nm of torque).
Regarding its electric autonomy, KIA declares that with a full charge of the battery and in a mixed cycle, the XCeed will be able to cover up to 48 kilometers in electric modewhile in a purely urban area the autonomy can be raised to 60 kilometers.
Production of the new XCeed will start in September at the Ziilina plant, in Slovakia. At the moment the Spanish division of KIA has not made public the prices for our market of the new model, but it is expected that it will do so in a few weeks. The brand insists that, like all KIA models, the XCeed has a 7-year warranty and up to 150,000 kilometers.
