Kia Xceed 1.5 T-GDi 2022 first drive

Amid the barrage of new Kia models being launched – just the past year has brought us the EV6, Sportage and Niro – the Kia Xceed may not be front of mind for everyone. It is a bit of an unusual concept: it’s a taller Ceed hatchback, but the only body panels it actually shares with its sibling are the doors. Even so, it’s much less of a SUV than the Niro, let alone the Sportage.

Despite the Xceed's slightly confusing positioning, UK buyers have taken to it and made it Kia’s third most popular model.

And now Kia has given it a facelift: look out for the new, more ‘technical’ LED lights at the front and rear, the revised grille and bumpers and the new mock diffuser. At the same time, Kia UK has taken the opportunity to rationalise the range. The diesel, the 1.0-litre petrol and the 1.6-litre petrol remain available in other markets, but over here, the range is limited to just two options.

The volume seller is the 1.5-litre four-cylinder that replaced the old 1.4 last year. For the time being, it comes exclusively with a six-speed manual gearbox, but a seven-speed dual-clutch automatic is on the way.

Company car drivers will be better served with the plug-in hybrid Xceed, which is unchanged and still combines a 1.6-litre engine with an electric motor and a six-speed dual-clutch gearbox. Its 8.9kWh battery is good for 29.8 miles of electric running, and just 12% of benefit-in-kind tax. Unusually for a plug-in hybrid, it’s less powerful than the plain petrol model, putting out just 139bhp – 19bhp less than the 1.5.

The trim levels have had a revamp, too. The hybrid always comes as a well-equipped 3, while the petrol retains the usual 2 and 3 trim structure but gains a sportier-looking GT-Line S trim that’s marked out by some black exterior detailing, more pronounced vents, a chunkier steering wheel and a pair of sport seats.

We reviewed the plug-in hybrid at the European launch a few weeks back, so let’s take a closer look at the petrol Xceed this time. It almost feels strange to be driving a brand-new car with a manual gearbox, but the shift proves an unexpected delight, feeling light but well defined, short and snappy.

That’s a good thing, because you need to work it to keep the 1.5 on the boil. It’s surprisingly boosty and needs some revs to feel its 158bhp. Below 3000rpm, it can feel a little dead, which also makes hill starts harder than they ought to be. Nevertheless, even when using plenty of revs, economy in the low 40s seemed easily achievable – a decent but unremarkable result.