PLUG & PAY (some text hidden) --NONE--

By Jonathan Crouch

Like the idea of a really cleverly engineered Kia XCeed? There's quite a premium to pay for one with Plug-in hybrid tech. Is it worth it? Jonathan Crouch takes a look at the revised version.

Ten Second Reviewword count: 72

Kia's XCeed PHEV delivers Plug-in Hybrid technology to the mainstream part of the mid-sized SUV segment - and that's still a relatively rare thing in this class. This revised model still features the usual Plug-in model draws - a fantasyland official fuel figure, a tax-efficient CO2 reading and a near-30 mile WLTP electrified driving range. But as usual, there's a premium price to pay for the technology and packaging compromises to make.

Backgroundword count: 152

Most brands fail to offer any Plug-in hybrid models in the volume part of the 'Qashqai-class' SUV 'C'-segment, but Kia offers two, PHEV versions of the Niro and, as in this case, the XCeed crossover. This XCeed was introduced in PHEV form in 2020, then got a light makeover in late 2022 to create the car we're going to look at here. Unfortunately, this improved version hasn't gained the larger 11.1kWh battery that's allowed the Niro PHEV to go a few miles further between charges, but it does feature a smarter look, a few small cabin updates and decent levels of media connectivity. As before though, if you're comparing against the more conventional version of this XCeed, you've to accept quite a price premium, a weight penalty and compromises in interior packaging. Can the Plug-in drive advantages here compensate? You'll need the usual thorough Car & Driving Road Test to find out.

Driving Experienceword count: 432

In practice, a current engineer might think the basic ingredients here to be a touch out-dated. Even back at this variant's original introduction in 2020, this PHEV system's fundamental elements - a 1.6-litre GDI petrol engine mated to a 6-speed version of the brand's DCT auto gearbox - had long been abandoned by more mainstream Kia engines. Back then, the electrified part of the package - a 44.5kW electric motor mated to an 8.9kWh battery pack - looked a bit more cutting-edge, but not now. Only slightly bigger PHEVs than this are now arriving on the market with batteries more than three times that size. All of which explains this XCeed Plug-in's continuing rather below-par EV range figure, which at 29.8 miles still can't quite crack the 30 mile barrier. It's difficult to understand why, as part of this facelift, Kia didn't replace this battery pack with the 11.1kWh one used in the Niro Plug-in Hybrid, which would have pushed that EV range up towards a much more acceptable 40 mile-style figure. Perhaps Kia didn't want to further blunt kerb weight here; at a portly 2,030kgs, it's already 224kgs more than the ordinary 1.5 T-GDi version. Which is why even though the total system power output (139bhp) here isn't much lower than that of the ordinary model, the performance you get is quite a lot slower, 62mph from rest occupying 10.3s en route to just 99mph. You'll need to select the more urgent of the two provided drive settings ('Sport') to replicate that. Next to the button for this on the lower centre console is another 'EV/HEV' one that allows you to switch the powertrain between 'Hybrid', 'Electric' and 'Automatic' drive modes. The effect of which you can view on various provided Energy Monitors. That extra drivetrain weight inevitably tells in terms of drive dynamics too. With a conventional powerplant fitted, the XCeed manages to be the most comfort-orientated member of the sprawling Ceed family of models, but this PHEV version rather clumps through tarmac tears and speed humps. If you can content yourself with the ordinary 1.5 T-GDi variant, the story's significantly different and you'll get the benefit of the damping changes Kia's built in to manage the handling of this SUV body style. A higher-riding body shape like this would usually need firmer springs to counter body roll, but the hydraulic bump stops fitted to the front suspension work so well here that the engineers were actually able to soften the springs - by 7% at the front and by 4% at the back compared to a conventional Ceed hatchback.

To see the full road test text contact us on 0330 0020 227