The possibly India-bound Kia Ceed is going to spawn
a crossover named ‘Kia XCeed’. This crossover has been spied completely
undisguised in Netherlands. The Kia XCeed apparently has an individual design to differentiate
itself from the Kia Ceed more than a Ford Focus Active can from the Ford Focus.
Tthe fact that it’s a buffed up hatchback doesn’t become apparent
that easily. On the sides, the bow-shaped glasshouse of the donor car doesn’t
make an appearance on the crossover; the beltline is gently swept-up at the
rear. Flared fenders and rocker mouldings are other signs of SUV inspiration.
At the rear, the Kia XCeed flaunts sleeker tail
lamps and features a uniquely designed bumper, a skid plate and dual exhaust
tailpipes. Perhaps the front-end will look the most different, with
model-specific headlamps, bumper and grille among other distinctive elements.
Up top, there are silver flush roof rails on the crossover.
Inside, the Kia XCeed may have special touches with
respect to the garnish on the dashboard, centre console and doors. One can
expect model-specific upholstery options and some additional convenience
features too.
The Kia XCeed will likely have a higher ground
clearance than the Kia Ceed (140 mm) and a softer suspension setup for a better
drive on rough roads. The same set of engines and transmissions as the
hatchback is expected to be available in the crossover. This means that the
engine options should include 1.0L T-GDI, 1.4L MPI and 1.4L T-GDI petrol units
and a 1.6L CRDi diesel unit. 6-speed manual and 7-speed dual-clutch automatic
should be the transmission choices. A plug-in hybrid variant is planned.
The Kia XCeed will have its world debut at the 2019
Frankfurt Motor Show (IAA 2019) that will be held from 10-22 September.
