And the stars look completely different today David Bowie (Space Oddity, 1969)

Ishida waits for the sunset under a maple tree, holding his sword and leaning his back against its frozen trunk. Ishida then thinks about what his grandfather told him: you can always trust the patience of trees. But Ishida is impatient. His teacher always threatened him. “Ishida! When they ambush you and end your life, I’ll drag your body right here in front of the door and bury you. But I won’t name you. The gravestone will read: Impatient.” Ishida looks at the stream that looks at the sky breaking the reflection of the clouds in its murky waters as it kisses the banks and sprays the flowers that flow the meadow. Ishida slowly drew his sword from its scabbard and gazed at the clouds reflecting on its glowing blade. The clouds do not break on the sword, while the sky that wets them turns red. The time is near. And Ishida’s impatience increases as the sun sets behind the treetops. A forest that shows language in the form of a path, from whose passers-by the maple tree hides Ishida. And the shadow of the two merged into one lengthens towards the stream and melts as the waters touch the rest of the light. Ishida grits his teeth impatiently. The muscles in her forehead tightened as her memories stirred the cold grip of vengeance in her heart.

And Ishida’s heart races as beads of sweat appear, defying the evening chill that begins to seep through the maple bark. As if a mystical and colossal chef decided to spice up the landscape to give it flavor, snow begins to fall, some white flakes, some golden flakes from the last rays of the sun, descending with extreme care over the world in grave silence. Snow crystals run down Ishida’s black mane and begin to pool in his lap where his now sheathed sword rests. So cool that the flakes settle into their bas-reliefs and decorate the dragon that curls on the scabbard without dissolving. Waiting patients. But Ishida is not a patient man. A sound alerts him and he squats behind a maple tree. He hears his teacher’s voice yell “Wait!” Two shadows are spat out of the forest and stumble down the path. Ishida pulls out the scabbard and once again listens to his teacher “Take your time!” He can already hear the alcohol-numbed voices laughing and choking. It emerges from behind the maple tree like a spring with a drawn sword. The dragon rests on the grass, which is beginning to be covered with snow. “Do not do it!” Listen in his head one last time. But the master no longer exists, and the shadows will pay for it.

In the extensive range of Kia passenger cars, the Xceed model occupies a very special place, because its body is halfway between an SUV and a passenger car with a sporty design, but with crossover proportions. It is a model derived from the Ceed, which we already had the opportunity to test in its previous generation, but which from 2022 brings some aesthetic and equipment changes that serve as a slight update for a model that is very successful within the range.

One of the strengths that it shares with other models in the catalog of the Korean manufacturer is a wide range of engines, which, together with different finishes and equipment, means that the design of the XCeed opens up many options for buyers, some of which are practically absent in the competence. This is the case with the model we had the opportunity to test, which has a diesel engine, but thanks to its micro-hybrid mechanics, it bears the zero mark.

Compared to the previous generation, the nose has some changes, which, however, do not deviate from the aesthetics with sporty touches that characterized the previous generation. The first change that stands out is the change in the logo located on the hood just above the upper ventilation grill. The new design replaces the shield with a black background that dominated the hood of the previous version and takes up a little more space on the hood.

retouched design

The headlights have the same design, although functionally they have been updated with LED emitters with a different layout. The vent is identical with the same silver trim at the top and bottom. It changes the design of the lower radiator grille, which has larger and hexagonal elements with strips of different shapes and colors, and the bumper decorations on its sides, which give this front a more sporty touch. The moldings on the sides have also changed, now with a vertical design, in which the position lights are located.

The design of the side of the XCeed does not differ from the previous version of the Korean model with that line with sports winks, but with SUV shapes. New to this GT version, previously unavailable on the Xceed, are sporty newly designed 18-inch alloy wheels with pentagonal elements, a set of black plastic side moldings on the windows and tinted glass for the rear windows.

At the back, the configuration and shape of the gate is the same as the previous version, although this new version displays the updated logo we already mentioned in the middle. A transparent cover with a hexagonal matrix was placed in the clusters of lights, and in the lower part of the bumper, the moldings and elements are changed, ending the bumper with black plastic moldings.

Interior with a few changes

Even inside, the new XCeed does not represent too many changes compared to the previous version, rather than the appearance, the emphasis is on practicality and functionality. In this GT version, there are some details that change, such as the upholstery, the seats are the same as the previous version and some auctions except for the presence of the version name on the steering wheel, which in this case is flattened at the bottom for a more sporty look.

As we mentioned in the test of the previous version of the XCeed, the driver’s position is more typical of a car, it has a good view and the seats are comfortable and enveloping. Controls are close at hand and intuitive and overall driver ergonomics are good with the infotainment screen positioned high to keep an eye on the road and various buttons to access various functions without having to enter menus.

In this version we find a space to place a mobile phone that has wireless charging. Underneath another space for storing small items, which has a sliding lid, in this space there are connectors for charging and connection to the information system compatible with Android Auto and Apple Car Play, as well as the classic 12-volt charging for cars.

comfortable back

In the rear, the habitability is the same as the previous version, because the body does not change its shape. While headroom in this rear is lower than that of similarly sized SUVs, headroom is adequate for 6-foot adults. Legroom, on the other hand, is very good.

For comfort on the rear seats in the central tunnel we find two air vents and a USB connector that serve the passengers. Stowage is a bit rare in this part of the back, as we only found a pocket in the door that can fit a liter bottle and little else.

good suitcase

The trunk of this XCeed is quite spacious and offers regular storage space. It has space on the sides behind the wheel arches and on the left side there is also a strap that allows you to fix the load that we place in that place. The total volume of the trunk is 380 litres, and after folding the rear row seats, we reach a total of 1,332 litres.

Before the dynamic test, we will look at the mechanics of this version of the XCeed. As we already assumed, it is a diesel engine, which in this case is joined by a 48V electric motor, which provides power at specific moments of operation, but cannot move the car by itself in what has come to be called a micro-hybrid drive.

diesel microhybrid

The 1,600 cc engine produces 136 horsepower and a relatively high torque, as is usual in turbodiesel mechanics, of 280 Nm between 1,500 and 3,000 rpm. This is a somewhat odd mechanical solution, as micro-hybrid systems are usually associated primarily with gasoline engines.

In general, it can be said that this is a motorisation, where the vibrations typical for this type of motor are not very noticeable even when cold. It handles city routes with ease, with good response and smooth running, to which the electric motor contributes when starting at traffic lights and in other situations where decisive acceleration is required.

More comfortable than sporty

On the road the engine is calmer than jittery, and while it’s very supple and allows for good recovery, it lacks a certain verve, even when we use the manual gearbox to downshift and wring out the available power. We found it to perform nicely on the freeway at constant speeds, and in that regard, it’s a comfortable and recommended car if we’re going to do a lot of miles on this type of trip.

It doesn’t react badly on windier roads, although we have to resort to a change on the exit of the corners to manage it with some power. It’s a well-settled car, but comfort prevailed over precision in rougher terrain, as the suspension is a bit soft on high-speed chain arches. Remarkable, as with its predecessor, the height from the ground, which allows some trips off the asphalt without the risk of scraping underneath.

conclusions

Although the XCeed does not exactly fit into a certain category and falls between a car and an SUV, the truth is that it is an interesting solution as a compromise between space and sensations typical for a lower body. It’s not a car with the touch of a sports car, but the aesthetic achieved by Kia designers is eye-catching thanks to its many racing-inspired details.

We liked the balance of the engine, which is more quiet than dynamic, but it is recommended both for long trips and in the city for the comfort of driving and traveling on it. It has a good trunk and adjusted consumption and of course all the benefits that the ECO label that appears on its windshield can give us.