Name: Kia XCeed (2019 – present) | Expert Rating | The Car Expert
Item: Kia XCeed
Rating: 66.0

Summary

The Kia XCeed is a high-riding crossover based on the Kia Ceed hatchback. It sits between the Ceed and the Niro models in the Kia family. The XCeed is a new addition to the range, with the first cars arriving in the UK in Autumn 2019.

The XCeed was previously available a choice of petrol, diesel or plug-in hybrid powertrains. However, as part of a mid-life update in 2022, the only choice now is a 1.5-litre petrol engine.

The Kia XCeed has received generally positive reviews from the UK motoring media, although some titles have pointed out that it’s priced at a significant premium over the mechanically identical Ceed hatch while offering less practicality than a more SUV-styled vehicle like the Kia Niro.

As of July 2025, the Kia XCeed has a New Car Expert Rating of B, with a score of 66%, and a Used Car Expert Rating of A with a score of 70%. It scores top marks for its low CO₂ emissions, highly competitive running costs and Kia’s excellent seven-year warranty, but its safety rating and its media review scores are only average.

More Kia Expert Ratings, new car reviews, news and features

Key specifications

Body style: Five-door small crossover
Engines: petrol, diesel, plug-in hybrid
Price: From £24,610 on-road

Launched: Summer 2019
Last updated: Summer 2022
Replacement due: TBA

Image gallery

Media reviews

Highlighted reviews and road tests from across the UK automotive media. Click any of the boxes to view.

Featured reviews

“The Kia XCeed looks impressive and rides well. But the question is whether it offers enough that is different to a standard Ceed to justify the higher price.”

Model reviewed: 1.4-litre petrol automatic First Edition

Score: 7.8 / 10

Read full review

The Car Expert

“The Kia XCeed has a higher ride height, a range of cheap-to-run engines and lots of kit as standard. There are more comfortable SUVs with better rear space, though.”

Model reviewed: Range overview

Score: 7 / 10

Read full review

Carwow

More reviews

Auto Express

Model reviewed: 1.6-litre petrol-electric plug-in hybrid automatic
Score: 6 / 10
“Plug-in hybrids have progressed quickly, but despite some visual updates and tech tweaks, the new Kia XCeed doesn’t offer the most sophistication, pure-electric range or refinement, even if the ride is okay.”
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Model reviewed: Range overview
Score: 8 / 10
“The jacked-up Kia XCeed adds some extra practicality to the growing Ceed range”
Read review

Model reviewed: 1.4 T-GDi
Score: 8 / 10
“The market for family hatchbacks with SUV trappings is small compared with the more conventional, more expansive C-segment crossover class, but the new Kia XCeed is worth considering if you value a strong kit count, a well built cabin, and peace of mind in the form of a long warranty.”
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Auto Trader

Model reviewed: Range overview
Score: 8 / 10
“The Kia XCeed has its work cut out appealing to buyers in such an overcrowded and competitive section of the market. It has enough style and practicality to cut it on the school run, and it’s also quiet and comfortable to drive, very well equipped and reasonably affordable to buy.”
Read review

Business Car

Model reviewed:
Score: 7 / 10
“We’re sure these updates will keep Xceed customers coming back, but wonder if when compared to other Kia models and rivals, it is looking a bit dated.”
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Car

Model reviewed: Range overview
Score: 8 / 10
“The Kia XCeed’s interior material quality betters some key rivals, it’s on the sweeter end of the spectrum to drive in this never-ending sea of faux-SUVs and is arguably the most technologically up-to-date Kia on sale.”
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Model reviewed: Range review
Score: 8 / 10
“In essence, it’s just another thoroughly accomplished Kia to challenge some of the more ordinary contenders with style and up-to-date tech, and will certainly find many places on UK driveways – Kia expects it to become its third best-selling model – and it’s also telling that the most expensive version is likely to the most popular.”
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Carbuyer

Model reviewed: Range review
Score: 8.2 / 10
“The Kia XCeed manages to look more stylish and ride more comfortably than the Ceed on which it’s based.” (Ben Custard)
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Company Car Today

Model reviewed: 1.6-litre petrol/electric plug-in hybrid automatic 3
“The Kia XCeed looks good and the PHEV powertrain makes for a tax-efficient and, if managed properly to maximise EV running, cost-efficient package. But the reduced boot space is noticeable, and those wanting a practical PHEV should maybe look at the Ceed SW.”
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Model reviewed: 1.6-litre diesel manual 3
“The Xceed gives Kia a far more appealing car in the small family hatchback market. The looks alone see to this, but the softer suspension will work well on UK roads and the additional tech is a welcome bonus.”
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Green Car Guide

Model reviewed: 1.0-litre petrol manual ‘2’
Score: 7 / 10
“The Kia XCeed is generally competent in most areas but the three-cylinder, 1.0-litre engine had performance that was only just about adequate for most requirements.”
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Honest John

Model reviewed: Range overview
Score: 8 / 10
“Very good looking ‘crossover’ based on the KIA Ceed. Nicely furnished inside. Well equipped. Sensible value for money. Much better on 16-inch wheels than on 18-inch wheels.”
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Model reviewed: 1.4 T-GDi
“The interior feels very similar to the hatch, with lots of premium materials (more so than the larger Sportage) and some fresh technology including a new 10.25-inch media system.”
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Parkers

Model reviewed: Range overview
Score: 8.8 / 10
“Stylish, tech-filled and accomplished crossover”
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The Sun

Model reviewed: 1.0-litre petrol automatic
“The XCeed hatchback is yet another knockout crossover from Kia”
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The Sunday Times

Model reviewed: 1.4-litre petrol automatic First Edition
Score: 8 / 10
“XCeeds expectations.”
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The Telegraph

Model reviewed: 1.6-litre diesel manual 3
Score: 6 / 10
“The Kia Xceed has a classy interior, sleek looks and a large, useful boot. But the trouble is, you have to live with the droning engine and its gutless performance, not to mention the finicky ride quality and seats that grow uncomfortable on longer trips.”
Read review

Model reviewed: Range overview
Score: 8 / 10
“I had hoped the Kia Xceed would be better, not least because I wanted to use ‘Kia’s new crossover Xceeds expectations’ as the headline. But it doesn’t Xceed expectations. It meets them, neatly and predictably, in a pleasing but forgettable way.”
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Top Gear

Model reviewed: Range overview
Score: 6 / 10
“A capable answer to a question nobody should be asking.”
Read review

Safety rating

Independent crash test and safety ratings from Euro NCAP

Overall score: 4 stars
Date tested: July 2019
Read the full Euro NCAP review

Adult protection: 88%
Child protection: 85%
Vulnerable road users: 52%
Safety assist: 68%

Note on safety

The Kia XCeed shares its safety rating results with the rest of the Kia Ceed family, as they all share a common structure.

The XCeed has two separate Euro NCAP safety ratings. Lower-specification models do not get as much safety equipment as standard, so they get a four-star rating as shown above.

Higher-specification models get an additional Advanced Driving Assistance Pack (available on most lower-spec models at additional cost), which earns them a five-star rating. This also bumps up the Vulnerable Road Users rating from 52% to 68%, and the Safety Assist Rating from 68% to 73%.

Eco rating

Independent economy and emissions ratings from Green NCAP

No eco rating

As of July 2025, the Kia XCeed has not been assessed by Green NCAP.

Reliability rating

Reliability data provided exclusively for The Car Expert by MotorEasy

No reliability rating

As of July 2025, we don’t have enough reliability data on the Kia XCeed to generate a reliability rating.

The Car Expert’s reliability information is provided exclusively to us using extended warranty data from our partner, MotorEasy. As soon as MotorEasy has sufficient data on the XCeed, we’ll publish the score here.

Running cost rating

Monthly cost of ownership data provided exclusively for The Car Expert by Clear Vehicle Data

Fuel consumption	Average	Score
Petrol models	45 mpg	C
Diesel models	53 mpg	B
Plug-in hybrid models	189 mpg	A

CO₂ output	Average	Score	Variation	Score
Petrol models	142 g/km	B
Diesel models	137 g/km	B
Plug-in hybrid models	33 g/km	A

Battery range	Average	Score	Variation	Score
Plug-in hybrid models	28 miles	E

Insurance group	Average	Score	Variation	Score
All models	17	A

Service and maintenance	Cost	Score
Year 1	£219	B
Year 2	£536	B
Year 3	£861	B
Year 4	£1,055	A
Year 5	£1,413	A
Overall	£4,084	A

The Kia XCeed is a very affordable car to own and run, according to whole-life cost numbers provided exclusively to The Car Expert by our data partner, Clear Vehicle Data.

Fuel economy is fairly average for petrol models but good for diesel-engined versions. The plug-in hybrid models look amazing on paper, but this is largely thanks to ridiculous EU/UK government lab tests that are completely inadequate for plug-in hybrids. There is no way you will ever travel for 201 miles on a single gallon (4.5 litres) of fuel and some electricity…

The battery range of the plug-in hybrid model is quite poor too when compared with most rivals – the battery with 30 miles of range probably can’t handle most of your weekly driving without using any petrol, unless you are able to plug it into a charger very consistently.

Compared to the rest of the mid-sized saloon sector, the car’s service and maintenance costs are excellent though, and insurance premiums are predicted to be in the lower brackets too.

Warranty rating

New car warranty information for the Kia XCeed

Overall ratingA85%
New car warranty duration7 years
New car warranty mileage100,000 miles

Kia’s new car warranty is one of the best in the new car market, and better than pretty much any rival brands in a similar price bracket as the XCeed.

The duration is seven years, with a limit of 100,000 miles. This is good news for both new and used car buyers, as it helps the residual value of the XCeed for new car buyers when they come to sell the car, and it gives near-new car buyers confidence that they are covered for years to come.

The XCeed is a purely petrol-powered Kia, so it doesn’t get an additional eight-year battery warranty that hybrid or electric models enjoy. However, this is still an excellent score.