[Brydo]

Article

Kia’s new petrol-electric PHEVs start from £29,995, with first deliveries expected in April

Kia has revealed UK spec details of its first plug-in hybrid models, based on the Ceed Sportswagon and XCeed crossover.

Available to order now, with first deliveries expected in April, the Sportswagon PHEV is priced at £29,995 in its sole 3 trim level, while the XCeed starts from £30,695 with a choice of 3 or First Edition trims.

The Xceed and Ceed Sportswagon are both powered by a 1.6-litre four-cylinder petrol engine mated to a 44.5kW electric motor and an 8.9kWh lithium-polymer battery pack. Combined outputs are 139bhp and 195lb ft of torque, resulting in a 0-62mph time of 10.8sec for the Ceed Sportswagon and 11.0sec dead for the XCeed.

Both are mated to a six-speed dual-clutch automatic gearbox rather than the traditional continuously variable transmission (CVT) found in most hybrids. Kia claims this makes for reduced powertrain losses from energy conversion and offers a more enjoyable driving experience.

Will it be third time lucky for Kia’s Europe-only hatchback – or are established rivals from Ford, VW, Seat and Honda still the better buy?

Combining the above with regenerative braking that harvests kinetic energy that would otherwise be lost, Kia claims an all-electric range of 37 miles for the Sportswagon and 36 miles for the XCeed. Both can be charged in around 2hr 15min via a 3.3kW AC charger.

Official fuel economy and CO2 emissions figures for the two plug-in hybrids aren’t yet available, but expect a sub-50g/km rating for both.

Both models get minor design tweaks to mark them out from other versions, including a closed-off version of Kia’s ‘tiger nose’ grille to aid aerodynamic efficiency. Unique wheel designs also feature, while the Sportswagon gets the more aero-friendly bumpers from the GT-Line spec. The charging port is integrated into the left front wing.

Specific instruments, new infotainment features and a charging indicator on top of the dash are the main changes inside, but boot size is also reduced on both models. In the Sportswagon, it’s down from 600 to 437 litres when the rear seats are in use, while the XCeed drops from 426 to 291 litres. Both models have a dedicated space beneath the boot floor for the charging cable.

Options include a Towing Pack – not often a feature of a hybrid car, although Kia doesn’t quote the towing capacity of either model.

Although not officially confirmed, a PHEV version of the standard Ceed hatchback is also expected to arrive later in 2020.

Topic

[Motability user]

Could all these copy and paste ev news items go in one thread under an heading of say EV/PHEV News.

So that more generally informative threads and general Motability threads do not keep fast disappearing off the front page under the weight of them

[Elliot]

11 seconds 0-62 mph wow!

[Author]

Replies