Published:
22 October 2024If the Kia Xceed’s exterior styling looked novel and interesting, albeit in an inoffensive way at the time it was launched, its interior, which borrows very heavily from the Mk3 Ceed, was already feeling quite ordinary. Now it seems dated compared with other Kias, let alone rival cars’ cabins.
Even with some brightly coloured inserts on top-level models, this is a cabin that prizes robustness and sound ergonomics above feeling inviting or lavish.
Front passenger space is generous and, adhering to the family-car brief, there are good storage options dotted around fittings made from a variety of plastics. Some of those are soft to the touch, but many are not.
The 12.3in TFT instrument binnacle had its debut in the Xceed, while the higher trims also featured the 10.25in touchscreen infotainment system before it appeared in the hatchback range. Lower-rung models made do with an 8.0in unit initially, but all now have the larger one.
Everything about the Xceed’s interior feels familiar, which makes it easy to adapt to but not exactly a place in which you’d long to while away an extended drive. The infotainment is generally slick in operation and intuitive and has Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, but it feels disappointingly ordinary.
Space-wise it’s pretty much a facsimile of the Ceed, which is slightly above average for hatchbacks but cosy alongside most SUVs of a similar length.
