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Kia touts sporty look of new addition to Ceed compact range

The XCeed has an elevated ride height, along with a swept-back, coupe-like appearance.
June 06, 2019 07:36 AM

Kia said its XCeed crossover aims to offer a "sporty alternative" to traditional larger SUVs.

Kia released a picture of the car, which will be the fourth body style of its Ceed compact car range sold in Europe. The XCeed has a coupe-like appearance.

Kia said the XCeed will offer interior space and luggage capacity comparable to Europe's best-selling SUVs in a sportier body and in a more compact footprint.

In a statement Kia Europe Chief Operating Officer Emilio Herrera said the XCeed's sporty design makes it more desirable than many taller, larger SUVs without compromising on versatility because of its "intelligent packaging."

The XCeed will be positioned above the Stonic small crossover and below the Sportage midsize SUV. It will compete with rivals such as the Volkswagen T-Roc, Ford Focus Active and Renault Kadjar.

The XCeed will join the Ceed hatchback, station wagon and ProCeed shooting brake wagon in Kia's lineup.

Sales of the three cars rose 35 percent to 34,528 in the first four months, according to market researchers JATO Dynamics.

The XCeed will be built alongside the other Ceed models at Kia's plant in Zilina, Slovakia.

Kia will disclose more details on the XCeed on June 26. Its public debut will be at the Frankfurt auto show in September.

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