Major Kia Ceed update to help it fill the Ford Focus-shaped hole in the hatchback market
Despite this test car’s camouflage, we already have a solid idea how the Ceed will look thanks to the new K4
The Ceed (or ‘Cee’d as it was known back then) was the car that kick-started Kia’s success in the UK almost 20 years ago and as we can see from these latest spy shots, there’s a new one just around the corner.
The family hatchback sector will wave goodbye to the Ford Focus this year, as it did with the internal-combustion-engined Renault Mégane a few years ago. However, Kia obviously thinks there’s still life in the segment, and it hopes to cash in with a new generation of the Ceed.
However, the new, fourth-generation variant will no longer be a model specifically for Europe. As Kia looks to globalise more of its models, the next UK Kia Ceed will be a version of the C-segment K4 hatchback that’s just been revealed for South Korea and the USA.
With the South Korean firm now having a more regular design language through its global line-up, we already have a pretty good idea how the new Ceed will look. From these spy shots, it’s clear the overall body will be longer and lower than before, but it’ll take on Kia’s modern design signatures such as slim, vertical headlights, a thin upper grille and clever use of black trim – most of which we’ve seen on Kia’s new all-electric EV-badged cars.
Those LED lights will likely copy Kia’s new ‘Star Map’ design, framing the front end for a striking look. Don’t be fooled by the bulges on the rear doors, though, as the door handles will be located on the C-pillar to give the Ceed a sportier, three-door-inspired look. The overall shape also looks much wider and more aggressive than today’s Ceed, framed at the rear by thin LED lights that loop their way around from the middle of the tailgate to the far edges of the tail.
The cabin will also be a direct carry-over from the K4 hatch, so that should see the use of a much more modern dual-screen set-up perched on top of a thin and minimalist dashboard. Not yet confirmed for Europe is the funky asymmetric colour scheme available on the K4 saloon in Kia’s native Korean market, which actually sees the driver and passenger’s doors finished in different colours.
The range of engines will probably include a selection of small petrol units, most with some form of mild-hybrid assistance and all powering the front wheels. It’s not known whether a plug-in hybrid is on the cards, but a Golf-rivalling diesel is not likely due to limited demand in markets outside of Europe. Given that the car’s already been unveiled for overseas markets, we suspect we won’t have to wait long to see the new European Kia Ceed model in full.
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