Can the practical and spacious Kia XCeed provide a midway solution for company car drivers looking to move away from SUVs? Al Suttie puts it to the test.

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Kia XCeed 1.5 T-GDi GT-Line S

List price (BiK): £30,395 (33%) CO2: 143g/km Economy: 44.8 Test efficiency: 41.6

Monday

Is there a bit of an SUV backlash beginning to foment? I ask as a couple of friends have mentioned they’d like to move away from this shape of car with their next company lease and what should they choose? My usual default has been a Volkswagen Golf, but maybe the Kia XCeed that arrived this morning could be the halfway house they’re after? After all, it’s essentially a small hatch with 44mm more ground clearance than a Ceed.

Tuesday

Coming back to the Kia, which is parked in a multi-storey in Edinburgh today, there’s no missing the XCeed thanks to its £595 optional Spirit Green paint job. I usually prefer something a bit more discreet, but this hue suits the XCeed I reckon and the family arriving in the next bay seem to agree judging by their comments. Nice to brighten someone’s day with nothing more than the colour of a car.

Wednesday

A different type of green to consider with the XCeed today. A longer drive means the 44.8mpg claimed combined has a chance to prove itself. Cruising at the motorway limit and gentle driving in town sees the car’s average mpg hover around this figure, but a bit of country road on the way home drops it to just under 42mpg. Decent enough but not as wallet-consoling as I’d hoped.

Thursday

This particular XCeed has the turbocharged 1.5-litre petrol motor, putting out 160hp, and coupled to a six-speed manual gearbox. It’s a distinct pleasure to have a proper manual transmission and the Kia’s swaps cogs swiftly and sweetly. It also gives the XCeed a brisk feel off the line in town, even if the 0-60mph of 8.7 seconds won’t upset any hot hatch owners. More importantly, the engine is fairly hushed unless you hang on to the revs way past what’s really needed for normal progress.

Friday

It’s been a few days now with the XCeed and I’m in two minds about the raised suspension. On the one hand, it means I’m not worries about the copious number of potholes that are strewn all over the local roads. However, I don’t think the increased height has done the ride or handling any favours compare to a Ceed hatch, which I’m sure is more compliant and leans less in corners.

Saturday

Weekend duties mean tapping into the Kia’s boot space. At 426 litres, it’s on the money for this class of hatch and has no trouble with the kids’ sports bags and then a run to the supermarket. However, if this were my permanent company car, I’d choose the Ceed Sportswagon or Proceed for the extra room, which the family dog would also thank me for. Still, no complaints concerning room or gloom from the back seat passengers.

Sunday

To answer the queries of friends looking to shift from SUVs, is the Kia XCeed the answer to their needs? If they want a comfy, well made and well fitted out family hatch, then yes, the Kia is as good as any. The caveat is I’d go for the Ceed hatch or one of the estate models over the XCeed as they offer better fuel economy. Only the XCeed’s better ability at fending off rutty roads marks it out from its siblings.