Kia has slimmed down its Picanto line-up, added a new range-topping Xceed model and ended production of the Ceed and Ceed SW as part of a major line-up reshuffle.
The Picanto – the Korean brand’s second best seller, behind the Sportage – is now sold exclusively with a 67bhp 1.0-litre petrol triple, Kia having ditched the 62bhp 1.0-litre triple and a 76bhp 1.2-litre four.
The Xceed has gained a 177bhp 1.6-litre petrol four in top-rung guise, while the base model’s 158bhp 1.5-litre petrol four has been replaced by a 113bhp hybridised 1.0-litre triple.
Both cars are offered with manual or automatic gearboxes (excluding the Xceed’s new 1.6-litre petrol).
Meanwhile, their trims have been renamed, with Pure, GT-Line and GT-Line S replacing 2 and 3.
Prices start at £16,695 and £25,165 and top out at £20,245 and £33,125 respectively.
The Ceed and Ceed SW have been axed entirely. Both were built at Kia’s Zilina plant in Slovakia and, along with the Proceed, of which production ended in December, they will not be directly replaced, a Kia spokesperson said.
Autocar understands the new K4 will fill the void of all three cars when it arrives in Europe later this year, although this is yet to be officially confirmed.
Kia’s new combustion-engined Volkswagen Golf rival, built in Mexico and sold in North America in both hatchback and estate forms, was spotted testing in Europe earlier this year.
The spokesperson confirmed to Autocar that the culling of the three models makes way on the Zilina production line for the incoming EV4, Kia’s first foray into the electric C-segment. Deliveries are scheduled to begin imminently.
It also frees up space for the incoming EV2, Kia’s new entry-level EV, which will be manufactured at the plant from early 2026.
This was previewed by a concept earlier this year and will be twinned with a Hyundai model – expected to be named Ioniq 2 – that is expected to be revealed at the Munich motor show.
The Ceed (originally badged Cee’d) arrived in 2006, followed quickly by the Ceed SW estate and three-door Proceed (reinvented in 2019 as a shooting brake). The raised, crossover-esque Xceed arrived in 2019.