Kia XCeed PHEV

FIRST DRIVE Is plug-in hybrid the best version of updated crossover?

- Shane Wilkinson

Running costs 201.7mpg (official) £61 fill-up

Performance 0-60mph/top speed 10.9 seconds/99mph

KIA is something of a hybrid pioneer and the XCeed crossover is one of its most popular models in the UK. It's likely, then, that this XCeed Plug-in Hybrid will be a big seller for the brand over here.

Refreshed alongside the petrol model we tested in Issue 1,751, this petrol-electric variant gets a similar round of updates. But its 1.6-litre engine, 8.9kWh battery and electric motor are unchanged, so total output stands at 139bhp and 265Nm of torque.

More important is the all-electric range, which is 30 miles. That's not the biggest by modern PHEV standards, but still a useful dose of electrification that could help to lower your running costs, with claimed fuel economy of more than 200mpg, CO₂ emissions of 32g/km and a Benefit-in-Kind company car tax rating of 12 per cent.