What's the news?
This rather gorgeous-looking sketch is our first sight of the next-generation Kia Ceed, which will be given a full public outing at the upcoming Geneva motor show. The new Ceed (that's right - the sub-editor-bothering apostrophe has at last been dropped) will switch to sharing a platform with the current Hyundai i30 (that'll be the Hyundai-Kia J4 platform, the Korean's equivalent of Volkswagen's MQB and PSA Peugeot-Citroen-Opel's EPM2) and will get some updated engines.
Kia says: "the third-generation Ceed features innovative new technologies and engines, a mature and athletic new design, and a more engaging drive."
Inside, it will get a cabin broadly similar to that seen in the Kia Niro hybrid, with a seven-inch touchscreen (which should be standard on all models) standing proud of the central dash, and the deeply-hooded instruments which have become a trademark of the previous Ceed.
Kia says that a second model of the Ceed family will be shown in Geneva, alongside this five-door hatchback, so that's likely to be the latest version of the popular Ceed SW estate. We've already seen Kia's plans for an ultra-sporty-looking shooting brake model, which is likely to become the next Proceed coupe, but that car is probably not going to be shown in Geneva in production form - expect to see the concept from last year's Frankfurt motor show again, alongside the production-ready models.
New engines will also be part of the package, including the updated 1.0-litre TGDI petrol three-cylinder turbo, already seen in the Rio. Kia will continue to offer a diesel engine for now, so expect an upgrade to the existing 1.6-litre CRDI engine, as well as some new turbocharged petrol four-cylinder units.
Oh, and the name? Well if you were always wondering, cee'd, now Ceed, is an amalgamation of the phrase "Community of Europe, with European Design." So now you know...