Three years after the launch of the second-generation Cee’d, Kia is working on a mid-cycle facelift for its compact hatchback.

Our spies caught up with a heavily camouflaged prototype of the five-door model while undergoing winter testing in Europe.

There’s too much going on to know the exact cosmetic changes hidden under the wraps, but we suspect that Kia will give the Cee’d a discreet makeover with the latest version of its ‘tiger nose’ grille, along with reworked bumpers and lights.

The Cee’d will likely receive a lightly updated interior too, with fresh functionality for the car’s infotainment systems and renewed equipment trims.

On the mechanical side, we don’t expect any major changes to the engine lineup that will continue with the same range of diesel and petrol units, but Kia will probably follow in the footsteps of sister company Hyundai and it’s facelifted i30 introducing a new 7-speed dual-clutch transmission to replace the current six-speed torque-converter automatic.

The five door Cee’d should make its premiere at the 2015 Frankfurt Motor Show this fall, followed by the three-door Pro_Cee’d and the estate model.

Photo Credits: CarPix for CarScoops

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