Kia ProCeed On Test

One of the mainstays of Kia’s range is the five-door Ceed hatch, which was comprehensively updated last year. Up until then, a three-door “pro_cee’d” model was available, which aimed to offer a more sporty drive.

Demand for three door cars has tailed off, so Kia chose to move the ProCeed (now easier to spell) model in a different direction. That direction is up for discussion.

ProCeed now has five doors, but it’s at the rear where the interest lies. Tourer, shooting brake, estate car, five-door coupe.... you decide!

The ProCeed is a little longer than the Ceed Sportswagen, undoubtedly an estate car, but it sits around 4cm lower.

The front end merits comparison with the Stinger, whereas the sloping rear and full width rear light treatment are unique and in my humble opinion, rather stylish. Think Porsche Panamera Sport Turismo without the £70,000+ price tag and you get the idea...

The good looks do not come at the expense of practicality. Almost 600 litres of usable load space is on offer, though the lower roofline may restrict the carrying of bulky items.

There are underfloor cubbies for odds and ends and lowering the rear seats creates just over 1,500 litres of usable space.
Those who regularly carry rear passengers need not worry about lack of space, as the ProCeed offers enough head and leg room for most.

Up front, it is familiar Ceed fare with well placed, intuitive instrumentation and controls. All models are GT specification which means comfortable sporty-looking seats and a generous amount of standard equipment.

Expect to find climate-controlled air conditioning, 8-inch floating touchscreen with satellite navigation and LED lighting.
UK prices start at £23,840 rising to £29,260 for a top GT-Line S model which gains a panoramic sunroof, larger 18-inch alloy wheels and power adjustment to the driver’s seat.

There is a choice of two petrol and one diesel engine, manual and automatic gears.

On test here is the 201hp 1.6-litre petrol engine, paired with a seven-speed DCT automatic gearbox. It’s a happy pairing with the smooth gearbox helping to make the most of the engine’s considerable power. The 0-60mph official sprint time of 7.2 seconds is impressive and should such figures interest, the top speed is 140mph.

Kia quote 39.3mpg for the combined cycle, with the trip computer showing just under 35mpg at the end of my week behind the wheel.

Kia clearly intend the ProCeed to offer a sporty drive and to that end the ride is on the firm side. This pays dividends at motorway speeds where comfort and stability are the order of the day. At town speeds, it is slightly less good news as the ride can get a little ‘crashy’.

Much of my time with the ProCeed was spent on my favourite driving roads so I had high hopes that there was fun to be had. Controlled – yes. Safe and secure – most definitely. Fun – maybe not…

I doubt most buyers will mind as the ProCeed possesses many other positive and attractive virtues. The long industry-leading warranty, the impeccable build quality and the easy ownership experience to name but three.

So, before you commit to that SUV purchase, why not take a look at Kia’s attractive new car. It might just be what you are looking for.

Fast Facts

Kia ProCeed 1.6 T-GDi ‘GT’
Price: £28,140 on the road
1,591cc petrol engine (201bhp)
7-speed DCT automatic gearbox
0-60mph in 7.2 seconds
Top speed 140mph
Combined economy 39.3mpg
Emissions 142g/km CO2
Max tow weight (braked) 1,410kg
7 years/100,000-mile warranty