MOTORS REVIEW: KIA ProCeed

KIA is clearly keen to ensure that the success of its Stinger GT is not a flash in the pan for its performance car ambitions.

With Korean sister brand, Hyundai, having taken the hot hatch sector by storm with its debut i30 N last year there was clearly a desire to continue to expand the once budget-focussed brand into more ambitious territory.

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Breaking the mould for the sector and neatly side-stepping a head-on clash with the incoming Ford Focus ST and Volkswagen’s Golf GTI, is this — the Kia Proceed GT.

Prices start at £23,840 for the distinctive “shooting brake” (think of it as a blend of coupe and estate) in 140PS GT Line guise, but the version tested here is the range-topping 1.6-litre GDi 204PS-engined GT, which backs-up the exterior’s sweeping silhouette with more in the way of performance.

Sitting 43 mm lower than the Sportswagon (estate) version of the Ceed hatchback, with a ground clearance reduced by some 5mm, the Proceed looks every bit the sporty estate out on the road.

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While the front end is fairly familiar Ceed fayre, there are hints of Volkswagen Scirocco and even Porsche Macan in what is a broad and smoothly sculpted rear end, flanked by a pair of sleek chrome exhausts.

In GT trim, there are 18-inch alloys and deep side skirts which accentuate the ground-hugging appearance of a car that actually blends practicality and performance effectively thanks to its sheer length’s (4,605mm) ability to accommodate a 594-litre boot.

Equipped with a seven-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission, Kia claims the GT will reach 60mph in a swift 7.2 seconds on the way to a top speed of 140mph.

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Claimed fuel economy is 39.3mpg alongside 142g/km CO2 emissions.

Based on the underpinnings of the Ceed hatchback, the Proceed is front-wheel-drive — unlike the dynamicallyblessed Stinger — and delivers a chassis balance familiar to those stepping-up from the Ceed hatchback.

The GT’s suspension may well prove a little too stiff for many families but it has enough damping polish to take the edge of most road imperfections.

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This ensures that it turns-in accurately and serves up impressive grip on a twisty road.

If anything, the longer rear overhang of the Proceed also means that more weight is transferred over the rear tyres, resulting in greater mid-corner adjustability.

This is basically a fairly large family car that can be hustled when the mood takes and proves unexpectedly keen to bite the tarmac and respond to being taken by the scruff.

That 1.6-litre engine lacks ultimate character, though.

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Despite a bassy soundtrack which communicates something meatier than a turbocharged 1.6-litre unit, the performance can feel a little thin.

As such, it never feels like it’s a car that will compete among the sector’s genuine hot hatches.

The Proceed does deliver something else, though, and that’s a very nicely finished interior and a very premium- looking standard specification.

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Kia’s new heated black leather and suede sports seats, finished with red stitching and featuring an embroidered “GT2” logo and a heated steering wheel, are further complemented by stainless steel pedals and a sculpted leather steering wheel like the one found in the Stinger.

An eight-inch satnav and infotainment display tops a dash cantered towards the driver and among the other technology on board is a semi-autonomous Lane Following Assist (LFA), capable of steering the car in its lane on the motorway while using external sensors and the cruise control system to maintain a safe distance from the vehicle in front, a Blind Spot Collision Warning (BCW), Smart Parking Assist System (SPAS), and pedestrian detection.

While it might not be the last thing in performance car thrills, the Proceed GT will make a compelling option for families keen to turn away from an SUV and inject a little style and speed into their lives.

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Away from the Kia Stinger, it may well be Hyundai is forging ahead with the real driver appeal in this part of the market, but for a taste of premium packaging and a unique design encompassing estate car practicality, Kia is delivering where other manufacturers fear to tread.

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