Kia pro_cee'd

Seven months after its Australian launch, the Kia Pro_cee'd GT gets upgraded with sat-nav and a longer warranty

What to look for buying when buying a second-hand hot hatch

The finest mid-$30k 'warm' hatchback on the market? The Kia Pro_cee'd staked its claim 12 months ago, dispatching Hyundai’s poster boy Veloster SR Turbo and Renault’s potent and racy Megane RS265 Sport as the best all-rounder in the sweet spot bridging humble $20k-something conveniences and properly hot $40k-plus hatchbacks.

Hot-hatches these days are priced anywhere from the $26,000 to nearly $75,000, from the tiny terror city cars to the new breed of premium-branded European mega-hatches. In between those two price points there’s a lot of space to be occupied, and there’s an emerging class of warm-to-hot-hatches that aim to offer more balanced abilities than their three-chilli compatriots.

The Kia cee’d GT, five-door twin to the three-door Pro_cee’d GT that left Australia last year, is gearing up for the 2017 TCR International Series touring car championship - and it looks tough.

You’ve probably read our previous reports that local sales for the Kia Pro_cee’d GT are being hurt by the fact it is available solely with a six-speed manual transmission.

Four-door GT on the way as Stinger put on ice.

Next-gen Pro_Cee'd GT may miss Australia.

Dave takes Kia's first-ever hot-hatch to Sandown Raceway to test its potential as a weekend warrior...

After spending six months on looking for modern midlife crisis car I settled on a 2014 Kia ProCeed GT Tech in what I’ve found to be a rare silver one . Before making my choice I drove a Toyota 86 and a Hyundai Veloster turbo prior to the ProCeed. All were manual transmission. The 86 was a typical Toyota (Boring) and not as real four seater . The Veloster was quite fun but I’m not a fan of the angles everywhere dashboard. With the Kia ProCeed it’s unique look on the outside, ice cube LED daytime running lights and Tiger Grill got me interested , the interior was a fresh surprise for a Korean / European car , it’s very subtle and easy on the eye with chrome accents in the right places and soft touch dash . The Recaro seats feel great , hugging you in the right places , suede and leather added to the quality feel of the interior. It’s a 2 door hatch and the back is as comfy as the front seats but can be difficult for some adults to get in and out of even with front seat fully forward and the large doors open wide . Although the door size isn’t an issue in car parks thankfully. I’ve had the car 18 months now and have enjoyed the driving dynamics and also the ownership. It’s a quick car but not that quick so you have fun behind the wheel without being frightened when you push hard on the throttle and getting the twin scroll turbo on song. You watch the speedo numbers quickly increase on the TFT centre screen on the instruments and the torque / turbo boost coloured bars go up , which adds to the driving experience, it’s not just a gimmick. The ride is firm but not too firm or bouncy to be annoying , bumps and rough surfaces are easily absorbed by the great suspension setup , multilink rear compared to a Veloster. Even with spirited driving fuel economy is around the 8L per 100km . Plus it takes normal 91 Ron fuel unlike many European cars that demand 95 Ron fuel . Range is around the 600 km for a tank . Even more on a run , a recent trip from Melbourne to Sydney getting over 700 kn on a 53 litre tank . I must say on the trip up to Sydney the car was a pleasure to be in , cruise set and in 6th gear the car took all the hills and gradients in its stride not needing and gear change to accend to decend on the whole trip plus overtaking was quick and safe with the 1.6 T engine showing how drivable it is in everyday use . When it comes to services it’s every 6 months or 7500 km and the fixed price services don’t seem overpriced and it’s easy to get warranty work addressed too . In 18 months I’ve had seat foam issues, which is a common problem fixed without hassle. Mechanically no issues in the near 30,000 kms I’ve driven in the Proceed . Confidence in the Kia warranty and dealerships takes the stress out of the ownership too . There are to me some very upmarket features on the Tech model I have , the panoramic sunroof, the HID headlights that turn as you turn the steering wheel and the puddle lamps on door mirrors would be found only on German cars and not a Kia . This car is quite unique in Australia and have found it has a bit of a cult following which adds to the ownership. With the addition of the Optima GT and Stinger GT it’s a looking great to be a Kia GT owner . I’m not sure I’d find a better package in a car and I’m going to struggle to a replacement car not that I’m looking to change my car for a long while . As Kia use as their tag line , the ProCeed GT has “The Power To Surprise “

“I drive a Kia”. Over the past three years I’ve come to painfully accept few things, if any, decimates one’s attempt to maintain any credibility of a car enthusiast than these four words. And that’s even before we get to the poorly punctuated model name. From the awkward silence followed by the polite excuse to move on or away to the outright pained expression of disgust at the notion of anyone who would vaguely lay claim to being considered a petrolhead driving a Kia and everything in between, yes, I’ve seen them all. But for the rare few who have braved the initial bewilderment or steeled themselves possibly out of sheer pity for this misguided delusional “car nut”, surprise has often been the end result. “It can’t be fun to drive surely?” With the exception of tyres, which I inexplicably wore out around 30000km (I’m a gentle driver, I promise) and replaced with Michelin Pilot Sport 4, my ride is as stock as it gets. But that has not once detracted the thrill I get everytime I’m flinging it on the backroads around the green belt or Yarra Valley. If anything, the new tyres have been a bonus, with lower road noise and possibly better grip. If there was anything in the drive would have lived up to the “Power to Surprise” tagline, it would have been the balance and poise felt in the twisties. Yes, it’s no edgy Focus ST or fluent Mk7 Golf GTI but, at the risk of appearing as wanting to trigger some close mates, those familiar with older iterations of the latter might actually find more than passing similarities in handling, feedback and feel. “You could have gotten a Fiesta ST or Polo GTI for around the same coin, mate” Yes I could have but lovely as these drive I already have a Fiesta in my household and my multiple attempts to test a Polo GTI in manual guise were painfully futile. Sadly. And yes, the Pro_cee’d was available in manual-only guise, which coupled to the lack of public awareness of the car is what I believe contributed to its tremendously underwhelming sales figures and subsequent removal from the Kia AU offerings list. And, oh, what resale value? “Family car underpinnings? Bet it’s pretty frugal then” Fuel has admittedly been a bit of a struggle to the extent I have all but given up trying. With a 40/40/20 guesstimate mix of CBD slog, freeway cruising and backroad flings I have never clocked better than 8.0l/100km on 98-octane. My best consumption figures have been logged on long drives with cruise control where high-6’s were achieved. I am still trying to figure how some fellow owners achieve those amazing consumption figures reported or those published in the brochure. “Had any rattles (or interior bits) fall out yet?” Apart from occasional powdery flakes of cushion material fall out from my driver seat the interior was and still is solid-feeling and squeak-free. From the get-go I was pleasantly impressed how solid the interior felt and still feels today, especially given the expectation one would have from the cheap-and-cheery image set by its Cerato sibling. And speaking of interior, while it does sit four adults rather comfortably, the 3-door configuration does put a damper to rear passenger egress and the far side blind spot check took me a while to attune myself to. “Where’s the touchscreen, mate?” Having opted for the non-tech spec the dash is somewhat dour, with a single-slot CD player/radio fronted by an orange LED-lit screen in place of a cool LCD screen which some of fellow Pro_cee’d owners enjoy. The only minimalist-inspired embellishments I get are the occasional smattering of gloss black accents around the air vents and door handles. On the flip side, the partial leather-clad Recaro’s are comfy enough for a non-stop North-East Melbourne to Port Campbell blast along the Great Ocean Road but still sufficiently grippy when I am in the mood to toss the car around. Which of course I rarely do. Noise levels are also sufficiently controlled to maintain decent conversation with passengers while at speed along the said road, which has further improved with my current tyres. “Oooo...it’s Korean, mate. Can’t be that reliable, surely?” Apart from my routine service stops, I’ve not had reason to visit the service department for anything else to-date. Capped price servicing and long warranty does impart quite a bit of piece of mind but many have found the 6-month service intervals unacceptable by contemporary standards. Admittedly I was quite apprehensive at first but have since gotten used to it and just work the service visits into my routine. And despite the twice a year service, the costs involved weren’t much different from similar warm hatches available. Also worth mentioning here is while I am happy with my current service location, the experience with after-sales service from various dealers has been mixed and not always pleasant so I’m truly thankful there are choices available. “Nobody in their right mind will bother with a car like that...” Going beyond the tangible one bright spark I have been really grateful for in the experience of owning this car was that little pseudo-outcast community of Pro_cee’d owners with whom I share a common thread with by virtue of owning one. While this is not the platform to elaborate it definitely has made the experience of owning a black Pro_cee’d a whole lot more colourful. “So you’re actually happy with going Korean...?” Having come from a primarily Euro-centric car background going Korean was admittedly somewhat of a nail-biting leap for me. And, while it has nowhere been perfect, the experience has been nothing short of delightful and three years on, I still very much enjoy everytime I get behind the wheel. Adding to that delight since getting my ride is the appearance of the likes of the Stinger and upcoming i30N shoring up the case of going Korean not being a bad thing after all. Perhaps, someday, Kia and stablemate Hyundai will move away from being merely viewed as a side joke in the car enthusiast community. But for now, I suppose I will have to comfort myself with the thought the makers of the ultimate driving machines once made bubble-shaped cars.

As a FWD man I have owned many hot hatchbacks, from the 1970's onwards. All have their quirks but none have been as sorted as this Kia. The Australian version has suspension settings that differ from Europe and it had to be this way, the fact they now use them in Europe says a lot. I like the way this car handles, not too firm just enough oversteer when playing although since the addition of Michelin Sport 4's this has almost entirely vanished. Also another 3 demerits has got me using the speed limiter more often. I miss the level of tech my old 2008 Fiat had, auto window shutting on the remote, adjustable BiXenon headlamps that turned night into day, the arm rest being a fantastic cool box for bottles of water. The Kia has a glove box attempt but it's not great. These do not really change my love for the Kia though just a shame the setup is slightly lacking. The economy is literally amazing, my last car was a turbo charged 1.4 and got nowhere near the pretend figures it published. The Kia can easily return 8ltr/100km and better even. I have upset a few V8 owners on many occasions especially through the tight twisty bends of the national park areas, I even kept up with a Ferrari much to the wife's dismay. I have had a few issues with the car mechanically but nothing the warranty hasn't sorted out. I have done 20k in the car so far and actually love driving it and staring at it parked as it is a good looking car. I am still shocked I had never seen one before until I glanced at a comparison review about it. The price is just ridiculous for what it is. Nothing compares on value for money. My two kids love it, getting them in and out of a three door is easier than my Lancer I owned for a year.In fact there is more leg room than most 4 doors and that's with kiddie seats fitted. A totally impractical family car but I couldn't help it and my usually sensible wife agreed when we bought it. I offered to sell it to buy a bigger slower more Australian vehicle and she said no way ! I knew she would say no but I had to pretend :) The boot space is too small so i got a roof box for the camping trips, it fits the push chairs and shopping easily but isn't as big as i pretended it was when we bought it.Try one out before you spend far too much on your German engineering, spend the change on another car even, as I have said nothing compares to the Pro GT for value and enjoyment.

Fourteen months. I am no expert in relationships but if you spent up to two hours with someone, or something, almost daily you think you would have learnt everything there is to learn. So what have I learnt about my (yes, poorly-named) Pro_cee'd? For starters, I am still choose to take the long way home at every opportunity. No, I haven't forgotten my personal benchmark for driving fun and, yes, for the umpteenth time, the Pro_cee'd is definitely less sharp, especially on the limits than any of them. But "less sharp" hasn't meant I've not enjoyed every drive, especially when checking out new twisty roads in the Yarra Valley. Some sound symposer-esque aural input would be appreciated too - my main insignificant gripe on my daily drive is the lack of drama when flooring it. No exhaust roar, no kick-in-the-back whoosh or torque steer driven drama. It just goes. Once you get past the tricky 2-door configuration, which for taller adults mean some degree of twisting, the rear space has repeatedly proven surprisingly decent for two adults, with adequate rear head and legroom. And once everyone's happily settled in the snug seats there's quite a bit of tech toys to keep first-time passengers talking for a while. Two of them being the reverse camera display, which unlike the tech-spec model, appears in the rear-view mirror and the (admittedly gimmicky) switchable display LCD speedometer. It also helps the interior still feels nicely intact and devoid of squeaks and rattles after fourteen months, although some have commented it being a little dark and could do with more colour. In addition to the silly name AND non-posh badge, being a manual-only has made this car a turn off so many that Kia AU has decided it wasn't worth selling anymore. To that all I have long accepted that you either get it or you don't. I for one enjoy shifting my own gears and have found the shift action quite pleasant once things have warmed up and you get past the initial notchy-ness. The decent amount of torque below 2500rpm means highway overtaking is a relatively drama-free event until someone sees a Kia in their mirrors and, thinking its a slow one, cuts into your lane without signalling. The clutch is pleasantly light albeit a tad high set, which to me is one of the most obvious dead giveaways of its family hatchback origins, along with a relatively large but functional steering wheel enlivened by red GT stitching. Was a flat-bottomed wheel too much to ask for? Now for the boring stuff. Fuel consumption has been hovering around the official combined figure of 8.0l/100km involving a relatively even mix of urban, highway and hard twisty road driving. Also, this may be imaginary but despite the user manual stating the car is 91-octane friendly I find it feeling smoother running on 95. I was admittedly a little worried about the 6-month servicing interval but having a dealer relatively close to my workplace has meant this potential bugbear been relatively uneventful after two rounds. Thankfully. Servicing costs are a bit on the high side (around 30% greater compared to my benchmark) but I comfort myself with the thought that difference has been offset by a significantly lower purchase price. Regrets? I initially was smitten by the Tech specced model with the lovely sunroof and centre console LCD screen but chose to go non-Tech because I could mount a roof rack. However, fourteen months later I still haven't gotten round to getting one and occasionally wonder if I made the right call. Also, going with my "you're only young once" mantra I wondered if I should have just gone all out on the heart-driven decisions... All in, as mentioned in my initial review a year ago, this isn't a car that does anything outstanding - it's not the sharpest, best looking, most practical in its class. However, to me, it balances most things that are mattered to me decently. That opinion has not changed. But yes, of course a part of me would still wistfully stare at my benchmark choice whenever I see one go by, especially in stealth grey. Even after fourteen months.