Kia Pro_cee’d, Endangered Species

More and more brands are dispensing with their three-door sports compact, and the market is changing and the number of sales of this type of vehicle is decreasing. Still, the Korean brand keeps its Kia Pro_cee’d in good shape and is achieving respectable sales volume.

Born in 2013, it came to the market to rival models such as the Opel Astra GTC or the Seat León SC, although little by little its rivals are becoming less numerous. Hopefully these types of sports and youth vehicles will weather the storm.

Kia Pro_cee’d design

This is one of the most important aspects for anyone looking for a car with these characteristics, and the Kia Pro_cee’d does not disappoint. Unlike what happens with other models, where the only change we find is in the number of doors, the entire silhouette of our protagonist is different.

The front view is the most similar to that of the five-door model, but a number of details, such as the fog lights and the skirts, give us a hint that we are looking at a special version of the Cee’d. The inside of the bulbs, the grille and the areas around the fog lamps have a beautiful gloss black finish.

If the one in front of us is the GT version, in addition to more aggressive skirts, specific wheels and a red line very much in the GTI style, you will boast one of the most radical and elaborate aesthetics within the sporty-cut compacts.

If we take a look at the side of the car, the first thing we will notice is the height of the vehicle, since it is four centimeters lower than its five-door brother, and that difference is very noticeable with the naked eye. The design they have given to the rear side is very successful, with a widening at the waist that gives it a very sporty image.

The rear of the Kia Pro_cee’d is totally specific, with small format lamps inserted into the hips that form the body and a bumper with black details that give the Korean a very different look.

Inside

The front seats are as well resolved as those of the five-door Cee’d, with a dashboard that features a large number of buttons, despite its multifunction touch screen. Everything is in place, except for the screen, which should be a little higher for easy reading on the go.

The seats are comfortable and support the body quite well, especially if you opt for the Kia Pro_cee’d GT, which has magnificent sports seats, necessary to support the body with great power available under the right foot.

The space in the rear seats is very good: it  loses space compared to the five-door model, but two adults will travel without missing a few extra centimeters. The quality of the interior materials is very successful and gives a feeling of robustness.

The trunk volume is 380 liters, a figure in the segment average, enough for the luggage of four people and with very regular shapes. The loading height is a bit high due to the shapes of the body and its mouth is a bit narrow. Design things.

Engines and dynamics

One of the weaknesses of the five-door Cee’d is its soft suspension, which is fine for a family vehicle, but not so much if you are looking for a compact with a certain sporty character. To the greater hardness of the suspension we must add a lower center of gravity, thanks to the car’s own height and a lowered suspension.

On wide roads, such as motorways or motorways, the Kia Pro_cee’d behaves very neutral, with very good linear stability, and an optimal comfort-to-stiffness ratio. Despite its appearance, it is a great router, capable of tackling long journeys without punishing its occupants.

In the GT version, we will notice even more the hardness of the suspension, and without being uncomfortable, it is not as recommended as its range brothers.

In twisty areas is where he brings out his skills, with a very flat and direct cornering. The steering transmits a lot of information and the gear lever encourages you to play with it, with short and very precise travels. If you lighten the pace, the reactions remain very noble, with a slight understeer that is very easy to correct.

To belong to the category it belongs to, a very wide mechanical variety is available to the customer, with four gasoline and three diesel engines:

• Gasoline : part of the basic 1.4 CVVT naturally aspirated 100 hp, only available with the Concept trim. Above we have the one-liter turbocharged block with two power levels, 100 or 120 hp. The latter is one of the most recommended for the model. As the icing on the cake, Kia equips its compact with a turbocharged 204 hp 1.6 T-GDI, a true GTI.

• Diesel: with the 1.6 CRDI as the only available block, we are given a choice between two power levels, 110 and 136 hp. The latter is the best-selling option in our country and the one that best combines performance with consumption.

Price

Part of the € 17,650 for the 1.4 gasoline and basic finish, up to € 29,500 for the GT with its 204 HP of power. They are very tight prices for what this Kia offers, even more so if we see the fabulous discounts that this model has.

It has it all: daring aesthetics, good engines and finishes, and a touch of exclusivity that many of its rivals do not have. Will it be enough to keep this decaying segment alive?