- Dynamic styling with performance to match
- Generously equipped trim levels and seven-year warranty
- Practical upmarket interior with plenty of boot space
- Poor visibility through rear screen
- Diesel engine had a slight whine when decelerating
- The sunroof (if fitted) impedes on head space
Introduction
The Kia ProCeed offers all the versatility of a tourer with the dynamic styling of a five-door shooting brake. But make no mistake, this isn’t just a rebadging exercise to help the Ceed family grow - only the bonnet and front wings are shared with the hatchback. The rest is new.
The ProCeed is available in six variants based on three engines, two transmissions and three trim levels called GT-Line, GT and GT-Line S.
The car is lower and longer than both the Ceed hatchback and Sportswagon which gives it a sportier and more dynamic appearance. But it’s easily recognisable as a Kia with its ‘tiger-nose’ grille with wide lower air intake, ‘ice-cube’ LED daytime running lights, beautifully curved body styling with sharp creases running the length of the car, a chrome shark blade, tinted windows and a unique tail light signature.
On The Road
Performance
The Kia ProCeed is on offer powered by three engines, all of which meet the latest Euro-6d-Temp emissions regulations. There are two petrol options - an all-new ‘Kappa’ 1.4-litre T-GDi powertrain producing 138bhp, a 1.6-litre 201bhp T-GDi engine which drives the performance GT model, and a new ‘Smartstream’ 1.6-litre CRDi diesel unit developing 134bhp.
The GT model with the high-powered 1.6 petrol engine is certainly the car of choice for thrill-seekers but Kia is confident that the most popular version will be the 1.4-litre petrol-driven car. So, that’s the model we took on an extensive route heading south from close to the French border down to Barcelona. Our car was supplied in range-topping GT-Line S and could complete the 0-60mph dash in a very respectable 9.1 seconds, maxing out at 127mph.
But it was the manner in which the car behaved that really impressed. The test model featured a super slick seven-speed automatic gearbox and this was perfectly timed for sharp bursts of acceleration as well as motorway cruising.
The power at your disposal seems limitless and the ProCeed is perfectly balanced with its low centre of gravity resulting in excellent handling capabilities. It’s a car that corners at pace with confidence and the road holding is assured. The Kia engineers focused on enhancing the agility of the new ProCeed and it would seem they have succeeded on all counts. It’s happy cruising at motorway speeds, weaving through busy city crowds or powering through the twisting country lanes and B roads.
Ride Handling
The Kia ProCeed has been developed and engineered specifically for European roads which have more motorways, congested city centres, twisting alpine routes and winding country lanes than any other continent. The new car offers more dynamism, driver engagement and confidence, but it still maintains its high standards of comfort along the way.
It is fitted with fully independent suspension as standard which is based on the system featured in the Ceed and Ceed Sportswaon, but finely tuned for the ProCeed’s dimensions. The result is crisp, sharp performance, along with perfectly balanced ride and handling and all the driver feedback from the steering wheel you could wish for. There are two drive modes to choose from called Normal and Sport with the latter option livening up the performance considerably.
The automatic transmission does an excellent job of switching through the gears or there are steering wheel mounted paddles if you fancy taking a little more control.
Our car was sitting on 18-inch wheels which seemed like the perfect fit. The road-holding was flawless and there was no sign of any body sway however enthusiastically the car was pushed into bends.
Styling
The ProCeed is a really upmarket car and the cabin oozes class with soft touch surfaces, lots of neat chrome trim, piano black inserts and a wealth of on-board technology at your disposal.
Our range-topping version boasted black leather upholstery, a leather trimmed flat-bottomed steering wheel that could be heated, heated seats, a clear eight-inch touchscreen with full navigation and European mapping, smartphone connectivity via Apple CarPlay or Android Auto and plenty more besides. It’s a clear sign that Kia can take on the premium marques and put up a very good fight.
It would also be fair to say the ProCeed is quite a head-turner too with more than a couple of car journalists remarking on its similarity to the Porsche Panamera - that’s quite a compliment. And during our test drive in Spain, it gained plenty of attention and admiring glances from onlookers.
Within the car, noise intrusion is kept well at bay thanks to the excellent insulation, although we also tested the other models and the diesel engine had a rather irritating whining sound under deceleration. And the fiery GT model featured a sound actuator which was fairly loud in Sport mode but perfectly suited the car’s character.
In The Car
Behind the Wheel
Getting comfortable is a quick and simple process with ample seat and steering wheel adjustment. Our GT-Line S car featured a 10-way power adjustable driver’s seat with memory settings.
The driver’s view straight ahead, sideways and over-the-shoulder is excellent but the visibility through the rear screen is another story altogether. It’s really poor and you find yourself dipping your head lower to try to see anything apart from the car that’s directly following. This was the only real gripe in an otherwise truly impressive car though.
All the controls, dials and readouts are really simple to use and the instrumentation is easy to personalise to choice. Kia always packs its cars with all the very latest techno treats and creature comforts and the ProCeed is another great example of this thought process. All trim levels are very generously kitted out and our range-topper featured the likes of an eight-speaker JBL premium sound system, DAB radio with MP3 compatibility, a reversing camera with dynamic guidelines, a wireless phone charger, Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, a smart eight-inch touchscreen, aluminium pedals and a sunroof that tilts and slides with an automatic blind.
With temperatures at our location plummeting to zero, the heated seats and heated steering wheel were also very much appreciated.
Space & Practicality
The Kia ProCeed is practical option and with a boot capacity of 594 litres, it is larger than the Ceed hatchback but slightly smaller than the Ceed Sportswagon. There is no boot lip and the lower ride height means it is easier to load heavy or awkwardly sized items. Beneath the boot floor are a couple of additional storage areas and there is a bag hook, along with a net to secure small items and a luggage floor rail system.
On the GT-Line and GT models there are 60:40 split-folding rear seats, but on our GT-Line S version, the split was 40:20:40, folding with a single touch from a lever inside the tailgate. With the rear seats folded, the storage limit rises to an impressive 1,545 litres.
Another plus point is the Smart Power Tailgate which opens automatically when it detects the ProCeed’s smart key in close proximity to the tailgate - this is really useful when your hands are full with shopping bags or a heavy item.
There are a number of convenient storage spaces scattered throughout the car too, including a glovebox, centre console with sliding cup-holder cover, rear cupholders in the armrest, a centre console storage box, a sunglasses compartment and deep door bins.
Getting in and out the ProCeed is easy enough although it is lower to the ground than its siblings, so anyone with mobility issues may want to look at the Ceed as a more practical alternative.
Ownership
Running Costs
So, onto the matter of costs then - how much of a dent will the ProCeed make in the savings? Well, the line-up starts at a very reasonable £23,835 for the entry-level GT-Line car powered by the 1.4-litre petrol engine with six-speed manual gearbox. The most expensive ProCeed is the GT-Line S model also powered by the 1.4-litre engine but mated to the seven-speed DSG automatic gearbox - this was our test car and costs £28,685.
According to official figures, our car could achieve 42.8mpg with carbon emissions of 133g/km which would result in a first year Vehicle Excise Duty charge of £205 which would reduce to £140 each following year. During our test run we were seeing an average 35.2mpg which is impressively close to the official figure.
Another plus point is that Kia doesn’t introduce any nasty last minute charges to bump up the cost. All the kit is included in the asking price and even the entry-level GT-Line ProCeed is well equipped.
Quality & Reliability
Kia has an excellent reputation for developing cars that are both reliable and built to last, so there is little reason to believe the ProCeed will be any different.
The Korean company also has the best warranty package in the industry which is the envy of other manufacturers. The ProCeed comes with a seven year, 100,000-mile warranty which is fully transferable should the car be sold on before the time or mileage limits have been reached.
The ProCeed is also available with the company’s ‘Kia Care’ service plans which offers customers a range of servicing packages within its first seven years. These plans, which cover a range of options, can be purchased at any point of ownership of cars up to five years old.
As far as the ProCeed goes, it looks and feels really sturdy with a solid build quality. All the upholstery and switchgear feels like it will survive the test of time and there are no nasty hard plastic surfaces that could be prone to scratching.
Safety & Security
Although the ProCeed has not been tested for a Euro NCAP safety rating, it is packed with safety specifications and driver aids to protect occupants and help prevent accidents from occurring in the first place.
Standard safety features include high beam assist, driver attention warning, lane keeping assist, forward collision avoidance assist, ISOFIX fittings and six airbags. Pedestrian detection is available as standard on all manual versions and GT-Line S, or as part of an optional Advanced Driving Assistance Pack on automatic versions of GT-Line and GT.
The ProCeed is also available with lane following assist which detects the road markings to help keep the car in the centre of its lane on motorways - it controls acceleration, braking and steering at speeds up to 81mph.
Additional safety technologies that are available depending on car grade include smart cruise control with stop & go, speed limit information system, blind spot collision warning, smart parking assist, pedestrian detection with haptic steering wheel warning for the forward collision-avoidance assist system.
And all models are fitted with Kia’s vehicle stability system to ensure stability when braking and cornering. This is controlled by the car’s electronic stability control if it detects a loss of traction.