For a company that did not build its first engine until 1973 and its first car the year after, Kia has grand plans. Globally, it wants a 90 per cent increase in new model sales in the four years to 2010 and, midway through, the South Korean firm is on course to achieve it.
Closer to home, the recently driven road has been a rocky one, with a massive number of UK franchised dealers quitting the brand. Official figures confirm this “churn” was as high as 30 per cent. But with a new management team in place, things look brighter. The present 140 Kia showrooms should be increased to 170 in the next couple of years.
But salesmen need a product to sell and, in an increasingly competitive new car market – with the continued diversification of vehicle segments – it has got to be a good product.
Despite the daft name, last year’s Cee’d, a compact family hatchback, was critically acclaimed by the motoring press and bought by the public. The seven-year warranty has been key, but the five-door compact hatchback is a worthy rival to class leaders such as the Ford Focus and Vauxhall Astra. Crucially, it is not a “budget” product but a “value for money” one and, in the minds of the consumers, there is a difference.
And so it is with the three-door version of the same car, which has an even sillier name – the Pro_cee’d. Kia is keen to emphasise this is not only a Cee’d with two fewer doors and the engineering story behind it backs that up. It is also 15mm longer, 30mm lower and more than 80kg lighter than its sibling.
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The only exterior panels carried over are the bonnet and front wings, but the engine range has been transferred – a 1.6litre 124bhp petrol, two 1.6 diesels with either 89 or 113bhp, plus a 2.0 diesel offering 138bhp. An entry-level 1.4 petrol will be available later. CO2 emissions range from 125 to 166g/km.
Kia believes that it will sell about 2,000 Pro_cee’ds this year and the popular choices will be the 1.6 petrol and diesels. Despite the car’s weight loss, there is not the improvement in performance over the heavier Cee’d that you might expect. On the petrol car, the 0-62mph times are identical at 10.8sec, while on the diesel the three-door variant is two seconds slower.
Despite that, the Pro_cee’d is a perfectly fine car for the average UK driver. Sure, it lacks the dynamic poise of the Ford Focus if you are going to throw it into corners, but most people are not. The one slight letdown is the ride, which has been stiffened to give a sportier feel. It is arguably too tight now, making the car seem unsettled on small bumps and unpleasant on larger ones.
Inside, the rear seat has been completely revamped to make the best use of space. And while the roofline is lower, there has been no loss of legroom and it does not feel more cramped in the back.
The dashboard is simple, smart and feels well put-together. What has been carried over from the Cee’d is the attention to detail. For example, the central armrest is split-level to maximise storage and the interior is lined so there are no nasty exposed screwheads, which often blight cars with cheaper interiors.
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The entry-level trim on the Pro_cee’d is labelled 2, with 3 and Sport adding extra kit. But the 2 has pretty much everything most drivers will need, including remote central locking, 16-alloy wheels, six airbags and an MP3 audio system.
For driver comfort there is a height-adjustable chair, rake/reach steering wheel, air-conditioning and everything is electric. Throw in the five-star Euro NCAP crash-test rating and the £12,295 for the 1.6 petrol looks extremely appealing. All that and it is only Group 6 insurance.
The Pro_cee’d looks smart, too, with egg-box hatching in the front grille, recessed fog lamps below and a sporty single oval exhaust at the rear.
This car, like the Cee’d hatchback and estate, is a very attractive proposition. The biggest problem, however, is going to be getting people to see beyond the Kia badge and the unwieldy name. If you can do that, this simple and honest car is well worth considering.
Specification
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Car Kia Pro_cee’d
Engine 1.6 petrol
Transmission Five-speed manual
Performance 0-62 mph in 10.8sec, top speed 119mph
Fuel consumption (combined) 44.1mpg.
CO2 emissions 152g/km
Price £12,295
On sale Today
Alternatives
Ford Focus Great to drive, dealers everywhere. The default option for many C-segment hatchback buyers
Honda Civic Sporty three-door range, including the hardcore Type R flagship
Citro?n C4 Like Pro_cee’d, design of three-door variant distinctive from five-door.