In yet another unexpected and daring move, the Kia decides to release a shooting brake based on the new generation of Ceed . The decision was not taken by instinct, the South Korean brand analyzed the behavior and preferences of European buyers, before deciding to add a shooting brake to the Ceed range, which already had the five-door hatchback and the van and which will still have an SUV.
The three-door from the previous generation was not reappointed, as sales did not justify the investment in this type of pseudo-coupé bodywork, but the name was recovered for the shooting brake, with another spelling: instead of the complicated Pro_Cee'd, it was called- if simply Proceed.
based on studies
Kia's studies have shown that a van buyer cares about the style and capacity of the suitcase, more than space for passengers in the back. So a lower roof and the same wheelbase as the hatchback were acceptable, even if access at height to the rear seats has become more difficult , despite the bank being downgraded.
The trunk's capacity is 594 l, 50% more than the five-door and just 31 l less than the SW, adding a system of rails to compartmentalize it and 40/20/40 folding seats via levers on the trunk walls.
If the six manual gearbox has the same performance as the other Ceeds, it will certainly be the option to choose.
Details make the Proceed
On the outside, the family atmosphere with the other Ceeds was maintained, although only the fenders and bonnet are shared, all other panels are specific and are what give the Proceed its shooting brake silhouette. The bumpers have more aggressive openings and the grille has red details, as well as the side mini-skirts.
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Kia Proceed GT comes equipped with 18" — 17" wheels are available on other engines.
Taking a closer look, the roof is 43 mm lower and the windshield is 1.5º steeper, while the rear window is more fastback than truck, with 64.2º.
In fact, the outer dimensions haven't changed much compared to the SW, with just 5mm longer, maintaining the 2650mm wheelbase. The ground height decreased by 5 mm, in the GT version the wheels are 18", in the other versions they can also be 17". always equipped with Michelin Pilot Sport 4 tires , regardless of engine.
lower inside
Just open the driver's door and sit on the excellent sports seat to find yourself in a driving position with the steering wheel very well positioned and with a good grip. The overall feel of quality is good, without being exceptional, and the graphics on the center monitor and instrument panel are a bit dated. The console still has a considerable amount of physical buttons, for the time being.
No surprises. The interior is identical to the rest of Ceed.
To say that the driving position is lower is not obvious. What you feel is the roof closer to the head and when you look in the rearview mirror you can see that this has seriously compromised rearward visibility, luckily there is a video camera to solve the problem.
All engines
It will only be available in the GT-Line and GT equipment levels and will cost around €3500 more than the same engine on the SW. All in all, a 136 hp Proceed 1.6 CRDI will cost around €35,150. The range of engines starts with the 1.0 T-GDI (120 hp), 1.4 T-GDI (140 hp), 1.6 T-GDI (204 hp) and the 1.6 CRDI Smartstream Diesel (136 hp). It arrives in January.
7DCT box: to be avoided
The 1.6 T-GDI turbocharged direct injection engine sounds convincing. He doesn't want to be the loudest screamer on the street, preferring a more Bass tone than Treble. Switching to Sport mode, a synthesizer and a butterfly on the exhaust do their magic and excite the driver even more.
The response of this four-cylinder block is very good, starting at 1800 rpm, especially in Sport mode, continuing with more than adequate force in the medium regimes and only losing breath when it reaches the red line. It's one of those engines where you feel like using more torque than power.
The tested unit was equipped with a double-clutch box and seven gears, controlled by a pair of metallic paddles, in manual mode. In automatic mode and in normal driving, the box has a regular performance, not showing itself, for example in city use, where it gets the job done without any problems.
The 7DCT box turned out to be the weak point in the engine-transmission-chassis assembly.
But when it comes to the toughest roads, where this 204hp GT challenges you to explore its chassis, things start to go less well . The upshifts are not as fast as you might expect and the reductions are frankly slow, accompanied by exaggerated slippage of the clutches. Worse than that, reductions rarely happen when the driver orders them, there is always a delay, as if the gearbox were triggering a safety strategy to resist the torque.
If the six manual gearbox has the same performance as the other Ceeds, it will certainly be the option to choose.
six months well spent
What pleases the dynamics of the Proceed is the steering, which has a communicative tact, capable of correctly reading the floor under the front wheels, with the right weight and the expected reduction, for a car with family transport responsibilities.
The Proceed suspension maintains the rear multi-arm scheme on all engines, which has been rare. More importantly, it took another six months of specific development in Proceed . As a result, it gained firmer springs and shock absorbers, but thinner stabilizer bars, which explains the sophisticated tread it exhibits on imperfect floors.
Together with the standard tires and a version of the K2 platform that maintains the same torsional rigidity as the Ceed hatchback (with up to 20 kg lighter) the dynamic cornering works very well. The Proceed bends with willingness and obedience, it's necessary without being nervous. It then assumes a fairly neutral attitude, not going into understeer easily, and when it does, ESP does its job well.
Wanting to provoke the rear with a sudden deceleration in support, the Proceed maintains serenity, not lining up in very radical games, such as letting the rear slide. Its driving pleasure comes from its precision, the way it handles poor surfaces and its resistance to understeer. In more exaggerated situations, such as early acceleration out of tighter corners, you can see the inner wheel losing traction, but nothing important.
Conclusion
After having taken a lot of risks with Stinger and having done well with daring, Kia stepped back into the risk with Proceed and, judging by this first contact, short but complete, the result was again positive.
In addition to a general competence that is no longer surprising, knowing the Ceed range adds an aspect of fun for the most enthusiastic drivers, but also a sophistication that other Ceeds lack. And then, it has an appearance that hardly anyone would say is not elegant. The GT version suits you particularly well. But there are other options.
Note: article prices are estimated
| Datasheet | |
|---|---|
| Motor | |
| Architecture | 4 cil. in line |
| Capacity | 1591 cm3 |
| Food | Injury Direct; Turbocharger; Intercooler |
| Distribution | 2 a.c.c., 4 valves per cil. |
| power | 204 hp at 6000 rpm |
| Binary | 265 Nm between 1500 rpm and 4500 rpm |
| Streaming | |
| Traction | Forward |
| Speed Box | 7-speed Dual Clutch. |
| Suspension | |
| Forward | Independent: MacPherson with stabilizer bar |
| back | Independent: Multiarm with stabilizer bar |
| Direction | |
| Type | Electric |
| Dia. of turning | 10.6 m |
| Dimensions and Capabilities | |
| Comp., Width., Alt. | 4605mm, 1800mm, 1422mm |
| Between axles | 2650 mm |
| suitcase | 594 l |
| Deposit | 50 l |
| Tires | 225/40 R18 |
| Weight | N.D. |
| Installments and Consumptions | |
| Accel. 0-100 km/h | N.D. |
| consumption | N.D. |
| Emissions | N.D. |