Kia bolsters performance line-up with Ceed GT and Proceed shooting brake
Racy additions give the Kia Ceed range a unique proposition with practical yet sporty Proceed
Kia has added two sporty new models to its Ceed range, as part of a push to cement it as a dynamic choice in the family hatchback market.
The first addition to the range is the new Proceed, a shooting brake-style estate which splits the difference between the existing Sportswagon and a coupe. The Proceed moniker was originally used on three-door versions of the previous Ceed, but now will apply only to this shooting brake model.
The Proceed takes its front fascia from the hatch but it’s totally different from there on back, with a slinky body and sloping roofline. It’s 5mm longer than the Sportswagon estate, but an impressive 43mm lower – with some of that coming from a 5mm drop in ride height for a sportier stance.
The rear of the car sees a full-width LED light bar and angular exhaust trim.
Available exclusively in racy GT-Line and GT trim, the Proceed will be offered with a choice of three petrol engines and a single diesel, with six-speed manual or seven-speed dual-clutch automatic gearboxes.
The interior is unchanged, and Kia says it’s slightly lowered the rear bench to compensate for the lack of headroom from that sloping roofline. There’s also a large chrome bar on the C-pillar.
Adding to Kia’s range is another new model – the Ceed GT. This is a straight replacement for the old model and should rival the likes of the Peugeot 308 GT and Skoda Octavia vRS.
With 201bhp from its 1.6-litre turbocharged petrol engine, the Ceed GT sits in between standard family hatchbacks and full-on hot hatches such as the Hyundai i30 N. It’s not just an engine upgrade, though, as the Ceed GT also gains suspension tweaks, a lower ride height and sportier styling.
The ‘ice cube’ daytime running lights are carried over from the last model, while a honeycomb grille, glossy diffuser and small roof spoiler give it a dynamic look. Performance data is set to be released at a later date.
Both the Proceed and the Ceed GT will go on sale in the UK early next year.
