W HETHER you see it as a smart coupe or a sleekly-styled three-door hatch, Kia's second generation pro_cee'd offers a sensible spin on sporty motoring that offers extra bite in GT form.
It's also well built, aggressively priced and comes with a bullet-proof warranty deal. Still sensible then, but with a little sexiness thrown in.
Buyers of humbler pro_cee'd models always knew that there was the kernel of a really good car in there. The steering's fairly meaty by modern standards, there's a reassuring amount of front end grip, the ride/handling compromise is well judged and there's a nice consistency of control weights. All the sorts of stuff that keen drivers look for in other words.
That changes with the introduction of the pro_cee'd GT. Here customers get a 201bhp turbocharged four-cylinder 1.6-litre petrol engine that also develops a hefty 265Nm of torque. Yes, it's right out of 'Build A Hot Hatch 101' but it's clearly a formula that works and works well.
This results in acceleration to 62mph in 7.4 seconds, which sounds a little pessimistic for such a punchy car. By contrast, a heavier Mini Cooper S with a mere 184bhp will get to 62mph almost half a second quicker, although this may well be down to an issue of gearing. The GT's not heavy, weighing in at around 1280kg.
Kia is quick to play down expectations, advising us that it's a warm rather than a hot hatch and you can see where they're coming from, with many of the top hot hatch players now boasting up to 300bhp. Still, over 200bhp is nothing to be sniffed at, especially as Kia can bring all sorts of other qualities to the party.
The pro_cee'd is a handsome, wedge-shaped three-door hatch, designed by Europeans for Europeans. Built in Slovenia under the auspices of the Frankfurt-based Kia Motors Europe design team, it features a longer and lower profile than the five-door car, resulting in an edgy, coupe-like shape.
The front end now features Kia's 'tiger nose' grille to lend it a bit more attitude. A sharply raised beltline and a sharp crease leading into the rear arches disguise the fact that it rides on the same chassis as the cee'd and features the same windscreen angle. Other than that, only the bonnet and front wings are interchangeable parts.
The GT builds on this solid foundation, upping the aggression levels a few degrees. Plus there's decent practicality too, with a 60-40 split rear seat folding flat without having to remove the headrests.
Priced at around £20,000, the GT looks good value against other similarly styled and powered compact coupes like Volkswagen's Scirocco and Peugeot's RCZ. There are two trim levels – GT and GT Tech. Both feature air-conditioning with cooled glovebox, heated and electrically-adjustable door mirrors, remote central locking and an MP3-compatible CD stereo with USB and auxiliary inputs.
This promise of trouble free motoring will be enough to tip the balance for many potential customers.
Strangely, the pro_cee'd GT might take less time to get enthusiasts on board than it will the less well-informed public. The Kia badge still has some work to do to reach the same volumes as Ford or Vauxhall and it would be a shame to see this car pass as a highly-regarded one-off, much as the Proton Satria GTI did in the Nineties.
We hope this is the start of a series of more sporting Kias; cars that can lift the brand clear of its bargain basement beginnings. One thing's for sure. It looks the part already.