If you're torn between a coupe and a hatch and prioritise style in a compact family car, Kia's Proceed could fit the bill. Jonathan Crouch takes a look at the revised version.

Ten Second Review

Once a small coupe, Kia's Proceed is these days a small estate - but a very stylish one. It sells alongside the brand's Ceed Sportswagon estate but offers swoopier 'shooting brake' styling to create a 'Fastback' look with that 'want one' factor. The brand promises that the drive dynamics will match the aesthetic promise too. Let's check out the revised version.

Background

Kia calls this Proceed a 'Shooting Brake'. Isn't that just another word for an 'estate car'? Well no, not really. A Shooting Brake, in contrast, is more of an occasional and much more stylised load-lugger, loved by sportsman - and especially shooting parties (hence the name) - from the 1950s and 1960s, particularly here in Britain. A kind of 'estate coupe' if you like, which is why virtually all 'shooting brake' designs from the last century had only three doors. Princess Anne's Reliant Scimitar GTE from the Seventies was one of these, with similar cars like the Lancia Beta HPE, the Jaguar XJS Lynx Eventer and the Volvo 1800ES dating from the same era. In more recent times, the 'Shooting Brake' concept has made a comeback with designs like Ferrari's FF. But you'll know it better perhaps from two Mercedes models, 'Shooting Brake' versions of that Stuttgart brand's CLS and CLA models. It was the CLA Shooting Brake that prompted Kia to produce this stylish Proceed derivative.

Driving Experience

Gone are the days when Kia was content to merely try and reach a minimum class standard when it comes to drive dynamics. Ex-BMW M-Chief Albert Biermann, who during the creation of this car was Kia's Head of handling development, spent six months with his team fine-tuning this Proceed and the brand promises that you'll feel the difference, even on a very short test drive. Revisions over the Ceed Hatch and Sportwagon include a body lowered by 5mm, plus a rather counter-intuitive combination of stiffer springs and softer anti-roll bars to keep the tyres in better contact with the road surface. At speed, you realise immediately that the set-up's firmer than it would be in a normal Ceed but at the same time, the car flows over uneven tarmac with supple confidence. And when the road turns twisty, the consistent and relatively feelsome steering delivers enough feedback to encourage a more aggressive driving style, should that be appropriate. There is now just one engine option, a 158bhp four cylinder 1.5-litre T-GDi powerplant mated to 6-speed manual transmission. In terms of handling updates for this facelifted third-generation model, Kia's largely left the set-up alone, which is fine by us, as that was one of this model's strongest aspects. Engine noise is enhanced by a soundtrack emphasised through flaps in the exhaust and delivered into the cabin through the stereo speakers.

Design and Build

If you're going to sell on style, you have to make an effort and, sure enough, the Proceed shares only the front wings and bonnet with other Ceed body styles. The roof line is 43mm lower than on an ordinary Ceed SW estate and 5mm longer, plus the windscreen is 1.5-degrees more steeply-raked and the rear window is slanted 65-degrees off the vertical. This improved model gains visual changes at the front end, including grille changes and a revised headlamp design, all in line with the improvements made to the rest of the Ceed range, but it still features more aggressive front bumper styling than you'd see on any ordinary Ceed. And what the designers call a 'coast to coast' look for the rear that unites the LED tail lamps with the double exhaust pipes. And you get smart 17-inch wheels. Inside, it actually feels quite special, especially with the mandatory 'GT-Line' trim, which features leather and Alcantara sports seats with red-stitching and GT-Line badging. There's a sporty flat-bottomed steering wheel and black roof lining. In this revised model, a large 12.3-inch instrument cluster screen is paired with a 10.25-inch screen to further enhance driver interaction with the vehicle. Unfortunately, as before, rear vision out of the sloping rear window isn't great. Rear legroom is much as you'd find it on a more ordinary Ceed model. Headroom though, as you might expect from a 'Fastback coupe', is slightly more limited. There's a 594-litre boot, which is just 31-litres less than you'd get in the ordinary Ceed Sportwagon estate.

Market and Model

Proceed pricing, pitched from around £27,000, sits about £1,000 above what you'd pay for an equivalently-specified Ceed Sportswagon model. And it primarily comes with Kia's premium sporty trim level, 'GT-Line' and manual transmission (though a plusher DCT automatic 'GT-Line S' version's also available if you want it). So what about rivals? Well there is only one direct one, the Mercedes CLA Shooting Brake, but that has a much smaller boot, less equipment and costs considerably more. 'GT-Line'-spec comes with quite a lot - 17-inch wheels, privacy glass, front fog lamps, auto headlamps and wipers, power-folding heated mirrors, a rear spoiler, rear parking sensors, an alarm and LED rear lights with a full-width LED brake light. Inside, 'GT-Line' variants get seats trimmed in a combination of black cloth and faux leather, dual-zone automatic air conditioning, a heated steering wheel, heat and powered lumbar support for the front seats, cruise control with a speed limiter, an auto-dimming rear view mirror and stainless steel pedals. There's also 'smart' keyless entry, a 12.3-inch colour instrument cluster display screen and the kind of space saver spare wheel that many rivals make you do without. Connectivity's taken a step forward with this car in recent times too - not only with a larger 10.25-inch centre stack monitor but also with telematics. The brand now offers its 'Kia Connect' smartphone app which allows customers to connect remotely with their cars. A new 'User Profile Transfer' feature enables users to back up their in-vehicle Kia Connect preferences via the cloud and transfer settings from one vehicle to the next.

Cost of Ownership

This Proceed needs to be reasonably affordable to run to interest likely buyers and the figures seem to stack up acceptably well. The 1.5 T-GDi petrol engine achieves 48.7mpg on the combined cycle and 131g/km of CO2. As usual with Kia, a strong buying incentive is much-trumpeted 7 year / 100,000 warranty which, like the 'Care-3' servicing packages, is transferrable to future owners. However, it is worth pointing out that the warranty only offers unlimited mileage for the first three years you own the car; thereafter, you'll have a 100,000 mileage restriction. If in future, the car is sold through a Kia Used Approved Dealership when less than 18 months old or with less than 18,000 miles on the clock, the warranty will be topped up to match that of a new model. You'll also need to know about likely residual values, which are a lot higher than they used to be on mainstream Kia models. Independent experts reckon that after three years and 60,000 miles, most ProCeed variants will still be worth 41% of what you originally paid. Insurance is group 16E.

Summary

You probably won't have started out wanting a Proceed in searching the market for something a bit more stylish and interesting that suits your family needs. Now that you know about this model though, it's possible that it might ideally suit a desired combination of desirability and sensibility in a relatively affordable versatile compact family car. We'd still have hesitated to recommend it a few years ago though, given the vanilla way that Kias back then tended to drive. But that's all changed now. This model's 'shooting brake' concept may be a nod to past hunting wagons of the landed gentry but the concept here is very much of our time: a compact yet spacious estate that doesn't drive like one, that's nicely finished, practically configured and relatively affordable to run. It's very much an estate for people who wouldn't normally buy such a thing. And that makes it quite a tempting prospect.

Body Glass

Rear wash/wipe

Heated rear window with timer

Rain sensing front wipers

Automatic defog system

All-round Electric Windows with Auto Up & Down Function

Windscreen Washer Level Warning

Privacy glass in rear windows and tailgate

Brakes

Hill start assist control (HAC)

Electronic stability control (ESC) and vehicle stability management (VSM)

ABS with Electronic Brakeforce Distribution (EBD) and Brake Assist System (BAS)

Electronic parking brake with auto hold function

Communication

Bluetooth with Voice Recognition & Music Streaming

Wireless Mobile Phone Charger

Apple car play with voice control

Android auto with voice control

Driver Aids

Lane keep assist

Front and rear parking sensors

Emergency stop signalling system

Reversing camera with dynamic guide lines

Lane Following Assist (LFA)

Motor driven power steering

Smart cruise control with stop and go functionality

Blind spot Collision Warning (BCW)

Intelligent speed limit warning

Blind spot collision avoidance assist

Safe exit warning (SEW)

Rear cross traffic collision avoidance assist (RCCA)

Forward Collision-Avoidance Assist (FCA) 1.5 - City/Pedestrian/Cyclist/Junction turning

Drive mode select (Normal and Sport)

Driver attention warning with leading vehicle departure warning

Driver Convenience

Tailgate

Smart power tailgate

Driver Information

Trip computer

12.3" TFT supervision cluster display

Emergency call service

10.25" touchscreen satellite navigation

Kia connect

Driving Mirrors

Automatic dimming rear view mirror

High gloss black door mirrors

Electric adjustable/heated/folding door mirrors with LED Indicators

Embellishment Trims

Black high gloss front console tray garnish & door trim

Engine

Intelligent Stop and Go

Entertainment

Steering wheel mounted controls

DAB Radio with MP3

JBL Premium sound system with 8 speakers

Rear console USB C-type charge port

2 Front USB Charge port (one for C-type/one for USB)

Exterior Body Features

Body colour bumpers

Chrome window surround

Body colour side sill mouldings

Body coloured wheel arches

Panoramic sunroof with tilt/slide function and automatic electric roll blinds

Body coloured rear roof spoiler with high gloss black trim

Exterior front door handle illumination

High Gloss Black and Satin Chrome Radiator Grille

Satin finished beltline

Rear side wing doors

Exterior Lights

Automatic headlights

High beam assistant

LED daytime running lights

LED Headlights

LED front fog lights

LED rear fog light

Projection headlights

LED rear combination lights

LED 3rd brake light

LED full width tail lights

Heating/Cooling/Ventilation

Dual zone automatic air conditioning

Rear Air Ventilation

Interior Features

Rear centre armrest

Glovebox

Rear coat hooks

Heated steering wheel

Cupholders in rear armrest

Aluminium pedals

Black headlining

Tilt/telescopic adjustable steering wheel

Satin chrome interior door handles

Premium centre console with sliding cupholder cover

3 x passenger assist grips

Centre Console with Storage Box and Sliding Armrest

Front and rear door storage

Luggage area parcel shelf

Interior door lock/unlock function

Luggage board

Leather D-Cut steering wheel with grey stitching

Leather/Faux suede upholstery

Paddle shifter

12V power socket in front centre console

Half perforated leather gearshift

Luggage under floor storage

Interior Lights

Dash illumination dimmer switch

Luggage area light

Front cabin LED light

Safety

Height adjustable front seatbelts

Rear door child safety locks

Dual horn

Tyre pressure monitoring system

Rear airbags

Impact sensing auto door unlocking

All round 3-point seatbelts

Twin front airbags

Seatbelt reminder warning

Front passenger airbag cut off switch

Twin curtain airbags

Twin front side airbags

Seats

Heated front seats

Memory driver's seat

Front seatback pocket

Heated outer rear seats

Driver + front passenger electric lumbar support

3 seat bench in 2nd row

40:20:40 Split Folding Rear Seats with Remote Folding

Front Passenger Seat Height Adjuster

All-round height adjustable headrests

ISOFIX Child seat top tethers and anchor fixings

Single front passenger seat

Driver's power seat height adjuster

Security

Locking wheel nuts

Visible vehicle identification number

Alarm system

Speed sensitive auto door locking

Engine Start/Stop Button with Smart Entry System

Engine Immobiliser & Deadlocks

Vanity Mirrors

Driver and front passenger sunvisors with illuminated vanity mirrors

Wheels - Alloy

18" GT-Line S alloy wheels

Wheels - Spare

Tyre mobility system

Emissions - ICE

WLTP - CO2 (g/km) - Comb: 144

CO: 0.2911

HC: 0.0201

NOx: 0.0253

HC+NOx: N

Particles: 0.0001

Noise Level dB(A): 66

Standard Euro Emissions: EURO 6

Engine and Drive Train

Catalytic Convertor: No

Cylinder Layout: IN-LINE

Camshaft: DOHC

Fuel Delivery: TURBO INJECTION

Engine Layout: FRONT TRANSVERSE

Transmission: SEMI-AUTO

Gears: 7 SPEED

CC: 1482

Fuel Consumption - ICE

WLTP - MPG - Low: 33.2

WLTP - MPG - Medium: 46.3

WLTP - FC (l/100km) - Low: 8.5

WLTP - MPG - High: 52.3

WLTP - MPG - Extra High: 43.5

WLTP - FC (l/100km) - Medium: 6.1

WLTP - FC (l/100km) - High: 5.4

WLTP - FC (l/100km) - Extra High: 6.5

EC Directive 1999/100/EC Applies: 0

WLTP - FC (l/100km) - Comb: 6.3

WLTP - MPG - Comb: 44.8

General

Service Interval Mileage: 10000

Did at least one aspect of this vehicle's safety give cause for concern?: 0

Special Edition: 0

Special Order: 0

Based On ID: N

Insurance Group 1 - 50 Effective January 07: 14E

Alternative Fuel Qualifying: 0

Service Interval Frequency - Months: 12

Badge Power: 138

Badge Engine CC: 1.5

Vehicle Homologation Class: M1

Generation Mark: 3

Standard manufacturers warranty - Years: 7

Standard manufacturers warranty - Mileage: 100000

Coin Description: GDi

Coin Series: GT-Line S

Performance

Engine Power - PS: 0

0 to 60 mph (secs): 0

Engine Torque - MKG: 25.8

Engine Power - BHP: 138

Engine Torque - RPM: 1500

Engine Torque - NM: 253

Engine Torque - LBS.FT: 187

Engine Power - RPM: 5500

Top Speed: 123

Engine Power - KW: 103

0 to 62 mph (secs): 9.9

Test Cycles

RDE Certification Level: RDE 2

Emissions Test Cycle: WLTP

Tyres

Space Saver?: 0

Alloys?: No

Wheel Style: N

Tyre Size Rear: 225/40 R18

Tyre Size Spare: TYRE REPAIR KIT

Tyre Size Front: 225/40 R18

Wheel Type: 18" ALLOY

Vehicle Dimensions

Wheelbase: 2650

Height: 1422

Width: 1800

Length: 4615

Weight and Capacities

Gross Vehicle Weight: 1880

Minimum Kerbweight: 1425

Max. Towing Weight - Braked: 1050

Fuel Tank Capacity (Litres): 50

Max. Loading Weight: 455

Luggage Capacity (Seats Up): 594

No. of Seats: 5

Turning Circle - Kerb to Kerb: 10.4

Luggage Capacity (Seats Down): 1545

Exterior Body Features

Premium paint

Paint - Solid

Solid - Infra red

Paint - Special

Premium paint - Dark penta metal

Premium paint - Phantom black

Premium paint - Blue Flame

Premium paint - Fusion white

Trim - Part Leather

Leather/faux suede - Black with grey stitching