PROCREATION (some text hidden) --NONE--

By Jonathan Crouch

Introductionword count: 73

Once a small coupe, in 2019 Kia's ProCeed became a small estate - but a very stylish one. The brand chose to supplement its existing Ceed Sportswagon with this swoopier ProCeed 'shooting brake' model to create a 'Fastback' look with that 'want one' factor. And Kia promised that the drive dynamics would match the aesthetic promise too. Let's check the early pre-facelift version of this third generation Proceed out as a used buy.

Modelsword count: 12

5DR ESTATE (1.4 T-GDI, 1.6 T-GDI, 1.6 CRDI [GT-LINE, GT, GT-LINE S])

Historyword count: 279

Evolution. It's about adapting to changing conditions. As this Kia ProCeed model line has needed to. Originally marketed as a three-door coupe in its first two generations of life, this MK3 version in 2019 transformed itself into this sleek 'Shooting Brake' design. It was proof back then that this Korean maker's cars were getting steadily more desirable. The classic definition of 'Shooting Brake' is an extended roofline version of a two-door coupe - like the Volvo P1800 ES and Reliant Scimitar models of the Seventies. But, as you can see, that's not really what we've got here. Kia liked the way that Mercedes interpreted the concept in 2015 when they launched their CLA Shooting Brake - swept-back styling with five-door practicality. And here, the Korean maker tried to replicate that approach at a slightly lower price point. This ProCeed shares all its core engineering with hatch, estate and SUV versions of Kia's MK3 Ceed model line. We were promised more focused drive dynamics though, courtesy of a team led by ex-BMW M-Chief Albert Biermann who was particularly pleased with the potent 201bhp 'GT' version that topped the range at launch. There were also lesser petrol and diesel derivatives for those not quite so fixated on Nurburgring lap times. So, good looks, decent dynamics and pricing that's not too excessive. Plus an astonishingly long 7-year warranty. From new, this was an appealing combination. Can the end result deliver on the used market? Let's find out. The Proceed sold in this form until mid-2021, when it was significantly facelifted and the engine range refined down to a single 1.5 T-GDI petrol unit. It's the pre-facelift 2018-2021-era models we look at here.

What You Getword count: 376

Stylish cars sell. This, most would agree, is a particularly stylish piece of design, previewed by the 'Proceed Concept' first shown at the 2017 Frankfurt Motor Show and carried forward into production without much dilution of that original car's sweeping silhouette. Arguably the most arresting stylistic flourish is the profile's so-called 'shark blade', an acutely-angled chrome embellishment just behind the C-pillar that was carried over from the concept car. In profile, it's noticeable how taut creases run the length of the car, trailing from the headlamps to the tailgate to extend the visual length. At the back, the most notable talking point is the way the rear screen is so much more dramatically raked than it is on a Ceed Sportswagon, set at 64.2-degrees, rather than 50.9-degrees. A nice touch is what Kia designers call a 'coast-to-coast' line uniting the LED tail lamps that illuminates really distinctively at night. At the wheel, a touch disappointingly, there's less differentiation from standard Ceed models, though top versions get a few extra flourishes - things like red stitching and smart sports seats trimmed in leather and faux suede. An 8-inch infotainment screen dominates the top of the dash and includes as standard all the usual features you'd want - like navigation, smartphone-mirroring connectivity and a decent DAB stereo. At least the three-spoke leather-trimmed multi-function steering wheel feels suitably sporty and through it, you view two clearly presented dials that are separated by a smart 4.2-inch colour 'Supervision Cluster' display that on the top 'GT' model includes a 'GT Performance' mode with torque and turbo boost read-outs. And the rear seat? Well this model's lower hip point means you rather drop down onto the seat bases, but it does compensate to some extent for the reduced height of that swept-back ceiling, meaning that there's actually more headroom in the back than the exterior styling leads you to expect there might be. Out back, the 594-litre boot (which is 50% bigger than that of a standard Ceed Hatch) actually offers more space than you'd get from conventionally-styled compact estates of this kind. If you need more space and want to push forward the 60:40-split rear backrest that most ProCeed models get, you'll find that 1,465-litres of space can be freed up.

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