Kia Pro Ceed

• Dynamic design; European styling – a sporting first for Kia
• Increasingly premium quality inside
• Introducing EcoDynamics, Kia's new fuel-saving, CO₂-cutting measures
• Intelligent Stop and Go helps cut CO₂ of 1.6-litre CRDi to just 110g/km with 67.3mpg economy
• Kia is still the only manufacturer in Europe to offer a seven-year, 100,000-mile warranty
• Improved levels of equipment across the board
• Suspension revisions improve ride quality, steering response and handling

The sporty and dynamic three-door pro_cee’d added a new dimension to the Kia range when it appeared just 18 months ago. Faithful to the concept car of the same name that wowed visitors to the 2006 Paris Motor Show, it posted notice that future Kias designed on the watch of chief design officer Peter Schreyer would offer more than the established virtues of practicality, reliability and value. They would look good, too. 

Now those qualities have been made even more irresistible. The interior has been upgraded with plush new trim materials that give it the look and feel of a far more expensive car, and there is more standard equipment across the range.

Introducing EcoDynamics

Kia has developed an Intelligent Stop and Go (ISG) system for the revised pro_cee’d 2 EcoDynamics. This turns off the engine when the car is stationary in traffic and the driver puts the gearlever into neutral and takes his or her foot off the clutch pedal. The engine restarts immediately as soon as the clutch pedal is partially pushed.

Because of the way the UK vehicle excise duty bands are structured, ISG will initially be available only with the standard (89bhp) 1.6-litre CRDi diesel engine. It gives Kia a model to target at fleets and business users who can derive maximum tax advantage from the fuel economy and CO₂ improvements it bestows. With the ISG system, CO₂ emissions of the pro_cee’d 1.6 CRDi fall from 119g/km to 110g/km – sufficient to allow companies to claim a 100 per cent company car tax write-down in the first year of operation – while average fuel economy is a highly impressive 67.3mpg. Business drivers will continue to enjoy a 13 per cent rate of benefit-in-kind tax liability ­– five per cent lower than with the majority of rivals.

Some of the features found on the pro_cee’d 2 EcoDynamics are also fitted to other models in the range, and they help to reduce fuel consumption by an average of five per cent. All cars with 15- or 16-inch wheels will have Michelin Energy Saver low rolling resistance tyres like those on the pro_cee’d 2 EcoDynamics, bringing worthwhile gains in fuel economy and CO₂. A six-speed gearbox becomes standard on all manual diesel variants, replacing the old five-speed transmission, as a further aid to cutting economy and emissions. A gearshift indicator will become standard across the range from late 2009 to advise drivers on the most fuel-efficient points to change up or down.

Kia will also fit the pro_cee’d family petrol-engined models with a new kick-down switch on the accelerator later in 2009 to prevent unintentional full-throttle use. A small resistance felt through the accelerator pedal helps drivers recognise full-throttle condition and thereby cuts down on excessive fuel consumption.

Right from the start, pro_cee’d slipped seamlessly into the European motoring landscape. Its proportions, size and style ensured it was at home in Europe's most chic cities. Unlike the three-door offerings from most rival manufacturers, which merely echo the contours of the five-door car they are based on, it was designed as a stand-alone model.

It is also the newest model in the cee'd family at a little over 18 months old. For that reason it does not receive the exterior styling changes that have been undertaken on the five-door cee'd and cee'd SW at this stage. 

The three-tier trim designation consists of a new entry level pro_cee’d 1, followed by pro_cee’d 2 and pro_cee’d 3. The super-efficient new EcoDynamics model equates to pro_cee’d 2 but for one or two equipment differences. All three grades continue to deliver the outstanding value for money for which Kia is renowned.

pro_cee’d is longer, lower and lighter than the five-door cee'd. A long, 2650mm wheelbase is common to all cars in the cee'd family, but the overall length of pro_cee’d is 10mm greater than the five-door. Combined with a 30mm reduction in overall height, it gives pro_cee’d an elongated, low, coupe-like stance, an impression reinforced by side doors that are 245mm longer than the those on the five-door, and the subtly sporty rooftop spoiler. 

First-class ticket

Kia has set itself the goal of being in the world's top three manufacturers for actual quality within three years, and among the top five for perceived quality within five years. That determination is evident as soon as you step aboard the revised pro_cee’d. It is now like travelling first class while paying an economy price.

From the tones and textures of the trim materials to the action and smoothness of the major controls, the spacious and stylish interior has enjoyed an upgrade. And five people can travel in equal comfort on one ticket.

New on the revised pro_cee’d is the sporty-looking four-spoke steering wheel from Soul, Kia's compact urban car with SUV attitude. This new wheel has more slender cross-bars at the three o' clock and nine o' clock positions and an elegant twin-bar support at the bottom. The spokes house remote audio and trip computer controls, plus Bluetooth control on pro_cee’d 2 EcoDynamics and pro_cee’d 3, and the cruise control buttons on pro_cee’d 3. The wheel-mounted switches are new, and work on the smoother-operating see-saw principle.

The perfectly-positioned centre console has been completely redesigned to make it more intuitive and more satisfying to use. There is a new audio layout with a large central control switch that makes it easier to change the volume, radio stations or CD tracks while on the move. The standard air conditioning controls have been relocated with the same aim in mid. The same is true of the dual-zone climate control switches on pro_cee’d 3.

A silver finish is now applied to the console surround on pro_cee’d 1, 2 and 2 EcoDynamics, while the luxurious and sporty pro_cee’d 3 has a lustrous piano black finish. Even the gearlevers have been upgraded and now sit at the end of a lower console tray now with flying buttresses at either side to hold items more securely in place.

Just one example of the attention to detail and usability found in the revised pro_cee’d can be seen in the indicators, which now feature an overtaking function. When changing lanes, the driver now need only lightly touch the left-hand stalk and the indicators blink three times.

In the UK, Kia has a seven-model line-up based on the three trim levels and four engines – 1.4- and 1.6-litre petrol units and two versions of the European-designed and European-built 1.6-litre turbo diesel. The 1.4 is a revised 89bhp unit, while the power outputs of the 1.6 (124bhp) and the diesels (89 or 113bhp) remain unchanged. All four provide superb driveability thanks to their high torque outputs at low engine revs, and are now more economical with reduced CO₂ emissions. 

Smoother and sharper

The all-independent suspension, with struts at the front and Kia's compact in-wheel multi-link arrangement at the rear,  has been widely praised for allowing precise direct cornering and stable lane-changing at high speeds while delivering excellent ride comfort. The latest revisions, in response to feedback from customers and the motoring press, make both the handling and ride characteristics even better. 

cee’d benefits from a new Vehicle Stability Management (VSM) programme which has improved the electronic communications between the Electronic Stability Control (ESC) and the electronic power steering (known as Motor Driven Power Steering or MDPS). Another new introduction is Hill-start Assist Control (HAC). (VSM/ESC and HAC are standard on 3 and optional on all other grades).

ESC detects potential loss of grip from either the front or rear and returns the car to a safe course by braking a wheel, reducing engine power or both. Meanwhile VSM reduces the degree of steering assistance if the driver applies too much lock that could cause under –or over steer, and increases the assistance when he or she counter-steers to correct potential skid. In this way, the driver can tell by the steering feel whether he or she is taking the right course of action to stabilise the car.

HAC holds the car on up gradients for three seconds whilst the driver transfers his or her foot from the brake to the accelerator, to prevent the car from rolling backwards.

Every pro_cee’d continues to enjoy the seven-year or 100,000-mile bumper-to-bumper warranty that, in Europe, is unique to cars made at Kia's Zilina factory in Slovakia.  It is transferable to subsequent owners; a major selling point for anyone trading in the car before the warranty period has expired.

Prices have been re-aligned which means that pro_cee’d now undercuts the equivalent five-door model by £300. They start at £11,595 – less than some competitors charge for smaller B-segment models – and there is an easily-understood price walk-up between trim grades and engines. There is a £1300 increment to progress from pro_cee’d 1 to pro_cee’d 2 or pro_cee’d 2 to pro_cee’d 3, and a £1000 premium to move from a petrol engine to a diesel, or manual transmission to automatic.   There is no increment to upgrade to ISG. 

Full on-the-road list for the 2010 Kia pro_cee’d: