2019 Kia ProCeed ‘GT Line S’ – A unique shooting brake. Those who remember the first Kia Proceed might recall it having a great deal more punctuation and two fewer doors than the car on these pages.
As if to underline that SUVs and crossovers aren’t the only solution for stylish, practical family motoring, Kia has introduced this sleek five-door wagon to join the five-door Ceed hatch and Sportswagon estate. With svelte lines the goal, the Proceed is actually 5mm longer than the Sportswagon and its roofline is 43mm lower. Ground clearance is also reduced by 5mm.
In the family car arena, only Mercedes-Benz does something similar with the A-Class based CLA Shooting Brake – and Kia’s offering is an awful lot cheaper.
Imitation is known to flatter, and mainstream Kia is aiming to pull off the same trick as ‘premium’ Mercedes. It’s no secret that the CLA Shooting Brake is pricier than other CLA and A-Class models, and the Proceed is pitched upmarket of the rest of the Ceed line-up. There are just three higher specification trim levels offered: GT-Line, GT-Line S and a performance-focused GT. Three engines are available, ranging from 138bhp to 201bhp.
The interior looks much like that of any other Ceed, with sound ergonomics and a decent enough feel given the price.
There’s plenty of adjustment in the driver’s seat and steering wheel, and the pedals line up nicely so you’re not forced to sit crookedly. Adjustable lumbar support is standard and GT-Line S models get a 10-way electrically adjustable driver’s seat.
At a time when more and more manufacturers are moving key functions onto touchscreens, the Proceed retains separate buttons and knobs for its air-con, which makes it much easier to tweak things on the move.
There’s no faulting the view out of the front of the Proceed, but over-the-shoulder visibility is quite restricted. That strikingly sloping roofline dictates a rather shallow rear windscreen with a limited view out. It’s as well, then, that a reversing camera and rear parking sensors and are standard.
The standard 8.0in touchscreen infotainment system includes sat-nav and DAB radio as well as Android Auto and Apple CarPlay. The screen is responsive, but it lacks physical shortcut buttons to help quickly switch between different menus. Systems in the Skoda Octavia Estate and Volkswagen Golf Estate have clearer graphics with larger icons.
The GT-Line S may be generously equipped, but its sunroof eats into headroom and the electrically adjustable driver’s seat doesn’t drop as low as the manual perches in cheaper models – taller drivers might be better off spending less. Remarkably, though, the car’s steeply raked rear window and sloping roofline don’t inhibit rear accommodation or boot space severely; the rear seats are spacious enough for a near six-footer to comfortably sit behind somebody similarly tall in the front
At 594 litres, the Proceed’s boot is only 11 litres shy of a Volkswagen Golf Estate’s and 16 short of that of the giant Skoda Octavia Estate. It’s also only marginally smaller than the Ceed Sportwagon’s 625 litre effort, but has a smaller opening and its lower roofline is less compatible with bulky loads. Still, it’s certainly well up to the task of being a main family car.
60/40 split-folding rear seats are standard; a more versatile 40/20/40 split comes with GT-Line S. The Proceed can’t match the Ceed Sportswagon estate’s flat load lip (blame the location of the number plate), but there are floor rails to which you can add versatile luggage restraints.
Pricing
GT-Line’ 1.4 T-GDi 6-speed manual ISG £23,835
GT-Line’ 1.4 T-GDi 7-speed auto DCT ISG £24,935
GT-Line’ 1.6 CRDi 6-speed manual ISG £24,685
GT-Line’ 1.6 CRDi 7-speed auto DCT ISG £25,785
GT-Line S’ 1.4 T-GDi 7-speed auto DCT ISG £28,685
GT’ 1.6 T-GDi 7-speed auto DCT ISG £28,135
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