2007 Kia pro_cee`d (EU) review

Kia pro_cee`d (EU) review:

Longer, lower and lighter than its five-door sister car, the new Kia pro_cee`d – to be debuted at the Frankfurt International Motor Show on 11 September - brings yet more style and more sportiness to the C-segment in Europe.

"The new Kia pro_cee`d offers consumers sensationally stylish looks with a truly sporty feel to the driving experience, while also retaining most of the practicality and versatility of the popular cee`d five-door hatchback," enthuses Jean-Charles Lievens, Senior Vice President Kia Motors Europe. "With performance, ride and handling that is even more responsive, the pro_cee`d will attract European consumers who find three-door cars particularly appealing."

The 4250 mm long pro_cee`d delivers class-leading passenger and luggage space. The cee`d family wheelbase (2650 mm) is retained, so despite its lowered, sporty appearance, pro_cee`d provides generous legroom front and rear, and luggage capacity with the rear seats upright matches the five-door model. The 19-model line-up of three-door hatchbacks is scheduled to go on sale early next year.

"With the pro_cee`d we have communicated sportiness mostly through the car`s exterior design," explains Gregory Guillaume, Chief Designer Kia Motors Europe. "At the front, we have extended the nose by 10 mm and introduced a shallower grille, new-style headlamps, a wider, lower bumper with a prominent lip spoiler, a deeper central air intake and larger fog lights set in elliptical depressions.

"It is the side profile that makes pro_cee`d truly distinctive. The windscreen is much shallower and the vehicle height is reduced by 30 mm. The doors, which are 276 mm longer than the front doors of the five-door cee`d model, have a unique design with a more prominent swage line that highlights the sporty character of this model and a beltline that rises much more steeply towards the rear of the car.

"The side window, C-Pillar and tailgate spoiler are all new and although the rear screen is steeply raked, rear headroom remains good. Unlike other cee`d models, the exhaust tailpipe on the pro_cee`d is boldly displayed," concludes Guillaume.

The larger pro_cee`d doors with their extra-wide 70 degree openings ensure good access to the rear seats. To boost practicality, Kia`s designers re-styled the rear seat cushion, which is now fixed, and re-engineered the 60/40 split backrest so that it is easy to release and simply folds down onto the cushion with no need to remove the head restraints.

With pro_cee`d, Kia is offering customers the full choice of cee`d family powertrains – five Euro4 compliant engines, with power outputs covering a 90 ps to 143 ps range, and three transmissions – as offered in the five-door hatchback and wagon models.

Like its siblings, pro_cee`d will also be available with three equipment levels plus 12 exterior colours and a wide range of optional extras – so that each customer can create a `personalised` vehicle to suit their needs and tastes.

The optional Sports Pack, which comprises 17-inch alloy wheels with 225/45 R17 tyres, stiffer dampers, sport-concept interior trim (with `tyre-track` pattern fabric and silver stitching, plus alloy pedals and stainless-steel door-scuff plates) is expected to be a popular choice with pro_cee`d buyers.