Paris show: Kia debuts Euro Proceed, Ceed GT
BY ROBBIE WALLIS | 3rd Oct 2018
KIA Motors has publically debuted the European-spec Proceed shooting brake, warmed-over Ceed GT hatch and Ceed GT Line at this year’s Paris motor show, however an Australian debut for any of the vehicles remains unlikely.
The new-generation Proceed drops the three-door hatch body style from the previous iteration in favour of a more family-friendly five-door shooting brake design, penned by Kia’s European design team in Germany.
Given both the Ceed and Proceed will be built in Slovakia, both are unlikely to come to Australia, with Kia’s local arm preferring to source its product from the company’s native South Korea.
With a rakish wagon-style exterior design, the Proceed sits lower and longer than the Ceed, and borrows many styling cues from the concept vehicle revealed at last year’s Frankfurt motor show.
It sports the same ‘apostrophe’ style headlights shared by the Ceed with an LED lighting cluster, the signature Kia ‘Tiger Nose’ grille, large lower air intake, tapered roofline, panoramic glass sunroof, rear roof spoiler, LED tail-lights joined by a light strip across the tailgate, and twin exhaust tips.
Inside, the Proceed gains a 7.0-inch infotainment system, leather upholstery, dual-zone climate control, heated seats and steering wheel, a colour instrument cluster display, aluminium pedals, paddle shifters and a sport mode button.
Power for the Proceed comes from a 1.6-litre turbo-petrol four-cylinder engine developing 150kW/265Nm, teamed to either a six-speed manual or seven-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission.
The Proceed will be sold exclusively in Europe from the first quarter next year, with production starting from November.
Also on the Kia stand in Paris is the Ceed GT warmed-over hatch, which shares much of its exterior and interior styling with the Proceed.
The GT comes with sportier exterior styling than the rest of the Ceed range, including a sporty front bumper with splitter, LED head- and tail-lights, large lower air intake, side sills, large alloy wheels and tweaked rear bumper.
Interior specification and powertrain options for the Ceed GT will be the same as the Proceed, exclusively offered with the 1.6-litre turbo four-pot.
Lastly, Kia has also revealed the Ceed GT Line, which will be available on every variant of the European Ceed line-up, which borrows styling cues from the range-topping hatch.
The GT Line package adds a satin-chrome and gloss-black finish on the grille bezel, 17-inch alloys with an 18-inch option, metallic ‘blades’ on the foglamp surrounds, and front and rear bumpers that draw inspiration from the Ceed GT.
Inside, the GT Line replaces the grey roof lining with black cloth, metallic scuff plates are added, and front passengers receive new GT Line seats with larger side and thigh bolsters.
Three turbocharged powertrain options are available on the Ceed, including an 88kW/171Nm petrol three pot, a 103kW/236kW 1.4-litre four cylinder, and a 94kW/260Nm 1.6-litre oil burner.
The Ceed GT-Line will also go one sale in Europe during the first quarter of next year.
