RE: Kia Pro_Cee'd - details

[LongLiveTazio]

More importantly the new Kia Soul Shaker has houndstooth fabric. Houndstooth! Marvellous.

I imagine people will ask why this isn't more powerful but it's their first foray into the market, a hotter version can come later. Given the standard spec and the like the difference between this and a Golf is likely to be nigh-on 10k...

Best of luck to Kia, I think their range just keeps getting better.

[ArnageWRC]

Think they need a global Motorsport programme – which is why I’m surprised that Hyundai, and not Kia are entering the WRC.

[Froomee]

va1o said:

ehyouwhat said:

I have a friend who bought the previous generation of Pro_Cee'd last year, during a Kia finance promotion. He got a top-spec 1.6 diesel model with leather, nav and reversing camera, bluetooth, etc for £250 a month (PCP) with £1.5k down.

That sort of deal isn't anything special though, you can easily get a 2.0 TDI Golf or A3 for that kind of money. Goes back to my point that they need to be cheaper than the competition IMO.

I am aware that that cars have gone up but two years ago i purchased a Focus ST for £1000 down and it was just over £300 per month over 24 months. After 23 months i got back over £3k after the final payment which was around £8k which is cheap (£200 p/m ish plus mountune £999 so less than £250 a month over two years).

£1.5k down and £250 a month for a top-spec model of an average run of the mill car seems expensive to me (although its hard to tell without seeing all the details).

[RTH]

That is a good looking car.

[ehyouwhat]

va1o said:

ehyouwhat said:

I have a friend who bought the previous generation of Pro_Cee'd last year, during a Kia finance promotion. He got a top-spec 1.6 diesel model with leather, nav and reversing camera, bluetooth, etc for £250 a month (PCP) with £1.5k down.

That sort of deal isn't anything special though, you can easily get a 2.0 TDI Golf or A3 for that kind of money. Goes back to my point that they need to be cheaper than the competition IMO.

He and I looked at VAG cars at the time and, whilst a monthly figure of £250 was possible (just), the deposits needed were in the £3k-£4k bracket, which he couldn't really stretch to. These cars also tended to be much lower in overall spec with no navigation, leather, etc - the closest match was a Seat Leon but even that required a larger deposit and didn't have as much kit as the Kia. My friend had originally wanted a Ford Focus in Zetec spec, and his cheapest quote with his old Almera as a £1500 deposit (as was the case with Kia) came in at over £300 per month.

£2k extra as a deposit is £55 a month over three years, and when you factor this into the equation the Kia does seem a decent deal, especially for those who are trading in a low-value car in lieu of a cash deposit.

[BBS-LM]

That looks great considering what the new Clio Sport looks like. Would be interesting if anyone new the starting price of the car.

[Agoogy]

Yes it's genric in terms of it's proportion and glass/metal layout...
But for me it's taken the best aspects of the segment to make arguably the better looking car, sharper and more cohesive than a Megane, just all round better than a Focus, different league to the Golf. The Astra GTC and this run very close IMO...but from photos alone the Vx 'looks' heavier...

A very smart car indeed.

Now they need an 'R' version or something with more drama

[Paul O]

Looks lovely, although I suspect that a higher than expected price tag might be attached.

I wonder what they'll do to the interior? Leather stuff perhaps?

[Maxus]

Good move by KIA to take Peter Schreyer the ex VAG design man.

He even brought the Golf GTi red grille bar with him (now placed on the lower bumper though)

Nice effort.

[DazBock]

I'm quite impressed. I think I would rather drive one of those than an Astra GTC which although relatively good looking is massively overpriced and far too common.

Fingers crossed it is cheap.

[Amirhussain]

Like the front end, but not a fan of the rear end.

[philmots]

I like it.. Should be a good second hand buy at 5 years old. Ill certainly look to pick one up.

[Limpet]

Massive discrepancy for me between the power output and on-paper performance.

Similar power and weight figures to an original Sierra Cosworth, yet best part of 2 seconds slower to 60. Even a tardy gearchange is only worth a second.

Driven a couple of cooking Cee'ds and they are perfectly decent, but not remotely exciting. I think I'd need to drive one.

The KIA badge is neither here nor there for me.

Edited by Limpet on Monday 28th January 13:53

[Mr Gear]

Limpet said:

Massive discrepancy for me between the power output and on-paper performance.

Similar power and weight figures to an original Sierra Cosworth, yet best part of 2 seconds slower to 60. Even a tardy gearchange is only worth a second.

Driven a couple of cooking Cee'ds and they are perfectly decent, but not remotely exciting. I think I'd need to drive one.

The KIA badge is neither here nor there for me.

Edited by Limpet on Monday 28th January 13:53

Heavier car, more peaky engine, front wheel drive? That adds up.

[kambites]

Mr Gear said:

Heavier car, more peaky engine, front wheel drive? That adds up.

True, but compare it to our Octavia VRS - the Kia has more power, is 100kg lighter, and is nearly a second slower to 60.

[Rog B]

Really liking that, if it looks as good in real life as the marketing image I'd consider buying it, obviously wholey dependant on price.

[MiseryStreak]

I drove a Kia Cee'd 1.6 diesel as a rental car recently, I was horrified at first as I thought I was getting a Focus but I was pleasantly surprised by how nice it was to drive and the interior quality. The problem is I looked up the prices and it was £20,000, more expensive than the equivalent Focus or even Golf. This hot version is likely to be just as ambitiously priced, and without the brand image and history (important in this sector) it's not likely to corner the market. Kia's are bought by people looking for a cheap reliable shopping car, not by petrolheads, painting the brake calipers red will not suddenly reinvent the brand. In fact I doubt I will ever see one on UK roads, which is probably a shame.

[kambites]

MiseryStreak said:

I drove a Kia Cee'd 1.6 diesel as a rental car recently, I was horrified at first as I thought I was getting a Focus but I was pleasantly surprised by how nice it was to drive and the interior quality. The problem is I looked up the prices and it was £20,000, more expensive than the equivalent Focus or even Golf. This hot version is likely to be just as ambitiously priced, and without the brand image and history (important in this sector) it's not likely to corner the market. Kia's are bought by people looking for a cheap reliable shopping car, not by petrolheads, painting the brake calipers red will not suddenly reinvent the brand. In fact I doubt I will ever see one on UK roads, which is probably a shame.

Hmm, not so sure. I think a lot of new private buyers will see the warranty as a significant draw.

[MiseryStreak]

I'll reserve judgement until I see the pricing, if it's cheap it has a chance. Is it certain the the 7 year warranty will apply to 'hot' models though?

One thing it has got going for it that the one of the more established hot hatch makers hasn't, a three door manual gearbox variant!

[kambites]

MiseryStreak said:

I'll reserve judgement until I see the pricing, if it's cheap it has a chance. Is it certain the the 7 year warranty will apply to 'hot' models though?

I see no reason to believe that it wont?