Kia Pro Cee'd GT | Spotted
Remember the car that helped us change the way we thought about Kia?
You’ve got to hand it to Kia for radically changing its image in the last decade or so. Remember when the Korean carmaker was chucking out utterly dreary economy boxes, widely considered as some of the worst cars on sale? It really wasn’t that long ago. But in recent years the company has massively upped its game by poshing up its offerings and dipping its toes into the performance car world (if only briefly) with the Albert Biermann-engineered Stinger GT - which has since become a bit of a bargain barge hero on PH.
So when exactly did it become not uncool to own a Kia, then? It’s easy to point to the Stinger as the car that put Kia among the popular kids, because it was infinitely cooler than anything the company had ever made before (or arguably since). But Kia’s plans to drastically shake up its image were in motion long before the arrival of its ultra-niche performance saloon, as it’d already had a stab at building a hot hatch some five years prior with the car you see here.
This, folks, is the Pro Cee’d GT (styled pro_cee’d GT but come on). It’s the firm’s answer to the VW Golf GTI and, if I’m not mistaken, the first (sort of) hot hatch to come out of Korea. This wasn’t some half-hearted attempt to mix it with the Europeans, either, with Kia pinching the 1.6-litre turbo four-pot from the Hyundai Veloster and dialling the power up to 204hp. The six-speed manual gearbox it was mated to was fitted with shorter ratios for zestier acceleration. True, a 0-62mph time of 7.4 seconds was still some way off a Golf GTI, but it was comfortably the fastest thing to come out of Kia's doors since, well, ever.
What the Pro Cee’d GT lacked in outright pace it more than made up for in the twisty stuff. The suspension set-up is bespoke to the GT, comprising of beefier rear anti-roll bars, stiffer springs and dampers, and upgraded bushes. The brakes were also uprated with vented 300mm discs up front, while Kia’s annoying Flex Steer system was ditched in favour of single-weight steering. Matt said the upgrades gave the car “real composure” on the road without resulting in an overly-stiff ride. “It's just good fun”, he added, “and fulfils Kia's warm hatch billing for it perfectly.” High praise, that.
Moreover, the Pro Cee’d GT managed to achieve something that few Kias had been able to before: i.e. be remotely desirable. Not only did it drive well, but it looked the part with red accents, muscular bodywork and two sizeable exhausts that apparently deliver some decent pops and burbles on the overrun. The interior received a bit of love and attention, too, with sporty part-leather, part-suede Recaro seats and a swanky gear knob.
Sure, it’s not the fastest hot hatch there is, but it certainly ticks a lot of the boxes. As does this 2014 car, which has only covered 23,340 miles and boasts a full service history along with it. There’s a lot of kit available here as well, with dual air con, heated front seats and a rear-parking camera all featuring. The seller’s asking £12,995, which admittedly grants you access to all sorts of esteemed hot hatches such as the Renaultsport Megane and Ford Focus ST. Those are the obvious choices - and for good reason - but the Kia really is a legitimate alternative if you’re bored of the status quo. And it's a great conversation starter at a PH Sunday Service, too.
SPECIFICATION | KIA PRO CEE’D GT
Engine: 1,591cc four-cylinder, turbocharged
Transmission: six-speed manual, front-wheel drive
Power (hp): 204@6,000rpm
Torque (lb ft): 195@1750-4,500rpm
MPG: 38.2
CO2: 171g/km
Year registered: 2014
Recorded mileage: 23,340
Price new: £19,995
Yours for: £12,995
The biggest annoyance with Kia currently is their stupid logo, which says "KN"
There’s not much steering feel but the handling is fairly taut with little roll and a well damped ride, and quite a rorty engine with enough go for 95% of road driving. The price of this one is over the top though, this one is more miles but a year newer for £4,000 less and my mum has just sold hers to my brother in the end for £7K, at a similar age and low miles as the car in the article.
https://www.pistonheads.com/buy/listing/15929325
The road noise though is pretty bad as all kias fron this time. At least on the rough road surfaces we have here.
Or 1996, when Kia made their own version of the M100 Elan, which did 0-60 in, um, 7.4 seconds.
I had one of these and loved it, 2014 MY with 80k miles, paid £6,400 for it in 2020, did 24k miles and sold it to WBAC for £5,200 18 months later. Really good seats, did a couple of nice road trips in it. I liked that it wasn't too hardcore and also wasn't obvious like a GTI or Focus ST. Only sold it because I got a company car. My only complaint is it was too quiet, really couldn't here a sporty exhaust noise when driving it.
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