Kia Procee'd Hatchback full 9 point review

  • Performance

    3 out of 5 stars

    Review-OnRoad Four engines are available, and our favourite is the entry-level 1.4, which is impressively flexible for a small engine. The bigger 1.6 does a perfectly decent job, too. The remaining two units are 1.6-litre diesel engines, and the higher-powered model is our favourite, impressively punchy and giving appreciably better performance without any great sacrifice in fuel economy.

  • Ride & Handling

    3 out of 5 stars

    Review-OnRoad The Procee'd is based on the Cee'd five-door, but Kia has tweaked the chassis to make it sportier to drive. Comfort suffers, though, because while the five-door Cee'd is firm enough and more than capable around corners, the Procee'd's ride can be harsh, especially around town. It is impressively agile, however, with good grip and little body lean through corners. The steering is light and rather short on feel, but it is quick.

  • Refinement

    3 out of 5 stars

    Review-OnRoad The 1.6 petrol engine is boomy at speed, but the 1.6-litre diesel is reasonably easy on the ear (for a diesel), whether you're working it hard or not. Wind- and road noise aren't intrusive, but there are quieter motorway cruisers in this class. The suspension thuds noisily over larger bumps, too, while the gearchange is notchy.

  • Buying & Owning

    4 out of 5 stars

    Review-Ownership Low prices are key to every Kia. The Procee'd is no exception, but its ace card is a seven-year warranty. Frugal diesel engines, low servicing bills and modest road tax and insurance costs add up to a sound ownership package. However, bear in mind that dealer discounts and residual values are no match for many of the Kia's big-name rivals.

  • Quality & Reliability

    3 out of 5 stars

    Review-Ownership The Procee'd's cabin is smart and modern, but it's not as classy as that of a VW Golf or Vauxhall Astra, with a few cheap-looking materials and some lightweight controls. It's solid enough, though, and Kia has plenty of faith in the car's long-term reliability - enough, in fact, to give it a seven-year warranty.

  • Safety & Security

    4 out of 5 stars

    Review-Ownership All Procee'ds come with front, side and curtain airbags as well as anti-lock brakes and electronic brake distribution (EBD). There are active front headrests (to counteract whiplash) and, in the rear, ISOFIX child seat fittings. The top Procee'd 3 has stability control with emergency brake assist. Security features on all models comprise an alarm, deadlocks, remote central locking with deadlocks, and doorlocks that activate as soon as the car starts moving.

  • Behind The Wheel

    3 out of 5 stars

    Review-Cabin The seats are firm, but they're flat and could do with providing more side support. The steering wheel adjusts for height and reach, but taller drivers are likely to wish that it moved further away. They may also feel that they're perched rather high. The dash is well laid out, but the central readout can be hard to read at a glance. The chunky rear pillars seriously restrict the view out of the back, too.

  • Space & Practicality

    3 out of 5 stars

    Review-Cabin If space is a priority, buyers will opt for the five-door Cee'd, but the Procee'd still has plenty of cabin space, with generous legroom for those in the front and back seats. Access isn't as good, however, and rivals such as the VW Golf and Ford Focus have larger boots.

  • Equipment

    4 out of 5 stars

    Review-Cabin There are three trim levels: the 1, 2 and 3, and all three get more kit than the Cee'd. The Procee'd 1 offers air-con and a metallic-effect fascia, but you'll need the 2 for 16-inch alloy wheels and front fog lamps. The 3 includes 17-inch alloys, climate control, iPod connectivity and the most classy interior trim.

Procee'd rivals

Procee'd used rivals