Kia Proceed Review (2019-present)
Kia Pro ceed cars for sale
3.0
Expert review
Pros
Handsome estate-meets-coupe looks
Generous seven-year warranty
Lots of standard kit
Cons
Bland driving experience
Limited engine line-up
A bit pricey as a new car
The CarGurus verdict
Although undeniably stylish and a welcome distraction from the hordes of homogenous SUVs that have been flooding the market in recent years, the Kia Proceed remains a niche product that isn’t likely to sell as well as the cheaper and more practical Kia Ceed Sportswagon.
At around £30,000 new for the most lavishly appointed cars, the asking price also pushes the Proceed into premium badge territory, with the basic Mercedes-Benz CLA Shooting Brakes commanding just £3,000 more for a vehicle that comes with greater brand cachet.
The Ford Focus Estate is also a more enjoyable car to drive and the Volkswagen Golf Estate, although infinitely less exciting to behold, comes with the typical German build quality and interior finish that the badge is so famous for.
If above all else you want a five-door estate car that combines good looks with ease of ownership, high levels of equipment and relatively rarity, the Proceed is worth a look. Just be aware that in terms of driving dynamics it might not be as sharp as you'd hoped.
In the spirit of today’s eco-conscious climate, Kia has been busy reusing and recycling, but in this case, it’s recycling a badge that has previously appeared on the back of one of its cars, albeit with more questionable punctuation.
That’s right, the Proceed was once a three-door hatchback that sat alongside the regular Kia Ceed and made it look decidedly boring. With more rakish bodywork, a bold front grille and sportier road presence, the original Proceed was very much a car that signified a new design direction for the Korean marque.
Unfortunately, sales of three-door hatchbacks haven’t been strong for some time, so in an attempt to retain some of this premium sportiness in its model line-up, Kia decided to resurrect the Proceed nameplate in 2019, but in the form of a very en vogue shooting brake. Or in layman’s terms, an estate that thinks it’s a coupe.
Fancy shooting brakes such as the Proceed have a tendency to look really roomy, but usually fall well short of their regular, boxy estate siblings when it comes to load space.
In part that proves to be the case here, with the Proceed’s 594 litres of boot space playing second fiddle to the 625 litres you get in the Ceed Sportswagen. That said, the Proceed’s boot is still larger than you’ll find in a lot of SUVs (it goes to a massive 1,465 litres when the back seats are folded flat), and will satisfy the luggage-carrying needs of most families. What’s more, Kia has thrown in luggage hooks and lashing points, so that rear space is also genuinely good at transporting stuff.
Although the roofline looks as though it’ll eat up headroom for those in the back, in reality there’s enough space to carry a six-foot tall passenger behind a driver of the same height. However, as with other mid-size family cars, getting three people across the rear bench is tight.
Up front you’ll find plenty of adjustment in the driver’s seat and steering wheel, so getting comfortable is easy. Do note, however, that the sloping roofline has a negative impact on rear visibility – it feels as if you are peering through a narrow slot rather than getting a full view of the road behind you. Fortunately, a reversing camera is fitted as standard equipment.
Currently only available with the choice of two petrol engines - a 1.5-litre model with 158bhp or a 1.6-litre variant with 201bhp - previous years saw a ‘Smartstream’ 134bhp 1.6-litre CRDi diesel engine, which featured Selective Catalyst Reduction emissions control technology to regulate emissions, and a 138bhp 1.4-litre petrol engine.
Fitted with the 1.5-litre turbo petrol engine, the Proceed makes easy, unfussed progress. What’s more, the engine pairs well with Kia’s seven-speed dual-clutch automatic gearbox, giving it a grown-up feel, almost like a mini grand tourer.
What about with the most powerful 1.6-litre turbo petrol engine specified instead? Well, despite a 201bhp power output, the Proceed GT still doesn’t feel like a true hot hatch, and can only manage to dispatch the 0-62mph dash in 7.2 seconds. The presence of a Sports button - which firms up the steering and makes the exhaust note more pleasing - still doesn’t do much to spice up this front-wheel-drive estate car. It’s a reasonably swift and satisfying car to drive, but not the riot you might expect given the stats.
Overall, the modern Proceed rides well, offering a level of poise and agility typically associated with more expensive, premium-badged rivals, but it doesn’t quite live up to the promise of the exciting, sporty drive that its coupe-like styling would suggest. Also bear in mind that there’s a fair bit of road noise to content with, particularly once up to motorway speeds.
There’s a very generous helping of cutting-edge technology loaded in across the Proceed range. There’s a smart 10.25-inch touchscreen infotainment system, Bluetooth with voice recognition and even a 12.3-inch ‘Supervision’ TFT cluster display in higher-spec models. Apple CarPlay and Android Auto come as standard, as do steering wheel mounted audio controls, DAB radio and rear parking sensors.
Other tech highlights include keyless entry, headed seats, auto lights and wipers, and electrically folding door mirrors. Those opting for the GT-Line S model will also benefit from a panoramic sunroof, wireless phone charger, heated rear sears, and a powered tailgate.
All of the current petrol engines are good on fuel and nothing in the line-up is particularly thirsty or expensive to run on a daily basis. As you would expect, the most powerful 1.6-litre GT models guzzle the most gas, with a combined fuel economy figure of 39.3mpg.
The entry-level 1.4-litre petrol might be a little underpowered and wheezy at times, but the combined official fuel economy figure of 48.7mpg is good news for those regularly undertaking long journeys.
Until a hybrid or plug-in hybrid variant comes along, the now-defunct 1.6-litre diesel is the most frugal of the bunch, returning up to 56.5mpg on the combined cycle and emitting 132g/km of CO2. This makes it cheaper to tax but there are similarly powerful rivals, such as Ford Focus 1.5-litre diesel estate, that manage to dip below the 100g/km CO2 mark.
Kia is now well-known for offering one of the longest warranties in the business, with a whopping seven-year, 100,000-miles covered by the manufacturer. This goes some way to prove just how confident the Korean marque is in its products, and so far, customers have largely reported very positive ownership experiences.
On top of this, there haven’t been any official recalls issued on this third generation Ceed model, whether that’s the standard five-door model, the Sportswagon or this latest Proceed version, which should give customers peace of mind, even when considering used models.
The long warranty will mean that low-mileage nearly new cars will still be protected and will remain protected for several years into the ownership experience. This is good news for those thinking of opting for a used diesel model, for example.
Above all else, the Kia Proceed feels like a very well put together piece of kit and one that has been designed to withstand the rigours of daily life, even if that life involves smaller passengers who have a tendency to break things. Hardwearing plastics are used where possible and all of the switchgear feels deliberately robust. It is perhaps part of the reason the cabin doesn’t quite feel as special as the Proceed’s more premium rivals, but it will certainly age better.
- There are just three specification grades where the Proceed is concerned and these are GT-Line, GT and GT-Line S. Only the more basic, lower powered 1.5-litre petrol models are available with the six-speed manual transmission, while the range-topping 1.6-litre turbocharged engine only comes in the sportier GT trim with a seven-speed DCT automatic gearbox.
- The 1.6-litre diesel is no longer on sale as a new model and Kia is only offering petrol units until a 48V mild hybrid option arrives in the near future. That said, the diesel emits just 110g/km CO2, making it cheaper to tax, while manual models can return an impressive 56.5mpg on the combined cycle.
- Not surprisingly, the Kia Proceed only shares a bonnet and front wings with the standard five-door Ceed and estate. Every other body panel and light structure is different. It also sits lower to the ground and features firmer suspension for a more purposeful drive.
- If you want the most fun: Unless you really like gadgets, the near-£30,000 new asking price for the range topping Proceed GT-Line S feels excessive, especially given the more powerful 1.6-litre turbo petrol engine is actually slightly cheaper in the Proceed GT guise. On top of this, the more powerful petrol engine is by far the most enjoyable engine to drive.
- If you want to save fuel: A used diesel will be the most frugal purchase, both in terms of initial outlay and when it comes to fuel economy. The engine itself is nothing special, but delivers a good glut of torque that helps move a fully-loaded Proceed. Its low CO2 figures also make it a cheaper car to tax.
- If you want the most kit: When it comes to interior features, the GT-Line S reigns supreme, bundling heated seats for rear passengers, a premium sound system and black leather with faux suede into the standard specification list. The impressive 12.3-inch TFT cluster also replaces a much smaller and slightly disappointing 4.2-inch colour display, generally raising the levels of luxury inside the cabin.
