The Kia Ceed goes Pro

Most times, when I sit down to write a review, I have no trouble finding a theme. But a couple of years ago, I had a block; I was coming up completely dry. The car was the Kia Ceed, and in fairness there was absolutely nothing wrong with it. The problem was actually me.

When it launched in the UK, the Cee’d (the facelift also lost the apostrophe) was picked by Top Gear as its replacement for a reasonably priced car. The near-top spec model I tested was around the £25k mark, which for a spacious family hatchback isn’t unreasonable.

Granted, it’s not cheap, but an equivalent spec’d Ford Focus for example would set you back at least £2k more, before you’ve added any bells and whistles. And the Ceed had them as standard.

Perfectly comfy and practical

So a big tick for spec and, on balance, I have to say the interior finish was adequate. It was perfectly comfy and practical while still looking pretty good. It’s a good car to drive, feels okay on the road, doesn’t wallow round the corners and has all the features you’d hope for.

The boot is good, it looks better than Kia’s early models did and seats a family of four in comfort. The engine is efficient yet relatively pokey if you want to push it, but...

And that’s the issue, right there. There’s a but… something almost intangible until it suddenly struck me. I didn’t connect with this car, despite not really finding anything that I didn’t like. It took days to realise what the problem was. It was me.

I like a car with a bit of character; spirit or soul. And that’s what the Ceed was missing. For a non-petrolhead, this is probably a great choice of car. It’s just not for me.

Enter, stage left, the Proceed. Could the addition of three letters and £5k on the asking price really make a difference? Surprisingly, yes.

A pleasure to drive

It’s built on the same platform, but the two cars are a world apart. On a number of occasions, someone remarked to me that the lines had something of the (much more expensive) Porsche Panamera. And they were right! This is not a poor man’s Porsche, by any means, and the performance will come up somewhat short against that, but it was a pleasure to drive.

The seating position was comfortable and supportive, and the manual gearbox smooth and responsive. I noticed another nod to Porsche too in the headlights – there are a few Porsche models with a distinctive four-bulb-LED signature to the headlights, and the Proceed has the same.

Good space for kids in the back seats

Okay, two minor features do not make this a supercar, but at the same time, they helped to change my mind about the Ceed family altogether. It’s a much nicer car to drive, has a truly cavernous boot and good space for kids or adults in the back seats.

So it’s a Ceed, with more practicality, added feeling and looks that offer the smallest hint to a luxury pedigree.

Would I buy a Ceed now? No, probably not. But I do think I should review one again as I feel I may have been a little harsh last time.

Would I buy a Proceed? In all honesty… yes, yes I would.