New Kia Pro_cee'd First Details

This is the sporty new three-door version of the cee'd from Kia, aptly named the 'pro_cee'd'. These first details come hot on the heels of two independently-released teaser photos released by the manufacturer to hype its unveiling. Debuting at next month's Frankfurt Motor Show, the pro_cee'd will offer consumers a sporty feel and driving experience as well as 'sensationally stylish looks', says Kia Motors Europe's Senior Vice President. This is Kia redefined.

The pro_cee'd joins the Kia range as the sportiest sibling of the cee'd family, with its sportiness affirmed from most angles. Complying with this increased dose of sportiness, designers have worked their magic on a surprisingly large amount of the car. For starters, the car's been lowered by 30mm to give it a beautiful sporty stance. The nose has been extended by 10mm, while a shallower grille and new-style headlamps have been introduced. A wider, lower bumper with lip spoiler and a deeper central air intake also support the new, sportier stance. At the rear, the side windows, C-Pillar and tailgate spoiler are all-new, although Kia maintain that the raked rear windscreen does not impede rear headroom.

Measuring marginly longer than the five-door at 4250mm, the three-door retains the cee'd's family wheelbase and is able to match the five-door on luggage capacity and legroom both front and rear. The pro_cee'd will boast a 19-model line-up with engines ranging from 90hp to 143hp, a choice of three transmissions, 12 colour finishes and a healthy range of options - air-con is likely to be standard. Should the new car not be sporty enough for you, Kia will also be offering an optional Sports Pack. Adding 17" alloys, stiffer dampers and sport-concept interior trim to the pro_cee'd, the firm predicts the package will be a popular choice for buyers.

Expect sales to start early 2008 following its Frankfurt debut, closely followed by an 'SW' estate model, with a convertible model rumoured to be on the way for 2009.

Press Release

Longer, lower and lighter than its five-door sister car, the new Kia pro_cee’d – to be debuted at the Frankfurt International Motor Show on 11 September - brings yet more style and more sportiness to the C-segment in Europe.

“The new Kia pro_cee’d offers consumers sensationally stylish looks with a truly sporty feel to the driving experience, while also retaining most of the practicality and versatility of the popular cee’d five-door hatchback,” enthuses Jean-Charles Lievens, Senior Vice President Kia Motors Europe.  “With performance, ride and handling that is even more responsive, the pro_cee’d will attract European consumers who find three-door cars particularly appealing.”

The 4250 mm long pro_cee’d delivers class-leading passenger and luggage space.  The cee’d family wheelbase (2650 mm) is retained, so despite its lowered, sporty appearance, pro_cee’d provides generous legroom front and rear, and luggage capacity with the rear seats upright matches the five-door model. The 19-model line-up of three-door hatchbacks is scheduled to go on sale early next year. 

“With the pro_cee’d we have communicated sportiness mostly through the car’s exterior design,” explains Gregory Guillaume, Chief Designer Kia Motors Europe.  “At the front, we have extended the nose by 10 mm and introduced a shallower grille, new-style headlamps, a wider, lower bumper with a prominent lip spoiler, a deeper central air intake and larger fog lights set in elliptical depressions.

“It is the side profile that makes pro_cee’d truly distinctive.  The windscreen is much shallower and the vehicle height is reduced by 30 mm.  The doors, which are 276 mm longer than the front doors of the five-door cee’d model, have a unique design with a more prominent swage line that highlights the sporty character of this model and a beltline that rises much more steeply towards the rear of the car.

“The side window, C-Pillar and tailgate spoiler are all new and although the rear screen is steeply raked, rear headroom remains good.  Unlike other cee’d models, the exhaust tailpipe on the pro_cee’d is boldly displayed,” concludes Guillaume.

The larger pro_cee’d doors with their extra-wide 70 degree openings ensure good access to the rear seats.  To boost practicality, Kia’s designers re-styled the rear seat cushion, which is now fixed, and re-engineered the 60/40 split backrest so that it is easy to release and simply folds down onto the cushion with no need to remove the head restraints.

With pro_cee’d, Kia is offering customers the full choice of cee’d family powertrains – five Euro4 compliant engines, with power outputs covering a 90 ps to 143 ps range, and three transmissions – as offered in the five-door hatchback and wagon models.

Like its siblings, pro_cee’d will also be available with three equipment levels plus 12 exterior colours and a wide range of optional extras – so that each customer can create a ‘personalised’ vehicle to suit their needs and tastes.

The optional Sports Pack, which comprises 17-inch alloy wheels with 225/45 R17 tyres, stiffer dampers, sport-concept interior trim (with ‘tyre-track’ pattern fabric and silver stitching, plus alloy pedals and stainless-steel door-scuff plates) is expected to be a popular choice with pro_cee’d buyers.