KIA Pro Cee`d. About PRO Cee`d.

KIA Pro Cee`d. About the Pro Cee`d

Cars come in all shapes and sizes: from tiny to huge, from cute to outright weird — you can categorize them any way you like, even by country of origin. As a practical person, I've always been puzzled by one question: why do Europeans love hatchbacks so much, especially three-door ones?

The answer is obvious — they're stylish, and that says it all! And what else does a young person without family obligations need? A small, good-looking car to get to college or pop into a party — no extra passengers or cargo! Only a close person by your side, and in the back — some junk. As my friend puts it, "the back row is for stuffed toys; nobody else will sit there!"

Which C-class cars can be called "youthful"? The tired Opel Astra, Ford Focus, and the long-uninspiring Citroën C4 come to mind... "Damn, I'm not old yet, haven't hit thirty, but I'm still driving boring sedans with huge trunks. Maybe I can feel like a carefree student again behind the wheel of a new Korean creation?" — I thought, and... took the "hot" KIA Pro Cee`d with a two-liter engine and a manual gearbox.

Bright red

What does a modern car with sporting pretensions need? It must be expressive, memorable, flashy, stand out from the gray mass of cars on our roads, stir emotions, and catch the eyes of passersby and drivers in traffic jams. Spotting a vague silhouette from afar in the parking lot, I knew: it was him! And red, too — the color of energy, passion, speed... The cunning squint of the headlights seems to taunt: "Well, buddy, come on, step on it!". No, first let's feast our eyes on this beauty!

Although our hero has a "donor" — the five-door "Cee'd" — they look completely different. The only common parts are the hood and windshield. And that's no surprise: the car is slightly longer than its "progenitor" and three centimeters lower. Different bumpers, huge 17-inch low-profile wheels, truly European design, and door stampings make the sporty version of the "Cee'd" swift and aggressive. Of course, it's no longer the concept from the 2006 Paris show, but you wouldn't call this car commonplace either. The hatchback's design turned out cohesive, harmonious, and intriguing. In short, it aced its first task — charming with its looks — with flying colors.

With a mother-of-pearl button, please!

I can't wait to peek inside... And there... the good old KIA Cee'd — no more, no less. Perhaps only the aluminum pedal covers and the footrest for the left foot hint at "sportiness." Although there's nothing wrong with that, because the interior turned out well: pleasant soft plastic, neat trim, comfortable wide seats ready to accommodate any build... The instrument panel is perfectly readable and informative. But there are complaints: the overly bright orange backlighting is distracting and "hurts" the eyes. You have to dim it to minimum. The center console is angled toward the driver, making it easy to control the climate control and stereo; the three-spoke steering wheel has music controls... The quality of trim and materials is, without exaggeration, high.

If you have a regular "Cee'd" in a rich trim, there's something to brag about: leather on the wheel and handbrake, "metal-look" inserts... But you'd have to brag like this: "Same, but with a mother-of-pearl button"...

Down with glasses!

There are plenty of ergonomic flaws. I never managed to get comfortable behind the wheel. Neither the steering wheel's reach and tilt adjustment, nor the seat height, nor the lumbar support adjustment helped. All attempts to find "my" position failed. The gearshift lever is too close to the armrest, so my hand doesn't rest on it. The instrument backlight adjustment wheel is hard to find — it's hidden behind the steering wheel... The turn signals engage stiffly, and you have to reach for the stalk. No, there's no German thoughtfulness here. The adjustment range is small.

"I'll grab my new polarized glasses," I decide, noticing the glasses holder on the ceiling. "Yeah, right!" the "Pro Cee'd" laughs at me. "Want glasses? Keep them on your nose or on your head. I only have room for super-compact branded mini-glasses, and don't even think about putting yours in!". The same problem with documents: insurance can only go in the pockets on the front seatbacks; the "glove box" is sized for the manual and other small items.

But there are nice touches. For example, you won't have to reach for the climate controls, which, by the way, do their job "without fuss or dust" perfectly. Powerful airflows instantly defrost the windows, preventing them from fogging up in the chilly autumn. The front seats heat the "fifth point" in three modes. The two interior lights and the abundance of cupholders are pleasing. Overall, the "minuses" are outweighed by the "pluses." The KIA Cee`d's interior can be called one of the best among Koreans, and it even gives many "Europeans" a run for their money.

Anyway, enough nitpicking, let's go "race" around evening Moscow, or rather... crawl in traffic jams! But first, let's set up the music so we don't get bored.

No more rock 'n' roll

No matter how hard I tried to find a decent radio station in the city center, I couldn't. The weak little antenna stub flatly refuses to pick up music to my taste, only pop and chanson. The car seems to say: "Listen, buddy, no more rock 'n' roll! Want to be 'cool'? Listen to techno, rave, or dance! Rock 'n' roll died long ago, don't even try to find it!". What nonsense? No, I don't play that way! I was saved from certain death by the USB port with an iPod adapter that comes in the kit. Very convenient for old-timers like me. Of course, expecting quality sound from a flash drive is silly. If the "highs" are tolerable, there are almost no bass, even with the equalizer cranked to max. From discs, the sound is an order of magnitude better, and the "lows" appear from somewhere. However, we won't demand the impossible from a C-class car. It's not "premium," after all. Although, given the model's target audience, there's room for improvement: quality sound is crucial for young people, even in a car!

Sprinter

Enough fiddling with the sound, let's start it! The car responds to the key turn with a contented, barely audible purr inside. Well, not bad! The timbre is nice, rich, and not annoying. I pull away. The engine sound grows, fed by the song of winter tires. Sound insulation is weak compared to the best European rivals, but it certainly won't yield to "Japanese" cars, which are completely devoid of "soundproofing." The car accelerates very confidently. Gears engage crisply, though not too quickly due to the relatively long throw of the shifter. But it's almost impossible to make a mistake in selection, and the elasticity of the economical(!) engine, which is important, is amazing. It seems to forgive everything: you can start in "second," shift to 5th at speeds "over 50," or "shoot" from a traffic light (which takes no more than one movement of the right hand). The only unpleasant impression was left by reverse gear: it's good if you can engage it on the 2nd or 3rd try. Is this a flaw or a defect of this particular car? More likely the latter, but it certainly spoils the mood and overall impression.

The "Pro Cee'd's" dynamics leave a mixed impression: in the city, you can "tear up" many at traffic lights thanks to the excellent "second," but then... the acceleration "fizzles out." And that's a reason to classify the KIA Pro Cee`d as a purely "urban" car. Although on the highway, our Stylish Guy holds his own, overtaking 2-3 slowpokes in one go.

The engine itself is wonderful; it's all about the transmission gear ratios.

Frisky jumper

As it turned out, handling a stubborn car isn't always easy. The wayward steering wheel can't wait to return to the neutral position at low speeds. After jerking around in the Friday evening rush on the Garden Ring for just half an hour, I felt my left arm — there's no other way to put it — starting to "go numb" from the constant battle with the wheel. Not only the power steering settings are to blame, but also the roller tires, which give the car an irresistible love for ruts — they keep trying to slide off the ridges, preventing you from setting the desired trajectory.

As soon as I got out of the dense city traffic and picked up speed, the "Cee'd" with the "Pro" prefix immediately showed another trait of its character. The multi-link suspension clearly dislikes transverse waves in the asphalt. Hit such an imperfection, and the car starts bouncing like a goat. If there are stuffed bears in the back, they might even find it fun, but what if the passengers aren't so soft? Then it's better to warn them in advance! You ask, what kind of "sport" likes "sleeping policemen"? I'll answer: none! I caught myself thinking that if I had such a car in my student years, my studies would definitely have suffered: by the time you get to university, all knowledge would be shaken out of your head. At the same time, ride comfort on small bumps is excellent, and small cracks in the asphalt seem to be completely absorbed by the wide tires. But large potholes echo through the body with hard impacts, causing paint chips even on the inside of the door frames. Any moment now, the windows might fly out! However, what's a "hot" hatchback without a sense of sportiness? And the talk is precisely about sensations...

Strangely enough, with the two-liter engine, the KIA Pro Cee'd doesn't make you want to race at all. And the culprit is a very strange and overly "sharp" steering wheel (only 2.5 turns from lock to lock). When it should be light, it's hard to turn, and when you expect resistance, it becomes weightless. At speed, there's no feedback, so you can't "light up" in corners, and on bumps, both axles noticeably "step out." I wouldn't risk fully relying on the ABS and ESP systems (which, by the way, can be turned off) — especially in winter, you could easily end up in a ditch.

What if we turn off into the woods? "Hey, what are you doing, I'm a PRO Cee'd!" — the car scrapes its underbody over bumps, and this happens right on a gravel road. We can't even get to a proper dirt road with the "Pro Sid"! "Club, Moscow, or at least St. Petersburg. Just not the woods!" — this stubborn goat pleads with me. "Alright, let's go!" — I agree. "But first, let's stop by the store!"

Let's load the luggage!

The attempt to load a week's worth of groceries from the supermarket into the KIA Pro Cee'd failed. When I first saw the car, looking at its plump rear, I figured the trunk must hold at least four hundred liters. Not so! Only 340. And under the false floor, there's just a compact "donut" spare with a tool kit. You can't fit a full-size spare tire in there! Even with the rear seats folded, you can't haul a refrigerator. And why would you? That's what special vehicles like the "Gazelle" are for! And in general, it's better to approach the "Pro Sid's" third door less often — given our weather, you won't be able to open the trunk without getting your hands dirty. If you're a practical student and still occasionally peek into the "hold," always keep a rag or wet wipes handy.

Count off by twos!

I've basically shared my impressions of the sporty "Sid." What about the passengers? And how many can you take along? A survey of the "Bears" (and three of them fit in the back row of the KIA Pro Cee'd, and they'll be quite plump "Bears") showed that they're quite comfortable. The car is wide, and it's hard to reach the front seatbacks with your knees. But remember: if someone gets the honor of riding in the second row, don't forget to ask how they handle the bumpiness.

Special praise goes to the view from the rear seats: on a trip, you can enjoy the scenery not only through the small side windows but also through the big "windshield." But the driver can barely see anything in the rearview mirror: the already narrow rear window is completely blocked by the passengers' heads. That's why the KIA Pro Cee'd comes with a parking system, but I'd recommend making it standard across all trims, not just an option: otherwise, you'll have to park "in reverse" blindly — and an unexpected meeting between the bumper and a post is quite possible. Though, then what would the body repair specialists do?..

Speaking of trims...

In Russia, the KIA Pro Cee'd is offered with two engines: a 1.6-liter naturally aspirated unit with 122 hp and a two-liter 143-hp engine that can be paired with a manual or automatic transmission in different trim levels. Our Stylish One in the "luxe" trim can boast a full power package, heated seats, numerous adjustments for the front seats, including height and lumbar support, a front armrest, front and rear cupholders, climate control, an onboard computer, electric power steering, and a bunch of other pleasant little things that there's no point in listing. The "luxe sport" version adds rear parking sensors, automatic headlight control, and power-folding mirrors. Prices for the model range from 589,900 to 719,900 rubles depending on the engine and trim.

Safety in the "Pro Sid" is in perfect order: a solid 5 stars in crash tests thanks to six (!) airbags, active headrests for the front seats, and ABS and ESP systems. In a word, everything is top-notch!

P.S.

After nearly 1,000 kilometers of driving in various modes and road conditions across the cities and villages of our vast country, I suddenly realized that the longer I spend behind the wheel of the Stylish One KIA Pro Cee'd, the more I like it: the flaws that initially annoyed me no longer seem so serious. The trunk? Whatever!.. But girls turn their heads, and in the mirrors, I can see stern traffic police inspectors who didn't manage to raise their batons, absentmindedly watching us go by, clearly thinking: "Wow, what a beauty, I'd love to take a closer look!" Well, let them look and envy!

P.P.S.

Such cars are chosen with the heart.

Alexander Vorontsov

Technical Specifications

Source – AUTOMANIA.RU