Kia cee’d GT goes on sale in the UK starting at £20,495

Kia’s first high-performance model, the pro_cee’d GT, has now been joined by a five-door version, the cee’d GT, offering all the performance-enhancing styling and equipment features of the three-door car with an added dash of practicality.

The new five-door performance model sits at the pinnacle of Kia’s European-designed, European-engineered and European-built mid-sized hatchback range and is available in two versions – the cee’d GT costing £20,495, and the cee’d GT Tech priced at £22,995.

[ads id=”0″ style=”float:left;padding:5px;”]Both are powered by a turbocharged version of Kia’s 1.6-litre direct-injection petrol engine with turbo (T-GDi) delivering 201bhp and 265Nm of torque. With a 0-60mph time of 7.4 seconds and a top speed of 143mph they deliver scintillating performance, but have also been tuned with everyday usability and civility in mind.

Re-tuned suspension ensures they are more than capable of handling the impressive power and torque outputs. Increased damper rebound and compression rates, stiffer springs and bushes and a larger rear anti-roll bar are joined by stylish 18-inch alloy wheels shod with Michelin Pilot Sport 3 tyres.

The steering has been tuned for a more direct and sporting feel and the Flex Steer function, which allows drivers to select from three levels of power assistance in other versions of the cee’d, has been removed for the GT. The brakes – 300mm ventilated discs at the front and 262mm at the rear – are the most powerful ever fitted to the cee’d range.

The already sporty lines have been embellished with performance-car additions which give the GT models their own unique look, and it is the same story for the high-quality interior.

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T-GDi – turbocharging and direct injection

The 1.6-litre ‘Gamma’ engine is the first turbocharged petrol unit to be offered by Kia in the UK. The addition of an exhaust-driven turbocharger raises the power output of the normal Gamma direct-injection engine by 51 per cent and the amount of torque it develops by 61 per cent for truly exciting performance.

The T-GDi (Turbocharged Gasoline Direct injection) engine develops its 201bhp at 6,000rpm, but what really gives the GT its instantaneous response and rapid acceleration is the 265Nm of torque available without interruption from 1,750rpm to 4,500rpm. The cee’d GT accelerates from 37 to 60mph in fourth gear in only 5.4 seconds and from 50 to 75mph in fifth gear in 7.3 seconds – indicators of the supreme flexibility and immediacy of the T-GDi engine. More than 80 per cent of maximum torque is available from less than 1,500rpm.

Performance benefits from the integration of the twin-scroll turbocharger into the exhaust manifold, a design which improves responsiveness – eliminating the ‘turbo lag’ between the driver pressing the accelerator and the turbocharger building up boost pressure – while simultaneously improving gas flow and reducing heat losses for maximum efficiency. The GT may be first and foremost a performance car, but it also contributes towards Kia’s goal of improving the average fuel economy and exhaust emissions of Kia’s model range thanks to the combination of small engine capacity, direct fuel injection and exhaust-driven turbocharging. The combined fuel consumption is 38.2mpg, while CO₂ emissions are 171g/km.

The engine drives through a slick-shifting six-speed manual transmission featuring revised ratios and a lower final drive to allow the GT to make the most of its torque with minimal fuel consumption.

Dressed to thrill: GT gets a unique look inside and out

For the GT, the already sporty and athletic lines of the cee’d have been layered with visually exciting additions at the front, rear and sides.

The unique front-end treatment, echoing that of the pro_cee’d GT, introduces a lower, broader bumper and air dam and a wide central lower air intake to supply additional cooling air to the high-performance turbocharged engine. This is underscored by a red trim line which emphasises the wide and sporty track. The lower air intake is flanked on either side by high-gloss black inserts housing ‘ice-cube’ LED daytime running lamps and foglights. The high-gloss black theme is continued on the graphite chrome-framed main radiator grille – with Kia’s family ‘tiger-nose’ outline. The grille includes a smart ‘GT’ badge on the black high-gloss mesh.

From the rear, the broad stance is evident in the bold shoulders. This is emphasised by a diffuser section in the lower edge of the rear bumper, separating the dual sports exhaust outlets. The rear number plate is framed in high-gloss black and straddled by a vertical reversing light and reflectors, while the combination lamp units are LEDs which give a unique signature at night and when braking. There is a ‘GT’ badge on the tailgate.

[ads id=”0″ style=”float:left;padding:5px;”]The side profile is given even greater sense of purpose by bold side sill mouldings and special graphite grey 18-inch alloy wheels tightly encased by the bodywork. Red brake calipers front and rear are a clear sign of the performance credentials, while the premium quality is emphasised by a chrome strip running around the side windows, and the electrically folding and heated mirrors with LED indicator lights.

The performance-oriented exterior design is echoed inside the all-black five-seat cabin. The driver and front passenger are gripped by Recaro sports seats – as in the pro_cee’d GT – adorned with ‘GT’ and ‘Recaro’ logos. Power-adjustable lumbar support is fitted to both front seats. The upholstery is part leather and part suede, and there is red contrast stitching on the seats, steering wheel, gear shifter and door trims. The leather steering wheel also features perforated grip areas and an overstitched ‘GT’ logo, and there are stainless steel pedals with non-slip rubber inserts. High-gloss black features on the air vent surrounds, front console tray and door trims, adding a premium flourish which is echoed in the stainless steel kick plates on the door sills.

Kia’s familiar three-dial sporty instrument layout is enhanced by a TFT LCD multi-function high-definition display which allows the driver to switch between analogue-type or GT performance digital information. The latter shows the car’s speed, engine torque, turbo boost pressure and engine coolant temperature as well as important trip information. It can display speed in miles per hour or kilometres per hour. A ‘GT’ button on the steering wheel allows the driver to change the display without taking a hand off the wheel.

Two trim lines

There are two extensively equipped variants – ‘GT’ and ‘GT Tech’. The ‘GT’ is the entry-level version, yet it comes with anything other than a base-level specification. The exterior benefits from a number of sporty styling touches including new front and rear bumper designs, side sill mouldings, dual exhausts, ‘ice-cube’ LED daytime running lights and 18-inch graphite grey alloy wheels with red brake calipers.

On the inside the ‘GT’ receives Recaro seats, finished in leather and suede, with power lumbar adjustment. Red stitching is applied to the leather steering wheel and gear knob, and there is black headlining and high-gloss black trim garnish.

Providing driver comfort and convenience are a host of standard items, including air conditioning, cruise control with a speed limiter, automatic lights, cornering lights, reversing sensors, Bluetooth phone connectivity with music streaming and voice recognition, a six speaker radio/CD player with iPod connectivity, a unique ‘GT’ TFT LCD display, electric windows, electrically operated and heated folding mirrors with puddle lights and privacy glass on the rear windows and tailgate.

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The comprehensive safety specification includes Electronic Stability Control (ESC) and Vehicle Stability Management (VSM), Hill-start Assist Control (HAC), anti-lock brakes (ABS) with Electronic Brake-force Distribution (EBD) and Brake Assist (BAS), six airbags with a cut-off switch for the front passenger’s seat, a seat-belt reminder warning, impact-sensing door unlocking and ISOFIX child-seat mounting points.

The ‘GT Tech’ adds a seven-inch touchscreen with satellite navigation, European mapping and full UK postcode recognition; a reversing camera display integrated into the navigation screen; heated front seats and a heated steering wheel; and an engine start/stop button with a smart entry system. Also standard are exterior door handle illumination, rain-sensing front wipers, dual-zone automatic air conditioning with an ioniser, an automatic de-fog system, an automatic-dimming rear-view mirror and Xenon adaptive headlights with headlight washers and automatic levelling in place of the cornering lights on the GT.

Warranty and servicing

The cee’d GT, like every Kia, comes with a seven-year, 100,000-mile fully transferable warranty. Servicing is required every 12 months or 10,000 miles, whichever comes soonest. Retail customers are able to take advantage of Kia’s Care-3 and Care-3 Plus all-inclusive servicing packages, which provide inflation-proof routine maintenance for the first three or five services respectively. Both are fully transferable to subsequent owners.

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