So what exactly is the Kia Cee'd GT? Well, together with its three-door Procee'd twin,
it's the Korean company's first attempt at something a bit sporty, and being a practical
hatchback, it's inevitable that comparisons will be drawn with the venerable Golf GTi.
You get all the sporty touches you'd expect, such as a wider front bumper, honeycomb-style
grille and a large air intake underscored by a red trim line. More obvious, though,
are the 'ice cube' LED running lights, while the sporty look is finished off by a subtle
GT badge and red brake calipers poking out from behind rather tasteful 18-inch alloy
wheels. Around the back, there's a modest roof spoiler and a re-profiled bumper with
vertical red reflectors, while a pair of chromed exhausts are separated by a small diffuser.
Inside, the first thing you'll notice are the fabulously chunky Recaro seats with red
GT badging, and they provide not just excellent support but also loads of adjustment. The
dashboard is well laid out, with much of it subtly angled towards the driver, plus a chunky
steering wheel that's even heated on our GT-Tech model. The conventional rev counter and fuel
gauge are joined by a central colour display that welcomes you when you climb aboard, and
there's a choice of two different styles, accessed by pressing a small GT button on
the steering wheel. All the other controls are where you'd expect them, and we particularly
like the climate control's option of both fast and soft fan settings for its Auto function.
Top-spec GT-Tech models also come with a 7-inch touch-screen that provides audio and navigation
functions, complete with UK post codes and full European mapping. There's also a pair
of charging points and ports for USB and MP3 players, although the system can also play
music from your phone over Bluetooth. As this is the five-door model, access to the rear
seats is pretty easy, and there's a surprising amount of room back here, comfy enough for
three adults. Of course the seats can be folded if you need more cargo space, with the added
bonus that the seat bases flip up allowing you to fold the seat backs completely flat.
The boot offers 380 litres of space with a handy underfloor compartment, underneath which
is the space-saver spare wheel. If that's not enough for you, dropping the 60:40 split
rear seats increases that to 1,318 litres, and there's a decent number of tie-down points
to secure whatever you're carrying. More important, though, is what's under the bonnet, and here
Kia have wheeled out a new version of their 1.6-litre Gamma engine. It's a direct-injection
unit, as used elsewhere in the Kia range, but here it gets a twin-scroll turbocharger
that boosts power to an enticing 201bhp with 265Nm of torque available from just 1,750rpm.
Actually, it's very good. Kia says that 80% of peak torque is available from just 1,500rpm,
and it certainly feels strong and lag-free through the gears. Speaking of which, the
stubby gear-lever gives an appropriately sporty shift-action, snicking nicely between each
of its six well-chosen ratios. In-gear acceleration is excellent, thanks to that turbo, with 37-60mph
in 4th gear, for example, taken care of in just 5.4 seconds. It's pretty docile, too,
and if you want to dawdle about in sixth gear at 30mph, it's happy to do so, and will even
pull away if you ask it to. Our one gripe, though, would be that while the exhaust has
an appealing rasp to it, and with the window open you can hear the turbo spooling up, none
of that makes it into the cabin. It's almost too refined in here. In fact, that sums up
the GT well - it's not a raw driving experience, instead it's a hot-hatch for grown-ups, and
other than a touch too much road noise, the GT's cabin always remains composed. That's
not to say it's boring - far from it. The GT is more than happy to be stuffed into a
corner at speed where it will turn-in sharply and hold its line tenaciously. Ok, the steering's
a little short on feedback, but it responds well and changes direction cleanly without
any pitching. The well-controlled body thankfully isn't as a result of rock-hard suspension,
with the Kia remaining compliant on most roads. It's definitely firm, but not in a way that
becomes tiring over longer distances. The GT boasts respectable if not exactly class-leading
economy, with an official government figure of 38.2mpg. On our test route we managed just
over 33mpg, with a longer journey showing around 36. CO2 emissions of 171 g/km are a
little higher than the competition, so you'll be looking at a £205 annual bill for road
tax. In fact, most of the Kia's figures are beaten by the Golf GTi, but there's one figure
where the Cee'd GT wins hands-down - and that's price. The Kia starts at £20,500, with our
fully-loaded GT-Tech model coming in at £23,200. The Golf, by comparison, starts at £26,985
for a five-door model, but spec it to the same level as our GT-Tech car and you'll be
looking at the best part of £30,000. And that doesn't factor in the Kia's 7-year, 100,000-mile
warranty. So, while the Golf GTi might be the default choice for hot-hatch hunters,
after spending time with the GT, we can't help feeling the Kia perhaps makes the smarter
choice.