Kia Pro_cee'd review

Exactly like the five-door car. It's not sporty, and doesn't pretend to be, so it seems almost unfair to have a go at it for not delivering on the thrills front. It actually copes reasonably well: good front end grip, reasonable steering accuracy, good chassis balance. It's a well engineered car, but not an entertaining one.

The ride is well padded, motorway wind noise confined to a rustle from the A-pillars. If you're one of the vast majority who just want a hatchback to use for your life, then this is a very nice one. Kia knows its audience, knows what pleases them.

The new direct injection 1.6 (no baby turbo engines for Kia yet - that surely is the next stage) is fine when surfing in the shallows, but becomes slightly boomy and harsh towards the top end. There's now a twin clutch gearbox too, and like the rest of the car, it does the everyday stuff unobtrusively. But you can tell this is a first effort - its reactions aren't that sharp.