Kia has announced the release of their performance hatchback, the Ceed GT (Read the Ceed GT review here). This new model will have a powerful 1.6-litre T-GDi petrol engine that creates 204 PS and 265 Nm of torque.
Design – Aggressive and Sporty
The Ceed GT lives up to the sporty promise of the brand. It has a new front bumper with larger air intakes and gloss black trim along the base with a red highlight. The headlights now incorporate the modern ice cube-style LED daytime running lights. I was impressed with how innovative this looks when turned on.
The eagle-eyed will notice the tiger nose of the vehicle features a dark chrome surround with a GT logo. The grille adds to the sporty feel with its subtle red highlights.
From the side, your attention will be captured by the 18-inch alloy wheels with a centre cap finished in red. These are matched by large red brake callipers.
The rear of the car now includes a small roof spoiler and gloss black diffuser, which manages the air flow from the top and bottom of the car.
Customisation
The Ceed GT is available in eight different colours from its launch.
Handling Promises From Albert Beirmann
The Ceed GT is yet another performance model that Kia engineer Albert Beirmann has turned his hand to. There has been extensive European tuning undertaken to perfect the ride and handling performance of the new Ceed GT. This means that for UK customers, the vehicle should feel great from day one.
Improving the car’s handling performance further, the Ceed GT comes with bigger brakes and Michelin Pilot Sport 4 tyres.
Engine Performance Info
The 1.6-litre petrol engine creates 204 PS at 6,000 rpm. The engine also creates 265Nm of torque available across 1,500 to 4,500 rpm.
The Ceed GT is available with a six-speed manual or an optional seven- speed dual clutch gearbox.
Performance stats are yet to be confirmed for the car but will be revealed closer to the release date.
If you opt for the DCT, then the model will have a selection of different drive modes which change the characteristics of the car according to your needs.
If you are interested in acoustics, the interior of the Ceed GT has an electronic sound generator which plays a synthetic engine noise in the cabin to further enhance the performance feel. In the past Kia have done this well.
Interior Sporty Looks
The interior has undergone several updates to emphasise the model’s sportiness. There is now a black roof liner, D- shaped steering wheel sporting the GT logo and sleek aluminium pedals.
The driver and passenger seats are very comfortable and are finished in black leather and suede. The boot of the Ceed GT is the same size as the standard model, with a capacity of 395 litres. The car makes good use of space, with a split-level boot floor allowing for storage underneath.
Warranty Plus Points
Let’s not forget that the Ceed will also benefit from the 100,000 mile seven year warranty offered by Kia.
Plus the car is still packed with technology, including: high beam assist, driver attention warning, lane keep assist, rear cross traffic collision warning, smart park assist and a forward collision avoidance system.
Verdict
This is the hottest Ceed that we have ever seen. It looks very stylish and on paper at least, the performance figures should be impressive. But let’s see how things fare when the price and initial performance figures are released.
