Photo: CarPix
With only about a year on the market, the Kia cee'd GT is one of the youngest models launched by the Korean automaker, yet it's headed for a facelift that will bring a new gearbox as well.
The Cee'd GT and its 3-door brother, the Pro_Cee'd GT both use a 1.6-liter turbo engine. And that same engine has just been pressed into service by Hyundai under the bonnet of its new i30 Turbo with, we may add, the help of the first twin-clutch gearbox, the first one in the company's history.
That same unit will be carried over to the Kia range and in fact will be available on the regular cee'd family car as well. Our spies in Sweden have caught up with a prototype that suggests a facelift will also be employed. Changes will be minimal, but you should expect a wider grille design and updated lights.
Do not expect Kia to make a rival to the Golf R, more a relaxed GT with sporty attitude. Having only around 204 hp at its disposal, the Cee'd GT will take a leisurely 7.4 second stroll to 100 km/h, even with the help of a DSG-rivaling gearbox. The main rivals will be VW's Golf GTD and Peugeot's 308 GT, also fitted with a 1.6 turbo pushing 205 hp.
Handling will be neat, thanks to overhauled dampers, slightly larger bushes and and anti-roll bars. Its main forte will remain to offer a lot of car for the money, with standard LED daytime running lights, leather seats, sports exhaust and polished 3-tone paint. As for the gearbox itself, this 7-speed unit will have a manual gate and its operation will be controllable via steering wheel mounted paddles.
When the facelift model launches towards the end of 2015, prices will start at €25,000 in Germany, a bargain compared to the €30,000 Golf GTI 5-door.
That same unit will be carried over to the Kia range and in fact will be available on the regular cee'd family car as well. Our spies in Sweden have caught up with a prototype that suggests a facelift will also be employed. Changes will be minimal, but you should expect a wider grille design and updated lights.
Do not expect Kia to make a rival to the Golf R, more a relaxed GT with sporty attitude. Having only around 204 hp at its disposal, the Cee'd GT will take a leisurely 7.4 second stroll to 100 km/h, even with the help of a DSG-rivaling gearbox. The main rivals will be VW's Golf GTD and Peugeot's 308 GT, also fitted with a 1.6 turbo pushing 205 hp.
Handling will be neat, thanks to overhauled dampers, slightly larger bushes and and anti-roll bars. Its main forte will remain to offer a lot of car for the money, with standard LED daytime running lights, leather seats, sports exhaust and polished 3-tone paint. As for the gearbox itself, this 7-speed unit will have a manual gate and its operation will be controllable via steering wheel mounted paddles.
When the facelift model launches towards the end of 2015, prices will start at €25,000 in Germany, a bargain compared to the €30,000 Golf GTI 5-door.
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