At-a-glance.
Kia pro-cee’d 1.6-litre GT turbo petrol six-speed manual.
Price: £19,995 (on the road).
Top speed: 143mph.
0-60mph: 7.4 seconds.
Fuel: 38.2mpg (combined figure).
C02 emissions (g/km): 171.
Verdict: Great looks, fast and refined motor, family friendly, generous equipment, supple ride, value for money.

KIA’S car design revolution has greatly helped to transform its image and enhance its sales figures and now the Korean marque is offering an even sportier edge, writes Roy Lewis.

The step-up in performance comes with the 143mph 1.6-litre petrol pro-cee’d GT, priced from a touch under a competitive £20,000.

With a 0-60mph sprint time of 7.4 seconds, this is a quick car, though compared to some rivals such as the Ford Focus ST, the Kia hatch is not so hot.

However, the Kia doesn’t necessarily set out to rival the very hot hatches because in some ways it is designed to appeal to motorists who want the convenience and everyday practicality of a roomy hatch to ferry the family around and also the ability to provide plenty of driving fun when the conditions allow.

Powered by a turbocharged version of Kia’s proven 1.6-litre petrol motor, the three-door GT offers a whopping 201bhp, which is not only good for rapid acceleration but strong pulling power up through the revised six-speed manual gearbox. In fact, more than 80% of maximum torque is available from less than 1,500rpm.

The engine is refined and flexible, though it does lose its sweetness at high revs. But it’s is far from noisy.

Considerable re-tuning work on the suspension, which includes an expensive multi-link set up at the rear, has ensured that the car handles well with body roll kept well in check through tight bends. And the car’s good handling gives the press-on driver much confidence.

The steering, too, has been altered to provide a more direct feel while the powerful brakes are more than man enough for the job. They are by far the largest of any fitted to the cee’d range.

The ride is good and better than those rivals with stiffer suspension, so that the car manages to cope well with poor-surfaced roads to give a supple and generally comfortable ride.

There is no doubt that the GT is a good looker and turns heads in the high street. The exterior has a sculpted shape with sill extensions, deep bumpers, and great-looking 18in alloy wheels.

At the front, the LED day-time running lights blend nicely into the body while at the rear the twin exhausts show that the car means business though, despite the power on tap, there is no real growl from them.

The build quality inside and out looks impressive with much attention paid to sporty detailing. And the interior offers decent space of four adults and their luggage while the front seating, in particular, is extremely comfortable and supportive.

The interior is well insulated from outside noises to help make the cabin an easy one to live with.

Equipment levels are generous. There is a comprehensive kit list with the basic GT specification including air-con, cruise control, auto headlights, reversing sensors, Bluetooth, electrically-folding/heated door mirrors and part-leather seat trim. The higher-specification GT Tech model costs £22,495 and adds such goodies as sat-nav, reversing camera, keyless entry, rain-sensing wipers, climate-control and xenon headlights.