Kia builds a hot hatch with 201 bhp and 264 Nm of torque. Is this going to be a budget Golf GTI?

Kia is probably not a name you would normally associate with hot hatches. But now you can, thanks to the Kia Pro Cee’d GT. The car is based the stylish Pro Cee’d hatch. Although designed exclusively for the European market, several performance parts may trickle down into future sporty Kias.

To distinguish this hot hatch from its pedestrian siblings, the Pro Cee’d GT has a black roof, and a new body kit. A red insert decorates the base of the lower air intake. The surgery at the front goes beyond that; mesh grilles, a GT badge, LED daytime running lights and enlarged intakes complete the front end of the Pro Cee’d GT. Other alterations include 18 inch wheels to clear the larger brakes, and a rear spoiler. This car is not all about show and no go though; the car comes with some decent poke too.

Power comes from a Hyundai Veloster sourced 1.6L Turbocharged 4 cylinder engine. The powerplant makes 201 bhp and 264 Nm of torque. Coupled with a choice of either a six-speed manual or six-speed automatic, the century sprint time should be dealt with in about 7 seconds, with the car going to a top speed of around 210 km/h.

Inside, a pair of Recaro sport seats, aluminum pedals, leather trim with contrasting stitching and a leather steering wheel with a stitched GT logo ensures that the car feels a million bucks, while still looking like a performance car.

Like all hot hatches, the GT would have a suspension tuned for sportier dynamics and are stiffer than the regular Pro Cee’d hatch.

Gone are the days when Kia made crappy cars. Modern Kias are not only just as good as their European and Japanese counterparts, but they are cheaper too, without compromising the car’s quality (too much). The Pro Cee’d GT looks phenomenal, and looks much more than the car will likely cost. It may be a little slower than some of its rivals, but its stunning good looks more than makes up for it.