Launched in 2006 as a replacement for the Cerato, the Kia Cee'd is now one of the company's most popular vehicles in Europe. Redesigned in 2012 into a more modern, better-looking car, the Cee'd, along with its Procee'd, GT, and station wagon variants, is getting a little long in the tooth, and a third-generation model is likely under way for 2018. While we don't know much about it, Kia unveiled the Proceed concept at the Frankfurt Motor Show, giving us a good glimpse of what the next-gen Cee'd might bring to the table.

Described as an "extended hot hatch that presents a new body type for Kia," the Proceed concept appears to be the bastard child of a Kia Stinger and a low, sleek shooting brake. And it's one of Kia's most intriguing design to date. Not surprisingly, it was penned at the company's European design center in Frankfurt, only 500 meters (0.3 miles) from where it will be unveiled. Kia also says that the Proceed concept indicates what the next-generation Cee’d "could look like," so we might be looking at a fancier version of the upcoming hatchback.

Continue reading to learn more about the Kia Proceed Concept.

Exterior

The Proceed Concept is unlike any other Kia design until now. And that's not because it features many wild-looking cues, but due to its body type. Combining the long-roof looks of a station wagon with the sportiness of a shooting brake, Proceed concept is definitely unique for the brand. Kia says that show car "indicates what the next-generation Cee’d could look like," and while it's not yet clear whether the Koreans plan to offer a shooting brake version of the Cee'd, it's pretty obvious that the upcoming compact will be quite appealing to look at.

The front-end design is new but somewhat familiar, with the headlamps, the "Tigernose" grille that's thinner in the center, and the sharp bumper intakes being borrowed from previous concept cars. Actually, we can see similar cues on the Kia Stinger, which suggests that this new design will find its way on more of the company's models, including the upcoming Cee'd.

But while the front fascia is far from new, the profile is a new design for Kia. The rakish roofline and the muscular proportions turn the Proceed into the most aggressive Kia ever built. Yes, it looks sportier than the Stinger too!

The profile's wild look is further enhanced by the dramatic window frame, which follows the roofline toward the back, the missing B-pillars, and the "Sharkblade" elements with GT badges that replace the C-pillars. The fender strakes, the hidden door handles, and the deeply sculpted, black-painted side skirts add to the unique look as well. Finishing off the sides are six-spoke, 20-inch aluminum-alloy wheels in a two-tone finish.

Around back, the thin rear window is complemented by a beefed-up bumper with fake vents, and a thin tail light bar that stretches from one fender to the other. The concept car also features a "Luminline" – an illuminated outline of the car’s glasshouse that "greets drivers as they approach the car." There's no specific example of how this look, but Kia says that it "serves as a powerful nocturnal visual identifier for the Proceed concept, highlighting its fastback shape." Finally, the Proceed is finished in a bespoke Lava Red paint created by combining multiple hand-applied layers of black, chrome-effect silver, and red-tinted lacquer.

Interior

While the exterior is related to the Stinger sedan, the interior is a brand-new design. And a tremendous work of art! Designed unlike any other Kia interiors, the Proceed's cabin brings together modern styling cues and innovative materials and features. The dashboard is finished in the same Lava Red as the exterior, which makes it seem as if the engine hood is flowing into the cabin. The layout is also similar to 1950s and 1960s U.S. cars, which had matching exterior paint and interior upholstery and dash.

But unlike most Kias you can buy in dealerships, the dashboard isn't just a big lump of plastic. In order to give it that deep and rich look, the Koreans applied no fewer than 90 coats of paint. Design-wise, the dash looks simple yet modern. The passenger side is plain and simple, with no detailing and trim, while the center screen is rather unusual, in the sense that it's thin and long. It's also tilted toward the driver, a feature usually found in modern sports cars.

Below, there's a short center console that's finished in the same Lava Red as the dashboard. There aren't many details to see here, but the knurled aluminum buttons provide a great contrast. The center console is supported by a carbon-fibre spine that runs the full length of the car’s interior through the front seats. That's a nice touch!

Moving over to the instrument cluster, it includes a large screen that replicates two analogue dials and displays some information in the center. The photos show a bright red background, but Kia says the color varies depending on the driving mode. Specifically, Lava Red turns on when the concept is driven in "GT" mode, which should be the car's sportiest setup. Switch to "Eco" and the instrument cluster turns Forrest Green, while "Autonomous" model switches it to Ghost White.

The dash hood sports gloss black and chrome details for a strong contrast, as does the flat-bottom, two-spoke steering wheel. The seats are also unique, being dressed in more than 100 meters of black elastane fabric. The soft material was cut, trimmed and tailored by hand to create rippled and ruched upholstery, which looks as fancy as it sounds. Granted, luxury cars usually come wrapped in leather and Alcantara, but there's nothing wrong with using sustainable materials. The door panels are much simpler, but they are wrapped in glossy, hand-painted fabric that shifts from solid black near the window line to reflective red near the footwells. The split backrests of the seats are held in place by metal exoskeletons for a race-inspired look.

All told, this cabin looks top-notch and if it weren't for the "Kia" lettering on the steering wheel, I would've guess it's something designed by Mercedes-Benz or Audi.

Drivetrain

The concept's drivetrain is also a mystery, with not even a sentence about it in the press release. But assuming that this show car has an engine under the hood, it's most likely a turbocharged, small-displacement unit. As a brief reminder, the current Cee'd is available with a variety of gasoline and diesel engines displacing 1.0, 1.4, and 1.6-liters. On the other hand, the Proceed appears to preview a higher performance version of the compact, mostly likely the Cee'd GT, so it would work better with a beefed-up version of the turbocharged, 1.6-liter four-banger that's currently rated at 201 horsepower. Being a concept though, the Proceed could've showcased a hybrid drivetrain as well. But hey, I'm only taking guesses here. For what we know, there's no engine to talk about.

Conclusion

If I were to describe the Proceed concept in one word, it would be "gorgeous!" I'm already a big fan of Kia's recent design language, but the wagon/shooting brake body style makes it irresistible. Unfortunately, it won't make it into production in this form, not matter how many "shut up and take my money!" memes I will create as soon as I'm done with this review. But hey, there is some hope that Kia will build a sleek, higher-performance wagon in the future.

References

2018 Kia Stinger

Read our full review on the 2018 Kia Stinger.