Kia Proceed GT performance is provided by a 1.6-litre turbocharged petrol engine coupled to a six-speed manual gearbox which is taken from the regular Proceed and then adapted, with revised gear ratios to reflect the GT’s performance nature.

Boasting 201bhp and 265Nm of torque, it’ll get to 60mph in 7.4 seconds, while top speed is 143mph.

Interestingly, more than 80% of the GT’s pulling power is available from 1,500rpm and peak torque is available between 1,750rpm and 4,500rpm. It feels it too – on the road this engine is extremely versatile which means you don’t have to use the gearbox too much.

There’s always enough punch there, but those wanting to make the most of this engine will find that changing gear early will eke the best performance from the car.

The power band is quite similar to a diesel engine. Luckily it doesn’t sound like one though. It’s not the last word in aural stimulation, but it sounds more interesting than any other Kia on sale right now.

This is where the Proceed GT really begins to unravel especially for drivers who relish throwing a car around some tight, twisty roads. It has had a totally re-worked suspension set-up, with stiffer springs and revised damping to provide a sportier experience.

Unfortunately, there’s very little driver’s engagement on offer and through quicker corners it is hard to tell what kind of grip the GT has. There’s little there to give you confidence in the car’s chassis, even on bone-dry roads.

Kia’s Flex Steer system has been ditched in favour of a normal steering set-up, but it’s not an improvement and there’s little feedback through the steering. The steering just doesn’t feel like it connects you to the car and there is a real lack of feedback or weight with the steering set straight ahead.

The steering’s weighting, once a bit of lock is dialled in, isn’t bad, but we’d like a more natural feel for a car with sporting pretentions. Overall, it doesn’t inspire confidence in the Proceed GT’s handling or its ability to tackle some twisty roads at speed.

Thankfully, the brakes are the biggest fitted to any of the Ceed range. They’re up to the job, but again they aren’t anything to write home about.