When the Salon International de l’Automobile opens in Geneva on March 3rd, Kia Motors Europe will have a new cee’d GT to show off.
There will be some new design changes to display, and the GT line will also display the new 1.0-liter T-GDi engine that is mated to a 7-speed dual clutch transmission – DCT.
The new GT lineup is like a mash-up of the sporty performance of the current cee’d GT hot hatchback and the versatility of the rest of the cee’d family lineup.
The sporty GT line will be made available in all three cee’d body types: 5-door, 3-door, and Sportswagon.
Cee’d GT Line Exterior Styling
The Kia cee’d design language can clearly be seen in the exterior of the GT line.
The now familiar tiger nose grille is in place, as are ice-cube LED daytime running lights.
Around back, the cee’d hatchback and pro_cee’d come with twin exhausts and the wider bumper found on the GT.
Every model in the new GT line comes standard with rear LED’s, cool side sill mouldings, and a new design on the 17-inch alloy wheels.
Look Inside
The new cee’d GT line has an updated interior, using higher quality materials to create a sporty ambience.
New grey, white, and black upholstery with grey stitching is complemented by GT line logos at various locations in the cabin.
There are also the same aluminum alloy pedals and piano black and leather steering wheel that are found in top of the line GT models.
On the dashboard, there is a new aluminum start/stop button, illuminated USB and aux ports, chrome trim around the air vents and power window switches, and a center fascia that is clearly inspired by the GT.
1,0L 3-Cylinder Turbo Engine
Kia has found the perfect balance between performance and fuel efficiency by adding their new 1.0-liter T-GDI 3-cylinder engine into the mix.
The unit delivers 120-horsepower and 172 Nm of torque, whilst having lower emissions than the 1.6-liter GDI unit used on other cee’d models.
Idle Stop & Go System
Also standard with this engine is Kia’s fuel saving Idle Stop and Go (ISG) system, which further helps with efficiency and emissions ratings.
It is standard with the 6-speed manual transmission.
1,6L CRDI Diesel Engine Enhancements
The 1.6-liter CRDi diesel engine has also received an upgrade, and an increase in power output.
Despite the bump in power, CO2 emissions are expected to be reduced.
We briefly mentioned the other new technology on the new Cee’d GT lineup, which is the all-new 7-speed dual clutch transmission.
It is available on all 1.6-liter CRDi diesel models, and can handle torque outputs of 300 Nm.
7-Speed DCT
The dual clutch automatic transmission, like the new 1.0-L T-GDI turbo engine, was developed in-house by Kia, and was engineered to create a smoother driving experience and lower fuel consumption.
Choosing the 7-speed DCT when buying something from the cee’d GT line means having faster gear changes and lower running costs when compared to the outgoing 6-speed automatic transmission.
The engineers who worked on the new setup estimate a 3-5% improvement in acceleration, and a 5-7% improvement in fuel efficiency.
Cee’d GT Line On-Sale Date
Kia has announced that the new GT line will arrive in dealerships during the fourth quarter of this year.
What a beauty. The 2016 Cadenza also has that same side profile (if you pretend the C pillar isn’t there). So Kia is coming out with a signature greenhouse for hatches and sedans like the Kia GT as well. The only difference is one is a 5 door hatch and the other is a sedan. But it’s still the same signature side profile. Interesting. Even the 2016 Optima looks like it also has that same signature side profile and yet it still has it’s own unqiueness. The Koreans are up to something. Something big, Something mean, something scary, something I dont’ even know yet but I will find out or my name ain’t jtz.