KIA’S take on a sporty estate-style vehicle is the ProCeed, the GT-Line version which came my way and proved to be a tasty hybrid between a full estate and a fastback.

The South Korean manufacturer is making a name for itself by building innovative and reliable motors and you can expect the ProCeed to build on that by using a proven range of engines and technology.

The engine line-up is pretty straightforward, with a mix of petrol and diesel options. For instance, there is a 1.4-litre T-GDi petrol (138bhp) and 1.6-litre CRDi diesel, both of which are common to the Ceed family and the latter produces 134bhp.

The test car came with the diesel option matched to a six-speed manual and this combo will do the timed-run of 0-62mph in 10 seconds flat, so while the GT-Line is high on spec’, it does not get to the levels of the ‘true’ GT version, which has 201bhp and shaves about three seconds off that run.

It is not a startling performer, but it is pretty frugal and you can expect to get more than 50mpg out of it on normal running, which is quite good for a vehicle which is almost 1.5 tonnes. It is rated to tow 1200kg (braked).

The rear luggage capacity is almost 600-litres, but is a bit limited due to the sloping fast-back styling. There’s a 60:40 split on the rear seating arrangement which will help increase capacity.

For the money – the version as tested comes in at a few quid short of £25k – there is a lot to commend the ProCeed for in terms of equipment levels.

For instance, there’s a powered tailgate opening out into the low loading lip and a hidden underfloor storage area for valuable items.

Three trims are the GT-Line, GT-Line S and the performance GT model, but even the ‘entry-level’ model gets up-market features such as an eight-inch touchscreen, sat nav, a rear-view camera, DAB radio and rear parking sensors. On the outside, there’s quality 17-inch alloys, detailing on the body styling and all-electric function mirrors, including heating.

For the driver, there’s a whole heap of steering wheel mounted controls, including cruise control and speed limiter. There’s also a pretty comprehensive infotainment centre, including parking sensors.

The driver and front passenger also get powered lumbar support and front height adjustment, plus the bliss on a cold morning of heated seats.

To sum up, the ProCeed is a practical, smart-looking alternative to a hatchback and full-blown estate. It comes packed with a lot of handy features, even in the base model, and it also comes with the added security of a seven-year/100,000mile warranty – and you don’t get that with many manufacturers without additional cost.

GT-Line S has some impressive features, boasting wireless smartphone charging that’s still absent from many luxury cars. There’s also heated front and rear seats, leather and suede upholstery, adaptive cruise control, automatic parking, front parking sensors, a JBL stereo and a powered tailgate.