Caradvice.com Pits Pro_cee’d GT Against Hyundai Veloster Turbo And Renault Megane Sport

The fellow guys over at the Caradvice.com have published a hot hatchback comparison road test.

Cars included in the test were the all-new Kia pro_cee’d GT, Renault Megane RS265 Sport and Hyundai Veloster SR Turbo!

Here’s a short recap of their review (note: car prices included in the article reffer to the local Australian market!)

Comparison Road Test

The hot hatchback market is one that is on fire at the moment, with these great little cars running anywhere from $26,000 to upwards of $70,000.

Stuck in the middle of that number is a group of medium-hot hatches that aim to please a wider audience, with three in particular standing out:

• Kia Pro_cee’d GT – 1,6L Turbo Engine
• Hyundai Veloster SR Turbo – 1,6L Turbo Engine
• Renault Megane RS265 Sport- 2,0L Turbo Engine

While all three come in at under $37,000, the general consensus is that it is Kia who have made the biggest strides in the category, with many seeing the Renault effort as a step down.

Let’s do a little comparison between all three.

Hot Hatchback Car Prices

It is the new Kia Pro_cee’d GT that is most favorably priced, coming in at $29,900, which gets you a rather impressive list of standard features.

Recaro sports seats, a 7-inch instrument cluster screen, reverse view camera, and parking sensors are just a few of the goodies on tap.

The Pro_cee’d is also the only one of the three to come with dual-zone climate control as standard.

The Kia sets itself apart from the Veloster by offering seating for 5 as opposed to 4, and quite frankly wins when comparing the standard equipment for the price.

The Renault is the barest of them all in that regard, yet still tips the price scale at $36,990.

To the naked eye, the Ranault would appear to have the best interior, but that image starts to fall apart when you actually get in there.

It is the hardest of the three to get into in back, and a closer inspection of the dashboard reveals a bit of a budget type feel in places.

In terms of cargo space, it’s the Pro_cee’d GT that delivers again, offering up a massive 380-liters of space, which easily beats out the 344-liters and 320-liters of the Renault and Hyundai, respectively.

The Pro_cee’d GT is also the easiest of the three to get into in the back seat, but it does let the driver down a little bit with the design of the dashboard.

It makes up for that by delivering the quietest, most comfortable ride of the three.

Performance, Ride & Handling

Where the Renault may satisfy hot hatch lovers is in the full-throated grunt that it delivers when in flight.

There is a lot of power under that hood, but that means that fuel efficiency pays the price, landing it on the bottom of these three.

The Kia falls into the middle while the Hyundai wins the fuel efficiency battle by a good margin.

The Pro_cee’d GT may not have the acceleration and power of the other two, but that actually serves it well for everyday use around town.

This is a car that performs well on the city streets, which may make it more appealing to those that want a performance car they can drive on a daily basis.

It should come as no surprise then to hear that the Kia is also far and away the best car ti handle of the three, and is perhaps the best that Kia has ever delivered in that regard.

Which Is The Best Hot Hatchback?

All told, the Renault is certainly the sportiest of the lot, but it does come with some flaws.

The Hyundai wins in terms of fuel efficiency, but the best balance between hot hatch and everyday car is without a doubt the Kia Pro_cee’d GT.