The what-comes-from- where world of motoring is pretty perplexing nowadays and Kia just made it all the more mystifying.

Kia is a Korean car firm, but its latest offering, the sporty and dynamic three-door pro_cee'd, quite apart from its eccentrically spelled name, looks and feels solidly European.

Little wonder, as it was created by the Frankfurt-based Kia Motors Europe design team under Anglo-French chief designer Gregory Guillaume; tested in Germany, France, Spain and Sweden and is built at Kia's state-of-the-art factory in Slovakia.

With its shallower windscreen, lower roof lining and big side doors, the pro_cee'd has a sporty, cockpit-like feel, which was perfectly matched on the top-of-the-range test model by a punchy 138 horsepower, 2.0-litre diesel engine. Other choices include 1.4- and 1.6-litre petrol engines and two 1.6-litre diesels.

Handling is taut, the ride is good thanks to independent front and rear suspension, and safety is aided by the latest electronic braking aids.

Light and easy to manage around town, the pro_cee'd remains solid at motorway cruising speeds, though the tyres fitted to the 17-inch alloys do suck up a bit of road noise at speed.

From the driving seat, pro_cee'd feels compact and sporty, a sensation reinforced by the thick-rimmed three-spoke steering wheel, chronograph-like triple-dial instrument cluster and the centre stack, angled towards the driver.

Access to the rear is helped by new front seats with a top-mounted handle which can be used to tilt the backrest. As it does so, the whole seat also slides forward in one movement and a memory function ensures the seat reclines to the exact previous position.

Prices start from under £12,000, and air conditioning and alloy wheels are standard, while the test model boasted goodies like leather upholstery and a cooled glovebox.

Any fears about reliability ought to be quelled by Kia's sensational warranty, which runs for seven years or 100,000 miles, and is transferable to subsequent owners, a major selling point if trading in before the warranty expires.

And expect plenty more surprises from Kia, as the firm has just recruited Peter Schreyer, architect of some of Audi's most stunning creations, as head of design.