Kia Cerato 2018 Review
Third-generation Cerato sedan introduces more safety and style to Kia's small car line-upThe third-generation Kia Cerato sedan has arrived in Australia. Priced from $19,990 drive-away, the three-variant range now includes autonomous emergency braking as standard alongside improved infotainment technology and bolstered amenities. Slightly larger and heavier, the Cerato is powered by Kia’s 2.0-litre Nu petrol engine, and again rides on a locally-tuned suspension bespoke to the Australian line-up. The Kia Cerato sedan will be joined by an all-new five-door hatch variant later this year.
Strong on value
The latest Kia Cerato sedan has turned the value dial up to 11. Priced from $19,990 drive-away – and with autonomous emergency braking as standard across the range – the three-variant Cerato line-up delivers generous infotainment technology and amenity provisions across the board while simultaneously retaining Kia’s industry-leading seven-year warranty, roadside and after-sales support program.
Drawing styling influences from the larger Stinger fastback, the new Kia Cerato’s stronger body rides on locally-tuned MacPherson strut front, torsion beam rear suspension, and a choice of 16-inch steel or 17-inch alloy wheels (depending on grade – both now with a space-saver spare). Electric steering and four-wheel disc brakes round-out the chassis’ offerings for now. An independent rear-end is expected to arrive with the turbocharged Cerato GT later this year.
Meantime the ‘normal’ Kia Cerato range is powered by the company’s 112kW/192Nm 2.0-litre ‘Nu’ multipoint-injected petrol engine familiar to the outgoing model. Kia says Australia does not have access to the Mexican-built 109kW/179Nm Atkinson cycle and CVT-equipped second-generation Nu engine sold in North American markets, but insists the additional power of the Aussie-spec car is preferable to the modest economy gains found Stateside.
To be fair, that difference is only 0.7L/100km. As it sits, the new Australian models use 0.1L/100km more than the outgoing Cerato at 7.6L/100km in six-speed manual guise, and 7.4L/100km for the six-speed automatic. Much of the modest increase is sheeted home to a 15-19kg increase in kerb weight depending on trim level. The Cerato sedan now tips the scale from 1295kg (tare).
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The big small car
The ‘small car’ moniker is a little misleading these days, particularly when applied to small sedans. Now 80mm longer (at 4640mm), the new Kia Cerato sedan is within millimetres (66mm) of the original Holden Commodore, which was at its time of release considered a full-size family sedan.
The new Cerato shares the same 2700mm wheelbase as the outgoing model but proportions have changed. The windscreen is set further back to enhance the overall length of the bonnet. The front overhang increases 20mm (to 900mm) and the rear 60mm (to 1040mm), while overall height grows 5mm (to 1440mm). Width is unchanged at 1800mm.
Inside there’s the space you’d expect from a five-seat, family car. The new Cerato boasts a 4mm increase in headroom (985mm front and 952mm rear), 3mm more legroom (1073mm front and 906mm rear), and 10mm extra shoulder-room in the backseat. The use of soft-touch materials is extended throughout, while a higher set infotainment screen and armrest improve front-seat ergonomics.
There’s been significant work in improving outward visibility, and noise, vibration and harshness levels, too. Additional sound insulation material throughout, foam-filled A-pillars, and new engine and sub-frame mounts reduce cabin noise to near-prestige car levels – even on coarse-chip country roads.
Cargo space grows 20 litres to 502 litres and a larger boot aperture and 60:40 split-fold rear bench (with in-built armrest) make the carriage of bulky items easier to manage. By way of comparison, the Cerato sedan offers 83 litres more boot space than the Mazda3 and 32 litres more than the Toyota Corolla sedan.
Kia quotes a braked towing capacity of 1100kg for all grades of the new Cerato.
Related reading:
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Kitted out
While the $19,990 drive-away price gets people through the showroom door, Kia says the $24K mid-spec Sport is its most popular choice with private buyers. Though realistically, the gap between the pair is now pretty close – especially when you break-down the equipment list.
On the entry-spec Cerato S ($19,990 manual, $21,490 automatic) generous standard safety equipment, including autonomous emergency braking, driver attention alert warning, forward collision warning, front and rear parking sensors, lane-keep assist and reversing camera, is standard. Six airbags (no driver’s knee airbag) and tyre pressure monitoring are likewise included, and join 16-inch steel wheels (space-saver spare), air-conditioning, cloth seats, cruise control and a six-way adjustable driver’s seat.
Like the remainder of the range, the new Cerato S receives a larger 8.0-inch (+1.0-inch) ‘floating’ infotainment array with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto connectivity. Bluetooth audio streaming and telephony are also included, so too digital radio reception (DAB+), voice recognition, and USB input.
For mid-tier Cerato Sport ($23,690 drive-away), the kit list adds 17-inch alloy wheels (space-saver spare), satellite navigation with 10 years’ worth of updates, a premium steering wheel and gearshift knob, aero blade-style wipers, and sport-patterned cloth upholstery.
Finally, the top-grade Kia Cerato Sport+ ($26,190 drive-away) adds pedestrian and cyclist recognition to its autonomous emergency braking system (dubbed AEB Fusion II), adaptive cruise control, LED daytime running lights, keyless entry and push-button ignition, leather upholstery, folding mirrors, and dual-zone climate control with rear-seat ventilation outlets.
Optional safety packages see Fusion II AEB, adaptive cruise control (auto. models only), blind-spot detection, rear cross-traffic alert, folding mirrors and a leather steering wheel available on Cerato S and Cerato Sport models for $1000.
Cerato Sport+ models add blind-spot monitoring and rear cross-traffic alert for $500. Metallic paint (all colours bar white) attracts a $520 premium.
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Town and country
Trekking through Adelaide’s northern suburbs and out to the small Barossa Valley town of Tanunda gave us the opportunity to experience the Kia Cerato range in a variety of scenarios familiar to the average buyer.
Around town the Cerato sedan’s performance is on par with just about any of its normally-aspirated 2.0-litre rivals. The transmission’s Smart mode (handed down from Stinger) helps shift quickly through the gear ratios in the name of improving fuel economy, while, at the same time, using the Nu engine’s torque band (192Nm at 4000rpm) to good effect.
The engine doesn’t feel compelled to over-rev keeping pace with traffic, and though this can limit open-road performance, a quick tap of the gearstick places the Cerato’s auto into Sport mode, extracting more revs (112kW at 6200rpm) and performance from the engine.
We sampled the six-speed manual Cerato S too, noting a light gearshift and clutch action ideal for around-town driving. Kia seems to have spent a lot of time polishing the action and feel of its manual car, which seems a waste for Aussie buyers (Kia says 95 per cent will opt for automatic Cerato variants).
But by far the biggest highlight of the new Cerato is its locally-tuned suspension. The initial touch is a little firm – which pays dividends in steering response – but quickly softens as the amplitude of inputs increase, making for a smooth and settled ride that shows a maturity often lacking in the segment.
The new Kia Cerato corners with a level of composure and accuracy we’ve come to expect from the marque’s locally-tuned product. It maintains its line, even when challenged by ruts and bumps familiar to Australian country roads, and steers with the kind of precision usually associated with far more expensive cars.
All of the Cerato’s controls are light and progressive, and outward visibility is excellent. If we were to nit-pick, the Kia’s wing mirrors could be a little bigger.
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The last word
There’s no questioning the Kia Cerato is great value for money. Viewed against its rivals it offers not only more equipment and a longer warranty, but now also a drive experience that’s on par with the biggest sellers in its class.
Top that with a level of fit and finish that should have a few of the big-name Japanese rivals shaking in their boots and the Cerato is hard to look past.
Objectively, it’s a small car I’d have no trouble recommending, In fact, I feel it would sell in far greater numbers if more people could look beyond the badge on the bonnet.
Yes, Kia has come of age and the Cerato is proof of that… It’s now only buyer attitudes that need to catch up.
How much does the 2018 Kia Cerato S cost?
Price: $19,990 (drive-away), $21,490 (drive-away)
Engine: 2.0-litre four-cylinder petrol
Output: 112kW/192Nm
Transmission: Six-speed manual, six-speed automatic
Fuel: 7.6L/100km, 7.4L/100km (ADR Combined)
CO2: 174g/km, 167g/km (ADR Combined)
Safety Rating: TBA
How much does the 2018 Kia Cerato Sport cost?
Price: $23,690 (drive-away)
Engine: 2.0-litre four-cylinder petrol
Output: 112kW/192Nm
Transmission: Six-speed automatic
Fuel: 7.4L/100km (ADR Combined)
CO2: 167g/km (ADR Combined)
Safety Rating: TBA
How much does the 2018 Kia Cerato Sport+ cost?
Price: $26,190 (drive-away)
Engine: 2.0-litre four-cylinder petrol
Output: 112kW/192Nm
Transmission: Six-speed automatic
Fuel: 7.4L/100km (ADR Combined)
CO2: 167g/km (ADR Combined)
Safety Rating: TBA
- Value for money
- Refined road feel
- Packaging and amenity
- Carry-over engine
- Long wait for hatch
- No more full-size spare
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