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Feann Torr27 Oct 2009
REVIEW

Kia Cerato S

The Cerato was one of Kia's first products to earmark the company's shift into a new era, and we put more than 3000km on the clock to see how the small car ticks

Kia Cerato S
Long-term Test: 500-4000km update


Price Guide (recommended price before statutory and delivery charges): $18,990
Options fitted to test car (not included in above price): N/A
Crash rating: 4 stars
Fuel: 91 RON petrol
Claimed fuel economy (L/100km): 7.8
CO2 emissions (g/km): 186
Also consider: Holden Cruze, Ford Focus, Mitsubishi Lancer


Overall rating: 3.5/5.0
Engine/Drivetrain/Chassis: 4.0/5.0
Price, Packaging and Practicality: 3.5/5.0
Safety: 3.0/5.0
Behind the wheel: 3.5/5.0
X-factor: 2.5/5.0


About our ratings


From humble origins, Kia has developed into a bona-fide contender in the past couple of years, which is in no small part due to Hyundai's stewardship. On top of quirky-but-cool vehicles like the Soul and the new Koup, Kia has put a lot of capital into its new small sedan, the Cerato.


With a powerful new 2.0-litre engine, an impressive safety suite and a strong standard features list -- all wrapped up in arguably the most appealing design to arrive in a Korean built model -- it's the kind of mass-market car that will build Kia's profile, both here and internationally.


As our current long-term car, most of the Carsales Network editorial staff have driven the new Cerato and one of the first things that almost always gets commented on is the engine.


For decades the Japanese have been the sensei's of mass produced four-cylinder engine design but Kia's four-banger is in many respects at least a match for its rivals from across the Japan Sea.


Tractable is a good way to describe the 2.0-litre 16-valve engine. It's got plenty of torque and save for some emission-related throttle 'flare' on gear change (Kia says this is fixed on the lastest cars -- ours was an early arriver), it's a pleasure to use. We are testing the five-speed manual model and in top gear the car will happily trundle along at 60km/h, pulling about 1500rpm. No histrionics, no complaints, no stutters. Just quiet, economical cruising.


As well as being a flexible engine with good tractability, it's also a fuel efficient powerplant. Real world combined consumption is not far off the claimed figure of 7.8L/100km.


On daily longer commutes we're often bettering 9.0L/100km. For the record, the most recent full tank of fuel in the car saw it average 9.8L/100km -- reasonable considering the kind of sub-30km/h average stop-start traffic it involved.


On the freeway in top gear (fifth) the Cerato engine ticks over at 2500rpm. If it had an extra ratio in the form of a sixth gear it would probably lower that 100km/h engine speed closer to 2000rpm and achieve an great fuel economy on the highway cycle. But as it stands, chewing through a claimed 6.1L/100km on the highway, it's still very economical at this engine speed.


The car will take regular 91 RON unleaded petrol and has a 52 litre fuel tank.


One aspect of the powertrain that wasn't quite as impressive was the five-speed manual gearbox. Apart from having to be returned to the dealer for minor repairs after first and second gear decided to turn nasty and refuse entry to the gates, the reverse toggle lost its spring. It turns out part of the shift mechanism is plastic and easily damaged. Kia says it's easy to fix -- though ours is still not.


Ignoring these issues, the shift action is good. It snicks into gates well (après repairs) and though it has a loose feel it isn't as flaccid as the manual shift in Alfa Romeo's new MiTo for example which is decidedly rubbery.


The clutch has a high take-up and could probably do with some adjustment, but after 10 minutes with the car becomes second nature. [Ed's note: The updated 2010 Kia Cerato, which shares its components with the sporty Cerato Koup and has now replaced the first 2009 models, gets several tweaks to the clutch and gearbox, making it feel far more decisive when rowing through the gears. It also gets new soft-touch dash plastics.]


With six airbags as standard across the range, antilock brakes, active front headrests, and three child restraint anchorage points, the entry-level Cerato has a strong safety list. However without ESP as standard (it is optional on the S model as tested, standard on the high grade SLi), it scores a four-star ANCAP safety rating while rivals such as the Holden Cruze.


As a daily driver the Cerato is very composed. It exhibits reasonable ride quality and delivers a direct steering feel that makes it child's play to weave in and out of traffic, merge, and squeeze into parallel parking spots.


It's got an impressive audio offering as well [given the pricetag] -- always good in heavy traffic when you need Vivaldi's Four Seasons to help reduce the stress. The CD stereo comes complete with audio jack for MP3 players (such as the iPod) and can read MP3 files from CD or external devices.


ON THE ROAD
Cerato is an easy vehicle to drive, and one that feels confident on the road thanks to the willing engine and balanced chassis. The suspension is a reasonable compromise between handling and ride. There's a good level of compliance to soak up most of the bumps and lumps you'll encounter.


In a dynamic sense, the Kia Cerato does an adequate job and though not class leading in terms of handling (Focus takes some beating in this department for instance), it does feel more responsive than some of its rivals, such as the Toyota Corolla.


Granted, it tends to pitch a little under hard brakes and the simple beam rear suspension can be caught out on faster, bumpy corners (several Great Ocean Road drives in search of perfect reef breaks proved this point), but the Cerato never feels out of its depth. Indeed, it actually delivers a touch of feedback when your turn up the heat, giving you a good indication of how much you can push the car before grip runs out.


Torque steer is well controlled as is steering kick-back. Sensibly-sized wheels and tyres help here. Bigger aftermarket wheels and rubber would likely upset this balance.


The only downside I can report thus far was that sometimes the connection between your foot and the front wheels isn't ideal. This is chiefly due to the clutch which, as mentioned, has a vague uptake (and which could to be an issue with this individual car as the Kia Koup we drove recently, using the same drivetrain, had a tighter, more responsive clutch uptake).


IN THE CABIN
Beyond the Cerato's significant on-road abilities, it's a practical car that pays a lot attention to interior comfort with one of the most important aspects -- the seats -- being some of the best designs in its class.


For an entry-level, sub $20k vehicle, the Cerato gets excellent pews. Ergonomic contours combine with good cushioning, an attractive cloth finish and an upright seating position, making the Cerato one of the comfiest small cars. The steering wheel has tilt and reach adjustments too, offering more scope for drivers of different sizes.


Whenever I stepped out of another car and into the Cerato, I was always pleasantly surprised by the welcoming seats -- something you rarely encounter when getting into a small car, no matter the country of origin.


The rear seats are likewise well cushioned and upholstered, though without the form-fitting curves of the front pair. Rear seat room is good for a car of this size (4.53 metres long) and two adults in the rear will not find much to complain about.


Driver's can remotely open the boot via the key fob which is a welcome touch, and the boot has 415 litres of space -- on par with the class average. Splitfold rear seats expand that space even further and the key fob has a panic button as well. This  sounds the horn and flashes the lights when activated.


The rest of the Cerato's interior is a fairly simple affair, but far from low quality, with easy-to-reach (and use) centre console controls and electric windows and mirrors.


All models in the Cerato range feature intuitive steering wheel controls: audio on the left side of the tiller and cruise controls on the right.


Dash and door plastics are decent and appear to be fairly hardwearing, surviving normals knocks and scuffs. After more than 4000 kilometres the car doesn't have any squeaks to speak of, which suggests construction and fit and finish are on the improve.


There are several cupholders, including two near the handbrake plus bottle holders integrated into each door, and the usual storage cubbies are also there: a glovebox that can fit a small sized SLR digital camera, a centre armrest bin that will hold several CDs and magazine pockets in the back of the front seats.


After putting several thousand kilometres on the clock, there haven't been many complaints from those who have driven the car. It regularly gets compliments on its behaviour in city and urban environments and the engine is also a positive talking point.


It's likely we would have scored the car higher had we not encountered the gremlins in the gearbox.


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