Buying a used Kia Cerato (2004-2012)

A short Cerato history
In 2016, small cars accounted for 19.1 per cent of total Australian new car sales. The toughest market segment by far was for decades dominated by Japanese brands, but since 1999, rivals from Korea have made real headway both in terms of products and sales success.

The first Kia Cerato sold in Australia arrived in July 2004, in either sedan or hatchback, powered by a 101kW 2.0-litre engine driving through either a five-speed manual or four-speed automatic transmission.

A sharp starting price of $18,990 got the attention of small car buyers (an extra $2,000 for the auto).

For their money, Kia Cerato buyers were treated to a range of features including air-conditioning, cruise control, power windows on all doors, dual air-bags and a CD player. The only listed option was metallic paint.

Kia’s ‘Beta II’ four-cylinder petrol engine was shared with several other models, including sister company Hyundai's sporty Tiburon coupe. Numerous design changes aimed at improved smoothness and power delivery were made during the Cerato's life-span, including hydraulic engine mounts, a stiffened engine block, extra crankshaft balancing weights and a cast aluminium sump.

Important to new and used market buyers was the amount of interior space available for both people and luggage. Despite being considered a small car, the Cerato could accommodate five adults at a squeeze, three mid-sized kids or one plus a couple of child seats in the rear.

Despite most being more than 10 years old these days, early LD-series Kia Ceratos survive in decent numbers and cars showing 130,000-170,000km offer excellent value for buyers on tight budgets.

An update for 2009 brought a new grille and reshaped rear lights plus more power, with the 16-valve engine tweaked to produce 115kW.

The model range was revamped at this time, with three trim levels available in sedan and hatch models plus the addition of a completely new two-door, appropriately named the Koup.

Pricing remained sharp with the S sedan in automatic form priced at $21,000 and the top-line SLi four-door sedan listed at $24,990. The equivalent TS-Series models were priced just $200 more in hatchback form with the exception of the luxurious SLi Hatch which arrived in 2010 and sat $900 above the equivalent sedan.

Cerato Koup had no more power than other versions, but justified its higher cost with a sleek shape and some features only found in more expensive models – such as climate-control air-conditioning, automatic headlights and heated exterior mirrors.

The SLi sedan and hatchback came with similar equipment levels to the Koup, but promoted greater emphasis on space and practicality.

An upgrade for 2011 brought a completely revised hatchback body which was marginally shorter than the sedan but still offered luggage space amongst the best in this league.

Manual models came with revised gear ratios and the suspension was improved with uprated components and damping rates unique to Australia and the result of local testing which, then as now, highlights Kia’s commitment to being a serious player in Australian small cars.

Later-model Ceratos have held their values significantly better than early ones, so there aren't a lot of post-2011 bargains around.

On the road
The original Kia Cerato made a brave attempt at avoiding mediocrity while delighting those with a sub-$20,000 buying budget. This approach ensured decent sales (around 5000 in the model's first full year) with good build quality and an extensive list of standard features proving popular with small car buyers.

Media criticism usually focused on poor steering feel and response, lacklustre performance and suspension deficiencies on rough roads.

Most owners would never have noticed because the typical 10 year-old Cerato will most likely have spent its life doing minimal weekly distances in urban areas. Scanning Carsales' Cerato listings shows early cars are unlikely to exceed 150,000km and a lot of low-priced examples yet to see 100,000km.

Kia obviously reigned-in costs when engineering its hot-selling small car but nevertheless, Ceratos close on a decade old are still in great shape. Looking at examples on offer in dealer yards, very few display serious trim wear, their body plastics are largely intact and so is the paintwork.

Long-distance running probably isn't a forte of early Ceratos, but on a freeway, the later models with six-speed transmissions get along with minimal fuss and don't demand the pedal be mashed to the firewall when asked to pick up the pace. The body shape is obviously efficient too, with wind noise minimal and little buffeting even with the windows down.

Should you buy a Cerato automatic? Yes, providing it's a six-speed. The early transmission can be doughy and unresponsive, especially when trying to accelerate at highway speeds.

But, if you aren't doing a lot of urban peak-hour crawling, consider a six-speed manual. The transmission is responsive with better ratio spacing than in the five-speed, decent shift action and the bonus of saving some money on fuel.

Seats have reasonable shape but are a little lacking in lateral support. The foot-wells can feel a bit cramped, but those seated in the rear enjoy reasonable leg-room.

Dashboard layout is a hip-looking conglomerate of overlapping dials and a jam-packed centre section which in practice turns out to be easier to use than first impressions suggest.

Safety in lower priced cars can be an issue, but Kias built from 2009-13 achieved a Four Star ANCAP crash rating and later ones scored the maximum Five Stars. ANCAP criticised driver leg protectionin a frontal impacts, however even early models returned a maximum 16/16 in the side impact test. All models going back to 2004 have driver and passenger air-bags and ABS, with head protection bags and Electronic Stability Control fitted to later versions.

These aren't cars designed or suited for drag racing, but the six-speed manual or automatic are both claimed to slip below 10 seconds for the dash to 100km/h. More significant for most Kia owners is fuel consumption and here the Cerato's star shines brightly. Manual models will get below 7L/100km in highway running and average about 8.5L/100, with automatics about 12 percent less frugal.

Check Points
>> Kias were more likely sold new to private users rather than business or rental fleets and finding a one or two-owner car with complete service history is worthwhile for peace of mind.

>> Try to hear the car being started from cold, listening for rattles or tapping noises signifying valve-train wear or a loose timing chain.

>> Check the coolant level and around the filler neck for oily scum. Owners advise having the pump replaced at around 100,000km or in conjunction with timing belt replacement (pre-2009 models). Cars this age that get hot when idling, or when the air-conditioning is running, will likely need a cooling system flush and perhaps the radiator re-cored. Neither repair is especially costly.

>> Four-speed automatic transmissions can lag on up-shifts even when in good condition. Professional pre-purchase inspection is recommended if changes aren't smooth or the tranny takes a long time to select ‘Drive’ or ‘Reverse’ when stationary.

>> Power steering should feel light and direct, with no free movement at the wheel rim or hissing noises when the wheel is turned quickly from lock to lock. Clunks or kickback point can indicate steering rack mountings or suspension components.

>> Test power window switches, central locking and the air-conditioning to ensure they all work quickly and quietly. Repairing electrical components can turn a relatively cheap car into a costly proposition and any hint of a problem will send the smart buyer elsewhere.

Used vehicle grading:
Design & Function: 15/20
Safety: 13/20
Practicality: 16/20
Value for Money: 16/20
Wow Factor: 12/20 (Koup)
SCORE: 72/100

Also Consider: Toyota Corolla, Mitsubishi Lancer, Hyundai i30