Kia Cerato GT 2021 Review

Aside from the badge, you’ll be able to spot the 2021 Kia Cerato by its redesigned grille that now stretches across the small car’s face to connect the new slimmed-down headlights.

The rear-end styling of the hatch remains the same – again, except for the new corporate logo – but the sedan picks up new tail-lights, a fresh boot lid and redesigned bumper.

Priced from $25,490 plus on-road costs for the entry S grade, the same four variants have been carried over. From the S, the range moves up to Sport (from $27,590), Sport+ (from $30,640) and the flagship GT, which is now confirmed as being priced at $35,290 plus ORCs – or $36,990 drive-away.

That means the GT is $1100 more expensive than before, but the $1700 increment for drive-away pricing keeps it in a competitive position. Other models are better placed, too; the S is just $500 extra drive-away, the Sport a mere $400 and Sport+ $1050.

Promotional prices? Kia Australia boss Damien Meredith has promised that the drive-away pricing is a “long-term strategy”, so they’re not expected to change anytime soon.

Another update for 2021, stick-shift manuals are out, with all bar the top-spec GT using the same six-speed torque-converter automatic which comes paired to naturally-aspirated 2.0-litre four-cylinder petrol engine.

The flagship GT uses a punchier 1.6-litre turbo-four, combined with a seven-speed dual-clutch automatic. Every Cerato is front-wheel drive.

Standard equipment on the GT we’re testing here includes LEDs for the headlights, daytime running lights, fog lights and tail-lights, 18-inch alloy wheels wrapped in Michelin Pilot Sport 4 rubber, sports leather-appointed front seats with heating, ventilation and driver’s memory, as well as wireless phone charging, just to mention a few.

Kia’s seven-year/unlimited-kilometre warranty, seven-year fixed-price servicing and seven-year roadside assistance package is also on offer, with 10 years of MapCare and SUNA live traffic updates also included free.

Services for the GT are due every 12 months or 10,000km for the GT (other grades are every 15,000km), with the first three years costing $1104 and five years $2051.

A larger 10.25-inch touch-screen sits atop the dash of the new 2021 Kia Cerato (from the Sport model upwards), now bringing the same features we’ve seen in other new models from the Korean brand including our 2020 Car of the Year, the Kia Sorento.

These include digital radio (DAB) and ‘Sounds of Nature’ – an assortment of relaxing sounds like ocean waves and a crackling fireplace, designed to keep passengers chilled.

Wireless phone charging is reserved for the GT, but every Cerato carries over the same 4.2-inch LCD instrument cluster.

Like its larger siblings, the facelifted Kia Cerato now brings new safety features such as rear occupant alert, safe exit warning and leading vehicle departure, the latter telling you when the car ahead has driven off if you’re not paying attention.

All models are fitted standard with autonomous emergency braking (AEB) with pedestrian and cyclist detection, blind spot monitoring, adaptive cruise control, reversing camera, front and rear parking sensors, lane follow assist, rear cross traffic alert and auto high beams.

A maximum five-star ANCAP safety rating is found on the Sport+ and GT, but S and Sport variants still only come with four stars, unless fitted with a $1000 safety pack which brings them up to the mark.

The pack includes AEB Fusion II with car, pedestrian and cyclist detection, an electric parking brake, 15-inch rear disc brakes, smart cruise control, blind spot detection, rear cross traffic alert and electric-folding mirrors.

As before, the punchy powertrain in the 2021 Kia Cerato GT is really what defines this top-spec variant.

The only grade powered by the familiar turbocharged 1.6-litre four-cylinder engine, the GT produces 150kW of power and 265Nm of torque. That’s sent up to the front wheels via a seven-speed dual-clutch automatic, and feels like a winning combination.

Keeping the revs high and working it hard is where it feels best, with plenty of mid- to high-range power on offer. Heavily synthesised engine noise flows into the cabin quite prominently, even in ‘Normal’ drive mode.

In ‘Sport’ mode, that artificial noise seems to get even louder, the engine automatically rev matches on downshifts and the throttle becomes even more responsive.

It’s not quite a hot hatch (or hot sedan), but it is an engaging and enjoyable drive.

The dual-clutch responds quickly to driver inputs when you’ve engaged manual mode, both when you’re using the transmission shift lever or shift paddles, and the only time you’ll likely have to wrestle the steering wheel is under hard acceleration during take-offs, where there’s a bit of torque-steer and wheelspin to combat.

Kia’s combined-cycle fuel consumption claim of 6.9L/100km in the GT sedan – which we spent most time in – was met with a real-world average of 8.4L/100km. We might’ve seen lower numbers had we not been toggling through the gears so much in the Royal National Park.

Most impressive in the GT, however, is its firm suspension and tightly wound body.

Despite moves to improve suspension compliance, the GT may still prove a little too firm for some – especially those who frequently drive across broken country roads – but the taut ride really came alive through the twisty bits.

Loads of front-end grip and sure-footed handling stem from a combination of the large 18-inch alloy wheels, sticky Michelin rubber and multilink rear suspension (other models use a torsion beam).

Kia Australia says it has softened compression and rebound in the rear dampers and tweaked rebound on the front-end of 2021 Cerato GT, in an effort to improve the balance of ride compliance and handling.

Mild suspension updates were also made to the rest of the Cerato range, but didn’t produce meaningful results, we were told.

It takes a large pothole or road imperfection to really unsettle the Cerato GT and its fast steering makes it a confidence-inspiring machine to really throw around corners.

The large wheel and tyre combo in the 2021 Kia Cerato GT makes for a noisy ride inside the cabin.

Particularly on unsealed roads, tyre and road noise fills the cabin and you tend to hear every road imperfection you hit, more than you feel it.

Even with the cosmetic changes on the outside, the facelifted Cerato’s dimensions are unchanged, at 4640mm in length for the sedan and 4510mm for hatch.

The same 2700mm wheelbase is found in both, so cabin space is the same as before. Boot space also remains the same in each, with 428 litres in the hatch and 502L in the sedan.

There’s enough room for four adult passengers to travel in relative comfort. A factory tilt/slide sunroof in the GT doesn’t eat up too much headroom for rear passengers, and rear legroom is decent – as long as you don’t have giants sitting in the front seats.

Rear seat amenities include one USB-A port, ISOFIX anchorage points on the outboard seats, a centre arm rest with cup holders and room for one bottle in each door pocket.

An important update for the new Kia Cerato is the addition of rear air vents – a previous omission for lower-spec variants.

Up front, the GT’s sports seats are comfortable for long stints of driving and hold you in place around fast corners. The driver gets eight-way electric adjustment with lumbar and position memory, and seat ventilation has been added to the GT grade, complementing the carryover heat treatment.

Vision is good in every direction, even out of the smallish rear window in both the hatch and sedan.

At $37K on the road, the 2021 Kia Cerato GT is not going to be the volume seller in the range, which is carefully crafted to appeal to a broad range of fleet and private buyers.

Most sales will go towards the base S model, which is tipped to account for 55 per cent of sales, but a healthy 20 per cent is expected from the flagship GT.

Those who step up to the warm plate provided by the Kia Cerato GT won’t be disappointed.

It hasn’t become a hot hatch overnight. But it’s a punchy performer, and combined with a practical and comfortable cabin, high levels of safety and tech, and engaging dynamics, it’s worth a close look.

How much does the 2021 Kia Cerato GT cost?
Price: $35,290 (plus on-road costs)
Available: Now
Engine: 1.6-litre four-cylinder turbo-petrol
Output: 150kW/265Nm
Transmission: Seven-speed dual-clutch automatic
Fuel: 6.9L/100km (ADR Combined)
CO2: 157g/km (ADR Combined)
Safety rating: Five-star (ANCAP 2019)

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