Kia Cerato sedan 2013 Review

Kia Cerato S, Si and SLi sedan

What we liked:
>> Solid value
>> Perky performance
>> Sporty ride/handling

Not so much:
>> Rubbery manual shift
>> Still some engine/road noise
>> More steering weight than feel

OVERVIEW

A key plank in Kia’s goal to snare five per cent of the Australian auto market, and a bigger presence in the booming C-segment, the latest Cerato four-door is also pivotal in the South Korean brand’s drive to become desirable, as well as affordable.

As expected, the MkIII Cerato sedan delivers on the latter in spades, offering a new level of standard equipment across the three-variant line-up at bargain-basement prices spanning $19,990 to $29,990.

More surprising are upgraded powertrains with more performance and efficiency, and a decidedly European ride/handling flavour -- all wrapped in a lighter yet bigger and more stylish four-door body.

PRICE AND EQUIPMENT

Naturally, standard across the range is air-conditioning, remote central locking, power windows and mirrors, body-coloured door-handles and a six-speaker single-CD tuner with MP3, 3.5mm auxiliary, USB and Bluetooth connectivity, as well as steering wheel-mounted remote controls.

On top of this, the Cerato adds larger-car standard features like Kia’s FlexSteer variable steering system, foglights, heated side mirrors with indicators, front, corner and rear parking sensors, a matching full-size spare wheel/tyre, six-way driver’s seat adjustment including height, front and rear armrests with twin cup-holders, an in-glass aerial and an LCD instrument cluster with multi-function trip computer.

Specific to the entry-level Cerato S -- which costs $19,990 as a six-speed manual and $21,990 with a six-speed auto -- are a 1.8-litre engine, 16-inch steel wheels with 205/55 R16 tyres, projector headlights with escort function, and woven cloth seat trim.

In addition to a bigger 2.0-litre engine, the mid-range Cerato Si ($23,990 manual, $25,990 auto) offers 16-inch alloy wheels with the same tyres, a reversing camera with in-audio screen display and parking guidelines, automatic headlights, push-button starting, rear ventilation outlets, a 4.3-inch colour touch-screen, and premium ‘knit and tricot’ interior trim, including carbon-look fascia, chrome-look door pulls and soft-touch door/dash trim.

Also standard in Si models is a premium steering wheel and shift knob, fake-leather instrument cluster trim, sunvisor illumination, passenger-side seatback pocket, welcome puddle/pocket lights, auto-folding wing mirrors, a sliding front centre armrest, chromed interior highlights, a chromed exhaust outlet, a UV-cutting windscreen, auto up/down front windows and aero-blade type wipers.

On top of all this, the top-shelf Cerato SLi ($27,990 manual, $29,990 auto) comes standard with 17-inch alloy wheels with 215/45 R17 tyres, LED daytime running lights, HID headlights, LED tail lights, leather seat trim, eight-way power driver’s seat adjustment with memory and ventilation and heated front seats.

The SLi flagship also comes standard with a powered sunroof, auto-dimming rear-vision mirror, colour TFT supervision instrument cluster, alloy sports pedals, a cooled glovebox, dual-zone climate-control with clean air module, auto defog system and, in automatic versions, steering wheel paddle shifters.

An optional satellite-navigation system will be available from June priced at $1000, featuring a 7.0-inch colour touch-screen, multimedia system with SUNA traffic information, DVD player and shark-fin GPS antenna.

Ten exterior paint colours will be available, including new Plant Blue and Sandstone premium hues.

MECHANICAL

Incorporation of 63 per cent high-tensile strength steel, hot-stamped pillars and redesigned crash boxes are claimed to increase the body’s torsional rigidity by 37 per cent and reduce weight by an average of about 50kg. Kerb weights now range between 1287 and 1319kg.

Attention to surface detailing and underbody airflow reduces aerodynamic drag from 0.29 to a low 0.27Cd, while aero lift is also reduced.

In addition to a stiffer bodyshell, extra sound deadening measures in key areas is also said to reduce noise, vibration and harshness. They include new vibration-damping front subframe mounts, a new three-layer noise-lowering pad for the engine bay bulkhead, new dual-frequency engine mounts and a new 700g/m2 Ethylene Vinyl Acetate sound insulating coating on the cabin floor.

Thanks also to a breathable film inside the roof headlining, acoustic deadening foam in the A-pillar and side sills, a dynamic damper fitted to the shorter of the front driveshafts and thinsulator boot lining, the result is claimed to be a 2dB reduction in idle vibration through the steering wheel and cabin floor, a 1dB reduction in cabin noise at idle and a reduction of interior noise at 100km/h to 65dB.

Another intensive chassis localisation program by Kia brings improved handling dynamics, ride quality and steering feel. Changes to the MacPherson strut front and coupled torsion beam rear suspension systems include firmer gas dampers all round.

At the factory, Kia says a new, stronger front suspension subframe features wide L-shaped lower arms with larger diameter bushes, while the steering rack is mounted 15mm forward to improve on-centre feel.

The electric power steering system features Kia’s three-mode FlexSteer system with Normal, Sport and Comfort modes, while the longer wheelbase results in a slightly larger 10.6-metre turning circle, there is a tight 2.96 turns lock-to-lock and the steering wheel adjusts for reach and rake.

Two all-alloy transverse four-cylinder petrol engines drive the front wheels of all three Cerato variants -- a downsized 1.8-litre at base level and 2.0 litres for upstream models --matched with six-speed manual and automatic transmissions.

Powering the entry-level Cerato S is a relatively peppy 110kW/178Nm 1.8-litre ‘Nu’ engine that returns a class-leading 6.6L/100km fuel consumption in manual form (7.1L/100km for the auto) and offers zero to 100km/h acceleration in 10.1 seconds (auto: 11.6 seconds) and a 200km/h top speed.

The other two Cerato sedan variants come with a larger and more advanced 2.0-litre Nu GDI (direct-injection) petrol four offering a mainstream class-leading 129kW/209Nm -- enough for 8.5-second nought to 100km/h acceleration (auto: 9.3).

Both the Si and SLi models consume 7.4L/100km (manual and auto). A 50-litre fuel tank should offer at least 650km between refills.

All new Cerato engines feature all-aluminium construction, variable intake and exhaust valve timing, a plastic variable intake manifold, mechanical lash adjustment and a timing chain.

A diesel engine is not on the horizon for the Cerato, while the Hyundai-Kia group’s 1.6-litre turbo-petrol engine is more likely to see duty in the new Cerato Koup than the sedan or hatch.

PACKAGING

Measuring 25mm lower than before (1435mm), it is 5mm wider (1780mm), 30mm longer (4560mm) and rides on a 50mm-longer (2700mm) wheelbase that is as long as the Sorento SUV.

Front and rear overhangs are 15mm and 5mm shorter respectively, yet boot space increases by six litres to 421 litres, augmented by a 60:40 split-folding rear seat.

There are seven interior storage areas, most of them bigger them before, including a 30 per cent larger eight-litre glovebox, 700ml bottle holders in the front doors, 500ml units in the rear doors, a covered two-litre console under the centre stack, a 5.6-litre centre console box and twin cup-holders in both centre armrests.

Because the cabin floor is lower and the seat ‘hip-points’ have been dropped (by 26mm front and 20mm rear), passengers will find increased front headroom and legroom, while shoulder room is improved by 9mm (front) and 5mm (rear).

Both front seat occupants will enjoy the wider seat cushions (now 322mm) and increased cushion angle (up from 15.2 to 16.2 degrees) with the front raised to increase thigh support.

The heating and ventilation system has been upgraded to deliver more heating capacity and greater cooling power.

SAFETY

The latter includes six airbags (twin front, front-side and side curtains), electronic stability control, electronic brake-force distribution, brake assist, hill-start assist and seatbelt reminders for all five seats.

There is also Emergency Stop Signal (ESS), which activates the hazard lights under hard braking. Braking is via four-wheel discs with 280mm vented rotors up front and 262mm solid rotors at the rear, backed by an anti-lock system.

COMPETITORS

However, the outgoing Cerato sedan and hatch model range accounted for just 3.3 per cent of the nation’s booming small-car segment, which amassed 252,000 sales and 23 per cent of the total new vehicle market.

The first instalment of Kia’s renewed small-car assault plays in less than 40 per cent of the small-car segment (small sedans accounted for just 91,000 sales last year), but will be followed by a redesigned five-door hatchback around mid-year.

For now, with a sub-$20,000 starting price, the entry-level Cerato four-door undercuts some of the most popular sedans in Australia’s single biggest sales segment.

They include the top-selling Mazda Mazda3 (from $20,330), Toyota Corolla ($20,990) and the Elantra ($20,590) from South Korean sister brand Hyundai.

While the base Ford Focus, Nissan Pulsar and Mitsubishi Lancer all match the cheapest new Cerato’s sub-$20,000 list price, only Holden’s Australian-assembled Cruze sedan (now from $19,490) undercuts it.

With the exception of the 1.6-litre base Focus and the 2.0-litre Mazda3 and Lancer ranges, the new Cerato matches its chief rivals with a 1.8-litre engine at the entry level, and betters them with the choice of six-speed manual and automatic transmissions available across the line-up -- the latter priced just $2000 higher.

ON THE ROAD

Not only are there more small cars to choose from than ever, but the Cerato has to battle new models with nameplates as well regarded as the Toyota Corolla (a new sedan version of which will join last year’s redesigned hatch), Ford Focus, Holden Cruze, Nissan Pulsar and the top-selling Mazda3, which will be replaced next year.

But Kia’s top-selling export comes well armed with pricing as competitive as expected, a bevy of big-car features in all model grades, almost universally likeable styling, more space than most small-car buyers will expect and powerful yet efficient 1.8- and 2.0-litre engines matched to slick six-speed manual and auto transmissions.

Apart from class-leading fuel economy, the 1.8-litre engine in the Cerato S feels as willing as the 2.0-litre direct-injection mill from the Si and SLi, providing more than adequate performance at all points of their wide, 6500rpm rev ranges.

Both engines are well matched to the slick-shifting six-speed automatic transmission too, although the manual’s shift gate is a little rubbery and neither petrol-four sets new standards for quietness.

Perhaps most surprisingly, however, the new Cerato offers crisp, European-style dynamics, thanks to yet another local chassis tuning program from Kia.

Kia’s Australian chassis development engineers haven’t sacrificed ride comfort for handling performance, as with the light-size Rio and mid-size Optima, but some buyers might find ride quality on the firm side, especially on the SLi flagship’s less-compliant 17-inch tyres.

But the upside is rewarding dynamics that makes the Cerato one of the most polished handlers in its class, with plenty of grip, refreshingly low levels of bodyroll and steering that’s completely devoid of rack rattle and bump steer.

The unique-in-class FlexSteer system offers drivers the choice of Comfort, Normal and Sport modes with varying levels of power assistance. The latter offers the heaviest weighting and straightline stability, but is less willing to self-centre and still doesn’t rival the Mazda3 or Focus for steering feel.

On balance though, the chassis localisation program gives the thoroughly redesigned Cerato a unique point of difference over its Asian rivals. Throw in Kia’s five-year warranty and the value-packed Cerato ticks all the boxes in a sea of well-credentialed small sedans.

Read the latest Carsales Network news and reviews on your mobile, iPhone or PDA at the carsales mobile site