Kia Cerato SLi 2009 long term test - 1

Kia Cerato SLi Long-term test

Price Guide: $22,990 (recommended price before statutory and delivery charges)
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 litres/100km
CO2 emissions (g/km): 186
Also consider: Toyota Corolla, Ford Focus, VW Golf, Holden Cruze

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

About our ratings

Without a doubt, the best part about the Cerato is its current price -- at $24,190 drive away, it is sensational value for money; when asked, most people who inspected the Euro-styled four door guessed at a $30k to $35k price-tag.

There are other good aspects too: power and performance, comfort, handling, a high level of standard fitment, pleasing styling, a generous five-year unlimited kilometre warranty and so on.

Probably the only downside might be the name on the nose -- Kia has yet to earn its place as a respected vehicle manufacturer of the calibre of the mainstream Japanese name-plates -- but it's getting there. Kia has yet to cement a hardcore reputation and resale values aren't great, but vehicles like the Cerato will help cement the Korean brand as a major player in the Australian vehicle market-place.

With a 2.0-litre four-cylinder engine, a five-speed manual gearbox and front wheel drive, the four-door Cerato sedan joins a long-list of similarly-equipped vehicles from all over the planet, so standing out is hard when you're up against models from almost every manufacturer. Of course, the Kia joins the queue with a massive price advantage -- it's $10-15,000 cheaper than similar-specced cars from elsewhere.

Styling is by Kia's Head Designer, Peter Schreyer, whose portfolio includes Audi's iconic TT and VW's Beetle; scant wonder then that the Kia looks mainstream and sleekly modern, without some of the styling horrors perpetrated by makers like SsangYong for example.

In practical terms, the Kia shines through by offering an inordinate amount of power -- 115kW is right up there at the top of the class, though the claimed 194Nm or torque feels blunted by the Kia's 1347kg kerb weight. Coupled to this perky engine is a nicely-weighted clutch action and reasonably smooth five-speed manual gearbox, but this is also where the Kia falls at the first hurdle, the manner in which the engine responds to the throttle.

There's a distinct glitch in the action of the throttle and it's almost impossible to get a smooth gearshift -- there's an "electric flywheel" effect that sees the revs remain high  -- and even climb -- when coming off the throttle to shift gear. Opinion varies but the consensus is that this has something to do with the fuel injection programming attempting to reduce unburned hydrocarbons emitted in throttle re-application at low to medium revs.

It's probably less noticeable -- or entirely absent -- in models equipped with an automatic transmission, which is a pity, because the Cerato offers such a rewarding drive in all other aspects, to muzzle it with an auto would be a shame.

This driveability issue is a well-known one and we would have hoped that it would have been adequately addressed by now, but sadly it hasn't been cured.

Beside that, the Cerato is remarkably good -- it has predictable turn-in, grip and handling, thanks in no small part to its Kumho 215/45 R17 low-profile tyres; commendably, there's a full-sized spare wheel.

The cabin is equipped with a comprehensive list of features including auto-on headlamps, cruise control, climate control, front and rear fog-lights, rear parking proximity warning and a full-function trip computer. There's decent storage in a central bin, trays, door-pockets and glovebox, a single 12v socket and no ashtray.

Cerato's audio system has CD, iPod and MP3 compatibility, and a USB port for complete audio connectively. There's also an automatic ambient noise volume adjuster -- though radio reception with the stubby roof-mounted antenna was pretty poor in some areas. Intuitive (if rather small) controls on the steering wheel look after the audio and cruise control.

Like many Korean cars, the Cerato is made for a left-hand drive world -- so the principle controls for the climate control are on the wrong side for Australia -- not a fault so much as an observation. The system's also excessively noisy if left on Auto mode, so the fan needs to be cranked down a long way.

On the safety front, Cerato comes with a good arsenal of active and passive safety features; the active collision-avoiding list includes switchable stability and traction control, anti-lock brakes, electronic brake force distribution and active front headrests as the major components.

On the passive collision-surviving list are six airbags (driver and passenger front, side and curtain) plus front seat belt pretensioners and impact-sensing auto door unlocking. This last shouldn't be needed, but since Kia appears to think everyone lives in the crime-ridden slums of Rio, Detroit or Johannesburg and are subject to incessant car-jackings, the Cerato's doors annoyingly lock automatically. We'll pull that fuse as soon as we find it.

A minor inconvenience is the key not containing the remote door and boot controls -- they're on a separate fob. Interestingly the boot cannot be opened independently -- either the remote release beside the driver's (height-adjustable) seat must be pulled, or a button on the fob must be pushed -- there is no external catch or button.

The ESP system is a little primitive in that it is harsh and abrupt in its action when it does wake up -- which is late into any loss of control situation. It thumps on one or more brakes and is clearly calibrated for use on asphalt. It can wake up its own ABS programme by braking too harshly on gravel roads. 

Assuming the car hasn't speared right off the road in the interim, the ESP programme does bring the car back into line, but a competent driver would have caught the slide before the ESP was triggered. This late initiation of the ESP does serve to allow an unwary driver to realise that they have exceeded the safe limits of grip for the conditions.

To be fair, the SLi isn't a car which would normally venture off the sealed road network much, with it's low-profile tyres and attractive alloy rims, but when doing so, the impact of gravel on the underbody is deafening -- clearly not much sound-deadening is applied down below.

Cerato owners get a choice of colours -- pick from black, white and champagne, bronze and three shades of grey -- imaginatively called Bright silver, Graphite and Titanium, but all varying shades of grey in soft light or road-grime. Happily there's also a sparkling red and an eye-catching blue too.

In the first few hundred kilometres of our acquaintance, the Cerato used an entirely acceptable 8.5 litres/100km of general commuting and light family duties. On a cruise-controlled 100km/h run on Victoria's heavily speed-camera-afflicted highways, consumption dropped to a commendable 7.2l/100 km.

Seasoned long-haul drivers, used to the room and mushy comfort of a Commodore or Falcon, might find the Cerato small and inconsequential. But for a suburban runabout with space for five compact people, it represents sensational value for money.

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