- Doors and Seats
4 doors, 5 seats
- Engine
2.0i, 4 cyl.
- Engine Power
101kW, 182Nm
- Fuel
Petrol (91) 8.9L/100KM
- Manufacturer
FWD
- Transmission
Manual
- Warranty
3 Yr, 100000 KMs
- Ancap Safety
NA
2004 Kia Cerato review: Hidden promise
This little car packs a lot in, writes JONATHAN HAWLEY.
For: Good value, pleasant interior, loads of equipment, perky performance, soft ride.
Against: Poor handling and roadholding, engine lacks refinement, no ABS brakes.
Score: 3 stars (out of 5).
Ask anyone even half-interested in new cars what the best-selling type of vehicle is in Australia, and the answer might not necessarily be the correct one.
The temptation would be to nominate 4WD wagons, which seem to be everywhere these days, or maybe large, six-cylinder family sedans – the likes of Falcon, Commodore, Magna and Camry are perennial favourites and are traditionally top sellers in this country.
You'd be wrong on both counts. According to the official figures supplied by VFACTS, the biggest market segment for the first half of this year was small cars. The grouping, which includes cars such as the Toyota Corolla, Holden Astra, Nissan Pulsar and dozens more candidates, has overtaken that of the large car and even outsells those 4WDs.
On those bald figures alone, the theme for automotive consumers in 2004 would seem to be downsizing.
Buyers of small cars are certainly spoilt for choice. As well as the three well-known models mentioned above, there are some other, perhaps less obvious, contenders. Among them could well be the new Kia Cerato, which apart from anything else at least presents a strong case for value-for-money.
Kia is owned by Hyundai, so it is no surprise the Cerato shares much of its underpinnings, including suspension, engine and gearbox, with that company's Elantra model. They also share the same entry price of $18,990, although in the Cerato's case there's just the one four-door sedan model.
For that competitive price the Cerato comes with an impressive array of standard features: air-conditioning, power windows, electric mirrors, remote central locking, a six-speaker stereo with CD player and even cruise control. But anti-lock brakes aren't offered even as an option, which could end up a major blot on the Cerato's safety record.
In engineering terms this is an utterly conventional front-drive sedan, albeit quite an attractive-looking one, but delve beneath the skin and you find it is powered by a 2.0-litre engine instead of the 1.8 litres shared by most rivals.
With 101kW of power and a maximum 182Nm of torque, there's the promise of quite decent performance, which is exactly what the Cerato delivers.
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The clutch in our manual test car had an uncertain engagement point and a small amount of slippage, although that was seemingly a fault in adjustment rather than design.
The engine is somewhat coarse and a little noisy, but lacks nothing in the way of raw energy. It doesn't mind a rev to deliver its best, but even driven with moderate vigour gives decent levels of acceleration from a standing start or pulling from low speeds in higher gears.
The steering is quite direct, with less than three turns lock-to-lock and a tight turning circle, making the Cerato pretty easy to manoeuvre around town, especially given its compact exterior dimensions.
The suspension is quite softly sprung, so sharper bumps are absorbed with ease and there's a feeling of comfort more akin to a much larger car.
Things aren't quite so rosy on the open road where the suspension's softness also reveals a lack of control.
There's quite a degree of lurching body roll through corners and the front tyres give up grip early, especially if the road is damp.
Throw in a few mid-corner bumps and a lack of composure when cornering, and the Cerato ranks low to midfield in its class on dynamic ability. But there's not a lot wrong with the rest of the car.
The interior is trimmed in cheery light hues of the ubiquitous plastics and synthetic fabrics that are run-of-the-mill in cheaper cars, but the stereo has large and clearly marked controls, the ventilation has no-nonsense rotary knobs and instrumentation is similarly free of gimmickry.
Cruise control is unusual in a car of this price, but extremely welcome in any car travelling in a country infested with speed cameras.
There's also plenty of storage spaces near the driver, with a bin under the centre armrest, a couple of cupholders just in front of that, a tray ahead of the gearshift and deep door pockets.
The steering column adjusts for rake and not reach, but the basic driving position is just fine.
Rear-seat passengers get adequate leg room and ample head room under the Cerato's high roofline. The boot is big enough and hides a full-size spare tyre under its floor.
The Cerato's low purchase price might promise dull motoring, but the surprise is that with a perky engine, a good-looking exterior and an interior that's practical as well as cheerful, there's far more to this car than just basic transport.
Unfortunately, the sloppy suspension drags the Cerato back to the rest of the pack and spoils what should be a better driving experience.
Considering the car's low price and high equipment levels, however, it's not an unbearable imposition for those after a decent small car for not a lot of money.
Kia Cerato
How much: $18,990 (manual), $20,990 (auto), plus on-road costs.
Insurance: Premium $531 (RACV, 40-year-old rating one male driver, medium-risk suburb, $450 excess).
Warranty: Three years/100,000 kilometres.
Engine: 2.0-litre, DOHC, 16-valve four-cylinder, 101kW at 6000rpm and 182Nm at 4000rpm.
Transmission: Five-speed manual or four-speed auto. Front-wheel-drive.
Steering: Rack and pinion, 2.8 turns lock-to-lock. Turning circle 10.4m.
Brakes: Ventilated discs front, discs rear. ABS not available.
Suspension: Front – independent by MacPherson struts with stabiliser bar. Rear – independent by upper and lower links with coil springs and stabiliser bar.
Wheels/tyres: 6.0 x 15-inch steel wheels, tyres 185/65. Full-size spare.
How heavy? 1294kg (manual).
How thirsty? 10.1 L/100km average. ULP, 55-litre tank.
Equipment: Driver airbag, cruise control, CD player, remote locking, side airbags, power windows, alloy wheels, air-conditioning. (ABS and leather trim not available)
Competitors
Hyundai Elantra sedan – $18,990 – 3 stars (out of 5)
Donor vehicle for the Cerato boasts different panels but similar equipment levels and the same engine. Not surprisingly, driving characteristics are all but identical.
Holden Astra Classic sedan – $19,990 – 3.5 stars (out of 5)
Old and due for replacement soon, but still desirable for its strong blend of useful performance, well-controlled ride and handling and pretty good value, too.
Prices and details correct at publication date.