There’s still a market for no-frills compact sedans, or at least that think so with its basis Cerato WILL.
While one could call this car ‘rental specs’, in context this is an increasingly rare product.
In an age of skyrocketing prices and customers flocking to the latest features and SUV body styles, it’s a setback.
For those after a fuss-free basic transport with little room for refinement, it remains one on the shortlist.
How much does Kia Cerato S cost?
This is the base Cerato and costs about the same as a sedan or a more practical hatchback. But for those who missed the memo, the days of $19,990 small cars are long gone.
Cerato S retails for $26,290 before road costs with a standard automatic transmission, making it the cheapest automatic sedan in its class.
Kia is now offering manufacturer-supported national driving rates for the Cerato line, further sharpening the value equation.
Our test model comes with an optional Safety Pack, which adds a $1500 premium. Even so, it still knocks out its competitors on a money-for-metal basis, with prices under $30k down the road.
Price of Kia Cerato 2023:
- Cerato S: $26,290
- Cerato S Safety Pack: $27,290
- Sports Cerato: 28,390 USD
- Cerato Sports Safety Package: $29,390
- Cerato Sport+: $31,440
- Cerato GT: $36,090
Price does not include road costs
Price of Kia Cerato 2023 for immediate delivery:
- Cerato S: $27,890
- Cerato S Safety Pack: $29,390
- Sports Cerato: $29,890
- Cerato Sports Safety Package: $31,390
- Cerato Sport+: $33,590
- Cerato GT: $38,390
Main competitors include:
- Hyundai i30 Active automatic transmission: ~ $31,500
- Mazda 3 G20 Pure Auto: ~$32,200
- Toyota Corolla Ascent Sport (non-hybrid): ~ $32,800
Price to drive away
What’s the inside of the Kia Cerato S like?
As you might expect, there’s a lot of hard plastic and a rather dull color palette, but the build quality and fit and finish are of a pretty high standard. Those outer circular vents also add a hint of design, don’t they?
The fabric seats offer plenty of manual movement (front/rear and up/down on the driver’s side) and have a good degree of lateral and thigh support.
The Cerato’s driving position is very good, you sit quite low in a sporty style – certainly compared to all the SUVs that currently dominate the market.
You need to take the key from your pocket and press the button to get in, but the key is nicely designed and easy to operate in the dark. Starting the car requires you to insert the key into the ignition, which is increasingly rare.
The basic steering wheel is decorated with cheap plastic, but the optional Safety Pack gives you a nicer leather-wrapped steering wheel (and gear lever). I always say that the steering wheel is your primary touch point, so buy a nice one.
Behind the wheel is a set of analog gauges and a small trip computer that includes a digital speedometer. You can browse through the different menus using the buttons on the right-hand steering wheel.
The 8.0-inch touchscreen is pretty basic but offers wireless Apple CarPlay (it’s annoying to drop once or twice) and Android Auto; plus reverse camera, AM/FM radio and Bluetooth/USB streaming.
While it does the job, other Cerato variants upgrade you to a 10.25-inch screen with satellite navigation and a digital radio receiver (DAB). This larger screen is a good reason to upgrade to the Cerato Sport variant.
Below that is a trio of easy-to-operate rotary controls for the manual air conditioning, while along the center tunnel there is an electronic parking brake (with Auto Hold) that frees up space.
Storage options are plentiful including a bottle holder at the door, a phone holder under the air-conditioning controller next to two USB ports, a center cup holder, and a decently sized dashboard.
The rear seats have air vents and USB ports, enough leg room and headroom for adults – I’m 194cm and can sit behind my driver’s seat.
Just a little context on Cerato’s size, at 4640mm . long it’s roughly the length of a 2004 Subaru Liberty (4665mm) that back then was classified as a midsize car.
Launch is pretty big at 502 liters (VDA) but if you want to load bulky items, the Cerato hatch offers a larger opening.
What’s under the bonnet?
ONE 2.0 liter naturally aspirated petrol engine with 112kW power and 192Nm torque, front-wheel drive through a standard six-speed automatic transmission.
All Cerato models use this engine, with the exception of the top-spec GT with its 150kW/265Nm 1.6-liter turbocharged engine and seven-speed DCT.
Kia claims the Cerato S offers fuel economy of 7.4 liters/100km on the combined cycle in both body styles, using 91 RON, Measuring tank 50L.
Its rated pulling capacity is 1100kg brakes, enough for a small trailer.
How does the Kia Cerato S drive?
The engine isn’t full of power and torque, but like most naturally aspirated powertrains, provides just the right instant response to acceleration when stopping/starting traffic.
All in all, walking is perfectly fine, but if you decide to go with your right foot there will be some difficulty creeping in.
The standard six-speed automatic doesn’t really miss a beat, and downshifts more assertively than the GT’s dual-clutch transmission.
While Kia claims combined cycle fuel consumption of 7.4 liters/100km, my 324.2km combined cycle driving loop returned 8.7L/100km.
On the one hand, that’s about twice as much fuel usage as you might expect from the pricier one Toyota Corolla hybridbut the Toyota in electrified guise is also about $6500 more expensive.
The Cerato uses engine-controlled electric power steering, McPherson strut front suspension and torsion beam rear suspension, as well as Kumho tires.
Credit to Kia for really injecting a small dose of the Cerato’s driving style, despite its basic wheel and suspension package, with a sharp dynamic local tone.
The steering is direct and well-weighted, the body control is flat and the front end is responsive to turning. It’s not a sports car, but there’s clearly some level of polish here.
On the other hand, there’s a little more tire roar seeping into the interior at high speeds, especially compared to the rough asphalt common on the area’s roads.
The Safety Package is really a no-brainer as it adds blind-spot monitoring and adaptive cruise control – two of the more useful driver-assistance functions.
What do you get?
Outside
- 16 inch steel wheels
- center hat
- Temporary steel spare wheel
- Parking sensors – front, rear
- Tire pressure monitor
- halogen headlights
- LED daytime running lights
Inside
- Folding knob
- fabric chair
- cruise control
- Manual air conditioner
- Reverse camera
- 3 USB ports
- 8.0 inch touch screen
- Wireless Apple CarPlay
- Android Auto Wireless, Wired
- 6 speakers
- Bluetooth phone and streaming
Additional optional safety pack
- Blind spot monitoring
- Rear traffic warning
- AEB . cyclist detection
- Safe exit warning
- Adaptive cruise control
- Auto-folding rearview mirror
- High-class steering wheel, gearshift paddles
While car buyers and rental buyers will be fine with bare bones, we’re just highlighting that for an extra $2000 you can upgrade to the Cerato Sport, which adds desirable features like other seat fabric each other, a larger 10.25-inch touchscreen, satellite navigation, and 17-inch alloy wheels.
If you want the latest revised cons, read our Kia Cerato 2023 lineup price analysis and specifications.
Is the Kia Cerato S safe?
The ANCAP crash test organization gave the Cerato a split rating.
The Sport+ and GT get a five-star rating (2019) but the base S and Sport get a four-star (2019) unless optional with the Safety Pack due to the added driver-assistance features.
Standard safety features include:
- Automatic Emergency Braking (AEB)
- Cars, Pedestrian bypass
- Driver Attention Warning
- Lane keeping assist
- Top car departure warning
- Reverse camera
- Front and rear parking sensors
- 6 airbags
- Driver
- Passenger
- Front
- double row curtain
- 3 x top-tether and 2 x ISOFIX points
Additional optional safety pack:
- Blind spot monitoring
- Rear traffic warning
- AEB . cyclist detection
- Safe exit warning
- Adaptive cruise control
How much does Kia Cerato S cost to run?
Kia offers a great seven-year, unlimited km warrantyuseful with resale value.
It also offers seven years of limited-price service if you choose to go back to the dealer, but for such a basic engine, it’s not the cheapest to maintain.
Price of Kia Cerato service:
- 12 months or 15,000km: $279
- 24 months or 30,000 km: $474
- 36 months or 45,000km: $343
- 48 months or 60,000km: $612
- 60 months or 75,000km: $314
- 72 months or 90,000 km: 601 USD
- 84 months or 105,000km: $334
Total: $2957
For a small context, Corolla’s service life is the same but seven services cost $2288, which is 22% cheaper.
Kia’s service program covers parts and lubricants, it doesn’t include things like new tires, brake pads, bulbs or transmission belts – all at an additional cost when needed. This is par for the course in industry.
CarExpert undertakes KIA CERATO WILL
Not many people buy a basic white sedan these days, but for that reason, there’s some value for money here – sure the Cerato isn’t as cheap as it once was, but what car is it?
It’s popular for a reason, as it has a less polarizing design compared to the sharp base Hyundai i30and cost less than the Toyota Corolla Ascent Sport or the Mazda 3 G20 Pure.
We recommend that private buyers upgrade to the Cerato Sport, which adds many desirable features for the money.
But what the Cerato S shows is that this is a well-organized basic sedan that offers all the basics.
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THAN: Everything Kia Cerato
