1 Year Ago
Kia Cerato replacement spied with sleek fastback styling
Kia's next-generation small sedan has been spied on the road, giving us a better look at a sleek, fastback-style model that could wear the Cerato nameplate.
William Stopford
About the Kia Cerato
Last updated Oct 23, 2024The 2023 Kia Cerato is classified as a 4 Door Sedan currently on sale in Australia as part of the BD MY23 generation, starting from $25,200 MLRP for the S and topping out at $35,400 for the GT.
There are 24 variants available for our market and the current year model went on sale in Jan of 2023. The Cerato is built in Korea and is available with 2.0L Multi Point Fuel Injection, equipped with a 6 Speed Automatic transmission with the drive sent to FWD. The Cerato is offered with a 7 year, unlimited kilometre warranty.
Pros
- Spacious interior
- Great infotainment and safety assists
- Seven-year warranty adds peace of mind
Cons
- Asthmatic 2.0L motor is past its use-by date
- Missing features available in Korean model as well as rivals
- Not that cheap anymore, and expensive servicing
Kia Cerato Rating
Kia Cerato
Entry-level
Honda Civic
Best in class
Overall rating
7.5
7.5
8.9
Kia Cerato News
2023 Kia Cerato Price
Sedan
| Variant | Price From* | Price To* |
|---|---|---|
| S | $26,000 | $26,000 |
| S SAFETY PACK | $26,900 | $26,900 |
| SPORT | $28,000 | $28,000 |
| SPORT SAFETY PACK | $29,000 | $29,000 |
| SPORT+ | $30,900 | $30,900 |
| GT | $35,400 | $35,400 |
Hatchback
| Variant | Price From* | Price To* |
|---|---|---|
| S | $26,000 | $26,000 |
| S SAFETY PACK | $26,900 | $26,900 |
| SPORT | $28,000 | $28,000 |
| SPORT SAFETY PACK | $29,000 | $29,000 |
| SPORT+ | $30,900 | $30,900 |
| GT | $35,400 | $35,400 |
*excl. on-roads
New Kia Cerato deals
2023 Kia Cerato Dimensions
1440mm
1800mm
4640mm
The dimensions shown above are for the base model.
See all 2023 Kia Cerato Dimensions2023 Kia Cerato Boot Space
The Cerato quotes 502L of luggage capacity in sedan form, and 428L as a hatchback (VDA).
Kia doesn't quote a figure for the Cerato hatch with the seats folded.
2023 Kia Cerato Gallery
CarExpert High Resolution Photos of the Kia Cerato
View 45 images
2023 Kia Cerato Safety Rating
All 2021 Kia Cerato models come standard with the following safety equipment:
- Autonomous emergency braking with pedestrian detection
- Front, front side, and curtain airbags
- Lane-keep assist
- Lane Following Assist
- Rear occupant alert
When equipped with the Safety Pack, or in Sport+ and GT trim, the list of safety equipment is expanded to include:
- Autonomous emergency braking with pedestrian/cyclist detection
- Blind-spot monitoring
- Rear cross-traffic alert
- Adaptive cruise control
The Sport+ and GT also add blind-spot assist.
2023 Kia Cerato Fuel Economy
Cerato models with the 2.0 MPi naturally-aspirated petrol engine quote fuel economy of 7.4L/100km on the combined cycle.
GT models, with the 1.6 T-GDi turbo petrol engine, quote 6.9L/100km for the sedan and 6.8L/100km for the hatch.
| Kia Cerato | Fuel Type | Combined |
|---|---|---|
| GT | UNLEADED PETROL | 6.9 |
| S | UNLEADED PETROL | 7.4 |
| S SAFETY PACK | UNLEADED PETROL | 7.4 |
| SPORT | UNLEADED PETROL | 7.4 |
| SPORT SAFETY PACK | UNLEADED PETROL | 7.4 |
| SPORT+ | UNLEADED PETROL | 7.4 |
Cost of ownership
What is the running and servicing costs of a Kia Cerato?
| Variant | Engine Type | Month | Kilometre |
|---|---|---|---|
| S | 2.0L Multi Point Fuel Injection | 12 Months | 15,000km |
| S | 2.0L Multi Point Fuel Injection | 12 Months | 15,000km |
| S | 2.0L Multi Point Fuel Injection | 12 Months | 15,000km |
| S | 2.0L Multi Point Fuel Injection | 12 Months | 15,000km |
| S SAFETY PACK | 2.0L Multi Point Fuel Injection | 12 Months | 15,000km |
| S SAFETY PACK | 2.0L Multi Point Fuel Injection | 12 Months | 15,000km |
| S SAFETY PACK | 2.0L Multi Point Fuel Injection | 12 Months | 15,000km |
| S SAFETY PACK | 2.0L Multi Point Fuel Injection | 12 Months | 15,000km |
| SPORT | 2.0L Multi Point Fuel Injection | 12 Months | 15,000km |
| SPORT | 2.0L Multi Point Fuel Injection | 12 Months | 15,000km |
| SPORT | 2.0L Multi Point Fuel Injection | 12 Months | 15,000km |
| SPORT | 2.0L Multi Point Fuel Injection | 12 Months | 15,000km |
| SPORT SAFETY PACK | 2.0L Multi Point Fuel Injection | 12 Months | 15,000km |
| SPORT SAFETY PACK | 2.0L Multi Point Fuel Injection | 12 Months | 15,000km |
| SPORT SAFETY PACK | 2.0L Multi Point Fuel Injection | 12 Months | 15,000km |
| SPORT SAFETY PACK | 2.0L Multi Point Fuel Injection | 12 Months | 15,000km |
| SPORT+ | 2.0L Multi Point Fuel Injection | 12 Months | 15,000km |
| SPORT+ | 2.0L Multi Point Fuel Injection | 12 Months | 15,000km |
| SPORT+ | 2.0L Multi Point Fuel Injection | 12 Months | 15,000km |
| SPORT+ | 2.0L Multi Point Fuel Injection | 12 Months | 15,000km |
| GT | 1.6L Turbo Gasoline Direct Injection | 12 Months | 10,000km |
| GT | 1.6L Turbo Gasoline Direct Injection | 12 Months | 10,000km |
| GT | 1.6L Turbo Gasoline Direct Injection | 12 Months | 10,000km |
| GT | 1.6L Turbo Gasoline Direct Injection | 12 Months | 10,000km |
You should service your Cerato at your authorised Kia dealer or service centre, however servicing it at third party mechanics that follow OEM servicing instructions should not impact the Cerato’s warranty.
How does the 2023 Kia Cerato drive?
Our expert take on Kia Cerato drivability.
The 2.0-litre petrol was barely adequate when the current generation launched, and against the current crop of rivals it feels old-hat while also lacking in grunt and refinement.
Keep your demands gentle and it’s well-mannered enough, but push any harder and it’s a noisy and gruff engine over 3000rpm.
It feels like the Cerato gets off the line well enough, but try to get up to 100km/h on the freeway on-ramp or go up a steep hill and it’s just unrefined and laboured. A lot of noise – not a nice note either – and not a whole lot of performance.
Why Kia has persisted with such an ageing drivetrain format for any reason other than cost remains to be answered. Even swapping out the (snappy) six-speed auto for the continuously-variable transmission from the related Seltos would have been a better move – North America gets this setup too.
Beyond the lacklustre drivetrain, the rest of the Cerato’s on-road behaviour is pretty good.
Its locally-fettled suspension tune – with torsion-beam rear in non-GT models – errs on the side of firm, but it’s comfortable enough in town and settles well on the highway.
The steering, likewise, is tuned to be a direct and engaging. The Cerato has a lively feel to the ride and handling, though in most variants lacks the drivetrain to back it up.
Road noise is a little intrusive on rougher patches of blacktop, but it’s definitely not the worst in the class. Wind noise, meanwhile, is well suppressed.
If you want a bit more go then you can opt for the top-spec GT with its peppier 150kW 1.6-litre turbo petrol engine, but while the jump in performance is welcome the occasionally jerky DCT as well as the much firmer ride of the warm performance model are notable drawbacks.
Kia’s latest driver assists are generally pretty good, with the standard lane-keep assist not feeling too intrusive and the adaptive cruise control being a handy addition for long stints on the freeway.
We like the Lane Following Assist active centring function for the open road, though some may not like how it takes charge.
The Cerato’s adaptive cruise system has been improved from my experience with the previous model, but it still will drift 2-3km/h above or below the set speed on hills and when you let off the throttle if you take over for a moment – it’s certainly not as accurate as rival systems.
Overall, the Kia Cerato remains a solid, if uninspiring package on the road.
2023 Kia Cerato Options
Options list for the Kia Cerato
You can find more details on all the options and inclusions across the Kia Cerato variants on the official website, and within the official Kia Cerato specifications page.
2023 Kia Cerato Colours
What colours are available for the Kia Cerato
The Cerato range is available in nine finishes:
- Clear White
- Snow White Pearl*
- Mineral Blue*
- Silky Silver*
- Horizon Blue*
- Steel Grey*
- Runway Red*
- Platinum Graphite*
- Aurora Black*
*Premium paint adds $520
2023 Kia Cerato Warranty
What is the warranty on a Kia Cerato?
The Kia Cerato offers a 7 year unlimited kilometre warranty. This is separate to the warranty on offer under Australian Consumer Law which can be greater for certain parts based on what is deemed as a reasonable period of time.
2023 Kia Cerato vs other Small's to consider
The Kia Cerato is pitched as a strong value-for-money offering in the small car segment, combining sharp drive-away pricing with a relatively high level of standard specification as well as being dimensionally larger than most competitors.
It may be classed as 'small', but the Cerato offers a larger back seat and boot that most rivals regardless of whether you choose the sedan or hatchback.
Should you buy the 2023 Kia Cerato
Is this the right car for you? Out experts buy or not guide.
If you want a no-nonsense compact car, the Cerato has a lot going for it. The decent spec levels and leading seven-year warranty bolster the roomy cabin and boot.
To our eyes, both the sedan and hatchback are quite attractive inside and out, and Kia's infotainment systems have proven to be better than Toyota's in terms of features and functionality.
Lower grades with the 2.0L petrol engine are lacking in performance compared to most rivals, however, and it's a shame S and Sport models require the Safety Pack option to match the safety kit offered as standard in a growing number of competitors.
Kia Cerato FAQs
The cheapest Kia Cerato is the S that starts from $25,200.
The most expensive Kia Cerato is the GT that starts from $35,400
The best towing capacity of a Kia Cerato is 1100Kg offered by the following variants
- S
- S SAFETY PACK
- SPORT
- SPORT SAFETY PACK
- SPORT+
- GT
The largest Kia Cerato is the S which measures 1800mm wide, 4640mm in length and sits 1440mm tall.
The most powerful Kia Cerato is the GT which has 150kW of power from its 1.6L Turbo Gasoline Direct Injection engine.
The Kia Cerato is built in Korea and shipped to Australia.
The heaviest Kia Cerato is the GT which weighs 0 kg (kerb weight).
The Kia Cerato uses unleaded petrol