The all new Kia Cerato – A new benchmark in the C segment

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It wasn’t too long ago that anyone suggesting to you that a Korean car can be desirable would be labeled insane. And if that someone tells you that not only is it desirable, it would outsell the Toyota Altis and dethrone the Honda Civic as the best selling non-national C segment vehicle; you’d be wondering which alternate universe this nutcase came from. High fuel consumption, expensive and rare spare parts, dodgy after sales service with the resale value of a face mask after being used a few days, Kia had to rely on only one aspect to sell its cars; affordability. One buys it either because one didn’t want to get a national car but couldn’t afford a proper Japanese vehicle or in some cases, loved the design (I know a couple of Spectra owners who absolutely adores their ride). Still, there was nothing prestigious or fanciful about their cars … to say that it could top the sales charts is as preposterous as food dye in indelible ink. But wait, the indelible ink was indeed edible and back in 2012, Kia Malaysia recorded record sales for its Forte model, overthrowing the Civic by over 300 units and the Altis by 1,682 units. The Forte was the underdog and we all love underdog winning stories.

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It’s not difficult to understand why the Forte was so successful. Excellent spec sheet at unbeatable prices. But isn’t that the same formula followed by the Koreans all this while? While we can certainly appreciate a well-designed outer shell by ex-Audi designer Peter Schreyer, Forte’s popularity could not be as great as it is just because of a pretty face. In the past few years, Kia Malaysia has done a fabulous job of increasing the number of SC, ensuring there is sufficient parts availability and most importantly, prioritizing customer care. You’d still hear complaints every once in a while but seriously, compared to what you see in some continental marques, Kia has it going pretty well.

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And now, one of the most anticipated event this year has to offer next to another new Apple product, the new Kia Cerato is now available to follow you home (for a sum, of course). Pronounced as Ser-Ra-To (and not Cher-Ra-To as most Malaysians would be using Bahasa to read it), the decision to drop Forte and go with Cerato is more in line with the global strategy of only US for Forte. It is set to wow the segment by pushing the envelop further. But is it really good enough to capture the hearts of the public as did the Forte? NazaKia Malaysia organized a media drive to Bukit Tinggi then off to Kuantan for a bunch of people who take perverse delight in exploring the full limits of a car with little regard for the sanity of their passengers; all for the sake of their readers. Yours truly is guilty of being one of such driver.

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Design

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Third generation for Kia’s C segment contender, not a single soul I know of complains about its design. True that design appeal are subjective and I’ve heard more than one fella saying that the more effort one puts in designing the car, the sooner that design will look dated. I’m not sure about you but between a Hyundai which has as much crease lines as an origami crane, my money is on Kia’s design being more time resistant.

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Subjective matter aside, you’d still find the trademark ‘Tiger Roar’ radiator grille in front but with a wider looking bumper, the front now looks a whole lot more muscular. Both front headlamps and fog lamps are angled towards the center, creating an aggressive mien. The lower integrated bumper is set horizontally across to provide a wide and stable stance. Both 1.6litre and 2.0litre variants gets projector headlamps with an eyebrow-looking LED Daytime Running Lights running the top of the headlamp housing. Once the main beam is turned on, the front resembles your wife staring at you if you happen to be home late. The 2.0litre gets HID Xenon headlamps with auto leveling device and that’s how you’d tell whether it’s the 1.6 or 2.0 that’s tailgating you at night.

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Viewed from the side, the Cerato presents a balanced front and rear and its coupe-like silhouette bears testimony of its slippery 0.27 cd value. A side crease starting from the front door downwards to the B pillar before moving upwards to the rear door commutes a strong yet agile stance. Signal lamps are integrated to the side mirrors which auto folds when the doors are locked via remote.

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One really cool thing and a class first is the Smart Welcome Lighting System which unfolds the side mirrors, switch on the puddle lights found on the side mirrors and activates the pocket lights at the door handle …. all of this the moment the car detects the presence of the Smart Key. I had a good time playing the magician each time as I walked towards the car and is bound to impress passengers as you demonstrate this. In time, someone is going to code our DNA into a similar system where the car does the same thing, only without a key, probably.

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At the back, a very distinctive rear lamp LED cluster can be seen, again carrying the motif of a low and wide design. The crease that runs from the lower part of the boot, coupled with the horizontal trunk lid helps in that illusion and if you’re looking at getting the 2.0litre, the immediate giveaway is the rear spoiler which is omitted in the 1.6litre variant.

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Aside from the spoiler, the 2.0litre has a badge denominating its identity while the 1.6litre has none

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Performance

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As mentioned earlier, we get 2 engine choices. The 1.6litre Gamma engine is carried forward from the Forte and is the same as the one in the Hyundai Elantra. It has a maximum power of 130PS at 6,000rpm and max torque of 157Nm at 4,850rpm which is somewhat different from Forte’s 124PS @ 6,300rpm and 156Nm @ 4,200rpm Gamma.

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The 2.0litre meanwhile gets the same Nu engine as the K5, boosting an output of 161PS @ 6,500rpm and 194Nm @ 4,800rpm, an increase of 5PS compared to the Theta II it replaces. Both 1.6litre and 2.0litre have dual CVVT technology which promises to be more frugal compared to the Forte which isn’t that bad to begin with.

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Those who have tested both variants of Forte before would recall that the 1.6litre felt significantly more sluggish compared to the 2.0litre at almost all speeds. It’s not to say it’s as bad as – say, a Preve CFE before turbo boost – and was more than sufficient for city commutes but personally for me, I felt it could do with more power. Those looking at getting the 1.6litre Cerato would be happy to note that Kia has made lots of improvement in this engine and is a lot better at acceleration. The only time when you truly feel the power deficit compared to the 2.0litre is when you’re trying to race with one up the hills of Genting but otherwise, it pulls a lot better compared to the Forte with the same engine cc.

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In contrast, the 2.0litre felt somewhat of a let down to me. The engine felt less free revving and relatively less refined compared to the 1.6. Probably it’s because of the high expectation we had after driving the 1.6 but its pulling power isn’t all that great which is a surprise because on paper, the 1.6litre should take around 12.6 seconds to sprint to 100kph from standstill whereas the 2.0litre would cross the finish line in 9.3 seconds. The 1.6litre felt faster whereas the 2.0litre felt slower and if you don’t hold back on the pedals, both variants can push pass the 200kph mark with the 2.0litre going a little bit more with the 6 speed gearbox inherited from the Forte.

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Ride and Handling

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What’s truly impressive about the Cerato is the NVH which is truly class leading. Even at 150kph, there is little intrusion of noise into the cabin, a testimony of its excellent aerodynamic design. This car will attract speed traps like magnets if you’re not attentive to the speedometer.

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Suspension wise, its MacPherson Strut in the front and Coupled Torsion Beam Axle at the back with the harshness tune to a somewhat soft setting. Unless you’re driving like your pants are on fire (or an automotive media writer who thinks he’s invincible), the floaty feeling won’t set in until speeds above 160kph. Even with the Cerato running on 215/45 R17 tires, it is very comfortable in the cabin and with the pliant suspension, transporting tofu across bumpy roads has never been easier.

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Body roll is controlled and the chassis is better sorted compared to the Forte with understeer setting in once you push the limits too much. Still, it takes a bit of wrist work (and more speeds) for the front wheels to lose traction and one should be more worried about the soft suspension more as the body leans a bit too much when playing Initial D on B roads.

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As for the road feedback, this is where the Cerato does its magic trick. The Motor Driven Power Steering (MDPS) which was found only in the Forte 2.0litre is now available on both variants and it has an additional feature called the Flex Steer. At the push of a button, you can change the steering weight and there are three settings to choose from. Comfort for smooth and light steering ideal for city driving, normal for regular, everyday driving and the heavy sport for highways and roads with less bends. Many reviewers have commented that artificially induced steering weight isn’t always a good thing and I find myself agree with them. In the case of the Cerato, Comfort mode is far too light. Great for the ladies perhaps but I prefer something heavier. Change it to normal and it felt better. Sport was simply change the steering resistance too much and if you’re not planning to turn the wheel often, that’s fine. All three modes share the same somewhat numb feedback so it’s just there for you to use at different driving conditions but not to improve how much communication you have with the tires.

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Cabin Convenience

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Fit and finish is above almost everyone else in the segment as you’ll find a generous application of leather padding and soft plastics. There are some carbon fibre aesthetics running to the air conditioning vents that looked a bit Ah Beng-ish initially but after a while, you get used to it and might grow to even appreciate it as color wise, it matches the dark interior while adding some pattern to the dashboard design. The entire center console is angled towards the driver for better reach and controls are intuitive.

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The leather wrapped steering wheel has a host of buttons that wouldn’t look out of place when compared to a continental. On it you’ve got audio, Bluetooth hands-free, trip computer, cruise control and the Flex Steer control.

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Paddle shifters are standard on both variants

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The 2.0litre gets a 4.2″ Full-Color TFT LCD Supervision Cluster instrument panel with the layout similar to the K5 whereas the 1.6litre has Dot Matrix LCD Cluster instrument panel.

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Both variants gets the same 4.3″ Touch Screen TFT-LCD Radio/CD/MP3/AUX/Bluetooth headunit with rear view camera. It’s strange that Kia opted to move the reverse display to the headunit instead of the rear view mirror as found in the Forte.

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Haze or not, you get clean ionized air from the air conditioning unit offered on both.

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One of the best things I love about the Koreans is that power ports are aplenty. With everyone using GPS nowadays, one port only is usually not enough to charge both the GPS and handphone. Speaking of GPS, it’s a bit of a let down that both variants does not offer it.

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It’s amazing that Kia is equipping the 1.6litre with so much kit as both variants have 10-way electric seats with 2 memory settings. Perfect for the husband and wife.

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A feature that is sought after by all Malaysians due to our hot weather: ventilated seats! With three different fan intensity, your lower back and bum will be pampered with cool air, keeping it well chilled. The sensation is akin to one wetting his/her pants and sitting on it …. nice initially, distracting a while later but it’s easy to get used to. At least no more burnt buttocks for the driver and is only available in the 2.0litre

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No naked rubber for you to step on.

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The center console compartment is deep and has another plastic container that separates shallow items such as handphones and Smart Tags from bigger ones.

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For the 2.0litre, you get leather seats all round whereas it’s fabric for the 1.6litre. I had no complaints sitting behind as the rear incline is sufficiently comfortable and check out the legroom space after adjusting the front seats to my 175cm frame:

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Knees aren’t scraping the front seats yet.

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Unfortunately, the Cerato doesn’t bend the laws of physics when it comes to rear headroom of a coupe-like design. Sitting straight, my head would touch the roof. It’s a good thing I’m such a slouch when sitting behind.

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Where the Forte didn’t have any air conditioning vents, the Cerato fulfills by offering it as standard on both variants.

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There’s generous leather padding everywhere, even at the rear door handle rest but the inner casing of the rear door near to the windows is hard plastic whereas the front is soft plastic. Both look so similar, if you don’t scratch it, you couldn’t tell. Aha! Caught you there, Kia!!

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Boot space is massive, offering 421 litres of space with more to be had once you fold the 60:40 folding rear seats.

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Underneath the boot floor is a full sized tire, always a welcoming sight if you’re a little dry from changing a new set of tires before pay day.

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Specially dedicated to reader namrod who asks how does the trunk lid feel like when closing: I have to say in this sense, it’s similar to a Vios. As you can see in the picture above, there is no spring that controls the force needed to open/close the lid. As such, the trunk slams rather lightly and does not feel as expensive as one would feel when slamming the doors.

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Safety

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Safety has always been one aspect that is never lacking in the Forte and the Cerato does not disappoint either:-

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• 6 airbags
• ISOFIX
• Parking Assist Sensor (Front and Rear)
• Speed sensing auto door lock
• Impact sensing auto door unlock
• Active head restraint
• 3-point ELR front seat belt with height adjuster
• 3-point ELR rear seat belt (sides) and 3-point static seat belt (center)
• ABS
• ESC
• BAS
• TCS
• Hill-start Assist Control (HAC)
• VSC
• 5-star NHTSA and Australia NCAP rating

 

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Specifications

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1.6litre Gamma variant

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Exterior

• Halogen projector headlamps
• Welcome light
• Escort light
• LED High Mounted Stop Lamp
• LED Rear Combination Lamp
• Chrome Coated outer door handles with pocket lights
• Electric adjustable, electric folding side door mirrors with intergrated LED side turn signal and puddle lamps
• Front Fog Lamps

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Interior

• Dot Matrix LCD Cluster instrument panel with trip computer
• Illuminated sunvisor
• 4.3″ Touch Screen TFT-LCD Radio/CD/MP3/AUX/Bluetooth headunit with rear view camera
• 6 speaker system
• Dual zone automatic air conditioner with cluster ioniser
• Rear air conditioning vents
• Auto defogger
• Aluminum driving pedals
• Fabric seats
• 10-way power driver seat with 2 memory
• Center arm rest
• Headrest adjuster
• 60:40 split folding rear seat
• Leather wrap steering wheel
• Motor Driven Steering wheel, tilt and telescopic, Flex Steer system
• Auto cruise
• Keyless entry, push start system
• Front and rear powered windows with driver and front passenger auto up & down
• Glove box cooler with illumination
• Luggage with covering shelf cover
• Auto dimming rear view mirror

 

2.0litre Nu engine

same as 1.6litre unless stated otherwise

• HID projector headlamps with auto leveling device instead of halogen
• Rear spoiler
• Sunroof
• Supervision cluster instrument panel with 4.2″ Full-Color TFT LCD
• Leather seat
• Air ventilated driver seat

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Ownership and Maintenance

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The Cerato has been launched for the price of RM99,888 for the 1.6litre and RM118,888 for the 2.0litre model. It has 5 years unlimited mileage warranty and servicing should be similar to the Forte which is every 10,000km. I would expect the servicing cost to be quite the same as well, with minimal variation (article on the Forte 2.0 found HERE)

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So is it a good buy? There is no mistaking the significant increase in price of both 1.6litre and 2.0litre from Forte to Cerato. Specifically, it costs 15% and 21% more respectively. Where previously everyone could argue that the success of the Forte is largely due to its excellent pricing, the pricing of the new Cerato shows how much confidence Kia is at presenting the Cerato as a high value vehicle worthy of comparing against the Japs. And compared to other players in the segment, here’s how the Cerato stands:

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And quite naturally, after announcing the price, the sea of Korean haters and bashers started commenting how ridiculous the price is. It’s funny because if you check back on the Hyundai Elantra launch (and subsequent price increase), it’s the same comments being echoed again. No point la! Almost RM100k for a Korean car? No resale value la! It goes on and on.

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In truth, the build quality of the Cerato far exceeds that of the Elantra so if the market can accept the Elantra, why not the Cerato? Both Elantra and Cerato are CKD so for them to share similar pricing is not entirely unpredictable. Just ot nitpick, at least the Cerato comes with a proper Kia badge instead of a rebrand on the Hyundai. The question is, will the Cerato enjoy the same level of sales as it did with the Forte?

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I would say yes, it could with the specifications, design and features of the car. In our country where affordability is a very important issue to tackle with, the Forte presented itself as a viable alternative for the price-for-spec buyer. Now that the price of the Cerato is drawing closer to the Japanese, it may swing some of these types of buyer elsewhere. Which is a real shame because if you look at the car for what is is instead of its badge, it is certainly value for money, especially the safety aspect. By all means, go with the Japanese makes with excellent resale value. Hope that 2 airbags counts for you and your family in a side collision.

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With the 1.6litre accounting for more than 75% of total Forte sales in 2012, I suspect Kia is hedging its chips on the 1.6litre sales being the main seller. Personally for me, I certainly feel that between the 2 variants, that is the better buy. But then who am I kidding … I’ve always been the one that prefers that variant with all options ticked!

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