WITH styling cues inspired by its fastback sports sedan, the Stinger, Kia has launched its new look 2018/19 Cerato sedan, harnessing the Aussie slogan “when you’re on a good thing, stick to it”; creating a new look third generation model along the way.
The Cerato small car has been a foundation plank of the brand’s impressive growth in Australia over the past few years, consistently wearing the crown as Kia’s top-selling model, and the latest edition looks set to continue that trend.
It’s loaded up with a new sophisticated design, high standards of comfort and interior quality, proven power trains, and advanced driver assistance technologies.
“It is never easy to progress from a model which has enjoyed the popularity and success that the Cerato has, but it is a fact of life and business that if you don’t move forward then you are going backwards,” Kia Motors Australia Chief Operating Officer Damien Meredith said.
With the arrival of the all-new third generation, Kia has taken the opportunity to refine the model line-up, deleting the Si and SLi models and replacing them with value-packed Sport and Sport+ grades.
The entry level will remain the S model, available with either a 6-speed manual ($19,990 drive away) or 6-speed automatic ($21,490 drive away), and all models will retain the proven 4-cylinder 2.0-litre MPI engine with 112kW of power and 192Nm of torque.
As with all Kia models, the Cerato S will enter the market at an unbeatable specification level with standard Autonomous Emergency Braking, Forward Collision Warning, Lane Keep Assist, and Rear View Camera with dynamic guidelines.
It also gets Driver Attention Alert Warning, front and rear parking sensors, 16-inch steel wheels, Drive Mode Select, six airbags, tyre pressure monitor, speed limiter, 6-way driver seat adjustment and cruise control.
Inside, there’s an 8-inch touchscreen infotainment display, Apple CarPlay and Android Auto with voice recognition, 6-speaker DAB digital radio with Bluetooth connectivity, manual air-conditioning and power windows with driver auto-down.
Stepping up to the Sport at $23,690 drive away adds 17-inch alloys, satellite navigation with SUNA live traffic and 10 years Mapcare, premium steering wheel and shift knob, aero blade wipers and sport-patterned cloth-trim seats.
At the top of the model tree, the Sport+ ($26,190 drive away) brings AEB Fusion II (pedestrian and cyclist recognition), advanced smart cruise control, LED daytime running lights, and smart key and push button start.
The top-of-the-line model also gets leather trim seats, electric folding door mirrors with automatic folding function, dual-zone climate control air-conditioning and rear air vents.
Kia has sold more than two million Cerato models globally. The new Cerato sedan is available now.
