Kia Cerato Si Sedan review: Good thing made better

Kia’s midlife upgrade adds value and safety gear to its handy small sedan.

2017 Kia Cerato Si sedan.

KIA’S refreshed Cerato may have missed out on a new generation chassis that underpins big brother Hyundai’s Elantraequivalent but it takes a value path to gain traction with buyers.

Hi-tech driver assist technology now runs further down the Cerato food chain into the one-above-base Si model. In the past, Kia has restricted advanced driver assist gear to top of the range models.

This latest development adds a tremendous safety boost at a more affordable price.

Kia dropped the 1.8-litre engine from the line-up, opting for a 2.0-litre for all Cerato variants. The Si sedan driven might not be the No. 1 seller in the Cerato range but it stacks up strongly in the small sedan category.

DESIGN

Small sedans have a certain “grown up’’ appeal over hatches with a clearly defined boot (plus lid for security) and passenger compartment.

Such is the case with Cerato Si, which would rate as one of the better looking choices in the category.

The midlife cycle upgrade to Cerato brings a refined exterior appearance with new lights and bumpers front and rear, new grille and more chrome bling.

Yet for some reason Kia went for 16-inch alloys instead of 17s … that’s old school.

2017 Kia Cerato S Premium interior.

The Cerato looks and feels bigger than it is. In the revised interior there is ample seating space for four (five at a pinch), with good headroom and adequate rear legroomThe boot’s large too.

Kia adds rear airconditioning vents, which occupants will appreciate, and folding rear seats accommodate long or odd loads.

Revised controls on the dash are stylish and easy to use. The same goes for the touchscreen and fast hook-up Bluetooth.

Adding more of premium feel to the cabin are plenty of soft feel surfaces and a modern and attractive dash design. But overall, the style leans to the conservative.

ABOUT TOWN

2017 Kia Cerato Si sedan.

Several features make it a handy tool around town. The boot opens by remote for starters, the turning circle is handy and the reverse camera and rear cross traffic alert come into their own in terms of safety and parking.

Access to all seats is easy as is operating the dash controls and there is ample storage.

On cold mornings heated seats are great and push-button start is also handy, even if not entirely necessary. The satnav is quick and seems up to date while the audio delivers pleasing tones — the infotainment package is right up to the mark.

In Eco mode, Cerato sedan feels a little bit strangled so we drove chiefly in Normal or Sport. It didn’t seem to make that much difference to fuel consumption, which can be a tad heavy around town for a car this size.

Ride is comfortable and minimal jiggling or bump thump intrudes into the cabin on rough roads.

ON THE ROAD

On a good long journey, the Si can be driven with a bit of passion and will deliver more engagement than most of the (bland) competition.

It has tidy handling and goes OK but you’ll need to work the engine to get it going quickly. That’s perhaps not what a car like the Cerato sedan is all about but Kia emphasises its localised (euro feel) handling.

All dynamics are certainly up towards the best of the rivals. Good brakes, well weighted steering, supple ride control, strong chassis — all the elements are there, but for sporty feel.

Kia’s excellent six speed auto that makes smooth and accurate shifts up and down.

VERDICT ★★★

A good thing made better with the inclusion of more driver assist features and sharpened looks. The engine could do with a bit more zip and a tad less sip. It has an unbeatable warranty, cheap running costs and sharp drive away pricing. Meet the new affordable family sedan.

VITALS 

KIA CERATO SI SEDAN

PRICE $28,990 drive away

WARRANTY 7 years/unlimited km

CAPPED SERVICING $2579 over 7 years/ 105,000km

SERVICE INTERVAL 12 months/15,000km

SAFETY â˜…★★★★

ENGINE

2.0-litre 4-cyl, 112kW/192Nm

TRANSMISSION 6-speed auto; FWD

THIRST 7.1L/100km

DIMENSIONS

4560mm (L), 1780mm (W), 1435mm (H), 2700mm (WB)

WEIGHT 1300kg

SPARE Full-size alloy

0-100KM/H7.5 secs (est)

AT A GLANCE 

WHAT IT’S GOT

Plenty. Drive mode select, blind spot detection, lane change assist, rear cross traffic alert, reverse camera, leather, auto headlights, Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, seven-inch touchscreen, rear aircon vents, push-button start, satnav ...

WHAT IT HASN’T

Paddle-shifters and high-end driver assistance such as autonomous emergency braking and lane change assist are only on the higher grade Cerato SLi.

OWNERSHIP

Australia’s best warranty at seven years/unlimited km, seven years’ roadside assist, seven years’ capped price servicing.

WHAT WE LIKE

Edgier styling with a coupe-like roofline, new bumpers, head and tail-lights, grille and bonnet, plus the “democratisation” of driver assist technology to this second-tier Cerato. Full- size alloy spare and localised suspension tune.

WHAT WE DON’T

It’s not such a sporty drive. Old tech engine lacks direct fuel injection and other efficiency boosting technology.

ALSO CONSIDER

Almost too many choices here: Toyota Corolla of course, Mazda 3, VW Golf, Subaru Impreza, new generation Hyundai Elantra, Nissan Pulsar, Ford Focus, Holden Cruze, Honda Civic, Mitsubishi Lancer etc.