Kia Cerato Sport+ Sedan 2022 Review

By carsales.com.au

The rising tide of small SUVs has eroded the popularity of small hatchbacks and sedans in Australia. But there are still plenty of traditionalists that prefer a conventional passenger vehicle over a high-riding soft roader. And the Kia Cerato remains one of the top-selling vehicles in its class. Available as either a five-door hatchback or a four-door sedan, the Cerato range stretches from a cut-price first car right through to a genuine little pocket rocket. We’re testing the high-spec Sport+ model, which is the most expensive non-turbo charged variant. Costing just a tick over $30k it is perhaps the best representation of the value-for-money ethos that has underpinned the South Korean brand for almost 20 years. Let us explain why.

Where it fits

The 2022 Kia Cerato range consists of four model variants that are available as a five-door hatchback or four-door sedan, with no price premiums for either body style and starting at $25,990 (plus on-road costs) for the entry-level S.

For an extra $2100, buyers can step-up to the Sport, which adds sport-trimmed seats, a leather wrapped steering wheel and gear shifter and a larger 10.25-inch colour infotainment display with sat nav.

Both S and Sport variants have an optional $1000 safety pack (more on that later).

The Sport+ model we’re testing here costs $31,140 (plus ORCs) and sits underneath the range-topping GT model ($35,790 plus ORCs).

The Sport+ sedan is positioned close to four-door rivals such as the Hyundai i30 Sedan Elite (from $31,690), Toyota Corolla SX Hybrid (from $30,795) and Mazda3 G20 Touring auto (from $30,590).

Apart from Corolla’s unique petrol-electric powertrain, there’s very little separating this group in terms of size, pricing, equipment and capabilities. But as this isn’t a comparison, let’s look specifically at the recently-updated Kia Cerato Sport+ to see what it has to offer.

Although the Cerato’s cabin is nowhere near the benchmark Mazda3 for presentation and elegance, it is cloaked in enough soft-touch materials, shiny burled alloy-look trim and genuine leather trim to provide occupants with a sense of quality.

Adding to that is a generous list of standard equipment, including the tablet-style 10.25-inch screen in the centre of the dash that houses standard sat nav, DAB+ digital radio, Bluetooth connectivity and smartphone mirroring for Apple and Android devices, along with dual-zone climate control, an electronic park brake and push-button engine start.

Other nice touches in the Cerato Sport+ include the rear air vents (now common across all Cerato models), an auto-dipping rear-view mirror, auto-folding external mirrors and heated, manually adjustable front seats.

Solid ground

Safety is a big deal in small cars, especially considering most are bought by – or for – young drivers and growing families.

And Kia covers a lot of ground with the 2022 Kia Cerato range.

In Sport+ (and GT) specification, it comes standard with a comprehensive suite of electronic driver aids, including high- and low-speed forward autonomous emergency braking (AEB), low-speed AEB in reverse, blind spot monitoring and rear cross traffic alert with collision assistance, adaptive cruise control, tyre pressure monitors and front and rear parking sensors. On top of that, it has a handy safe exit warning that alerts passengers of traffic when alighting from the car.

At this level, the Kia Cerato carries a maximum five-star ANCAP crash protection rating.

However, the lower-spec S and Sport models only achieve a four-star score owing to the fact that key systems are not offered as standard equipment. Buyers can choose the optional $1000 safety pack across both model grades that adds blind spot monitoring, rear cross traffic alert and a more advanced AEB system with cyclist detection.

In terms of passive safety features, all Kia Cerato models are fitted with dual front airbags, front occupant side airbags and side curtain airbags that cover both front and rear occupants.

On the plus side

Those looking for a pocket rocket sedan (or hatch) might think the Sport+ moniker is a little misleading, as it’s the range-topping GT that offers genuine performance thanks to its 1.6-litre turbo charged engine.

All other variants, including the Sport+, are powered by a 2.0-litre naturally aspirated four cylinder that produces 112kW of power and 192Nm of torque.

And where the GT drives through a seven-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission, the non-turbo models use the long-familiar conventional six-speed auto (a manual transmission is no longer available).

On paper, there’s nothing outstanding about the Kia’s engine. But in reality, the Kia Cerato Sport+ feels surprisingly willing.

It has a tendency to be quite rowdy and unsophisticated at the top of its rev range, but leave the sweet-shifting six-speed auto alone and it will simply use the healthy serve of mid-range torque to make it feel swift and responsive.

There is a consequence for that spritely urge though, as the Cerato isn’t the most efficient small car in its class.

Compared to leaner rivals with a similar-sized engine, such as the Mazda3, the Kia Cerato drinks more fuel and emits more CO2. The official consumption claim, on 91 RON unleaded, is 7.4L/100km.

To the Cerato’s credit though, our real-world fuel consumption experience wasn’t that far off the claimed figures. The recorded average was 8.0L/100km over a week’s driving in mixed conditions.

Local knowledge

The South Korean siblings, Kia and Hyundai, have worked hard to tune their vehicles specifically to suit Australian conditions and consumer tastes.

And the Cerato is another vehicle that showcases that effort, delivering a fine balance between comfort and handling.

The steering is well-weighted despite its quite quick gearing (at 2.4 turns lock-to-lock for a tight 10.6m turning circle) and, with decent grip provided by the 17-inch wheels wrapped in 225/45 R17 rubber, the Cerato is lively and grippy enough on the road to justify its Sport+ title.

It’s not as quick as the GT, but the fundamental chassis set-up makes it a fun car to punt along a twisty road and yet comfortable in everyday scenarios.

The adoption of larger 284mm rear disc brakes (rather than 262mm on lesser models) on the Sport+ helps provide an added degree of surety as well.

The Cerato’s cabin is spacious with decent leg room, head room and shoulder space for four adult occupants, or room for five with small children. It is also a nice place to be with leather-trimmed seats and interior highlights that feature contrasting stitching as well as conveniences like heating for the front seats and rear air vents (which is rare at this price point).

The muted all-grey palette still looks a little monotone though. And the six-speaker sound system is pretty basic and somewhat lacking in depth and clarity.

Aided by the upsized centre screen, learning to operate the infotainment control systems is not too complex.

Controls for the adaptive cruise and audio system are accessed by easy-to-find steering wheel rocker-style switches and, while Apple CarPlay/Android Auto is not wireless, connecting a mobile phone to Bluetooth is simple and quick.

With 502 litres of cargo carrying capacity, the Cerato sedan’s boot is among the largest in class and (assisted by a space-saver spare under the floor) it’s deep, cleanly-shaped and can be accessed from inside by 60/40-split folding rear backrests with boot-mounted releases.

Something of a surprise is that, despite its elevated status, the Cerato Sport+ sedan makes do with regular halogen headlights (rather than LEDs) – although they are at least self-dipping.

The Cerato verdict

There is a lot to like about the 2022 Kia Cerato Sport+, which is why it was awarded carsales’ Best Small Car for 2022.

Although it can’t offer the efficiency of the Corolla Hybrid or the elegance of the Mazda3, the Kia Cerato Sport+ performs well across the board. It is stylish, spacious, comfortable, fun and flexible to drive and equipped with the latest safety technologies.

Equally priced as a sedan or hatchback, the Kia Cerato Sport+ upholds the company’s traditional value-for-money ethos and its seven-year warranty is among the best in the business.

Yep, there are reasons for the Kia Cerato being one of the most popular choices in this category, and it doesn’t involve rocket science to figure out what they are.

How much does the 2022 Kia Cerato Sport+ sedan cost?

Disclaimer: Images supplied by Carsales.

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