2018 Kia Cerato on sale in Australia

Kia Australia has released local pricing and specification for the 2018 Kia Cerato sedan, with pricing starting from $19,990 drive away for the S manual. Now in its fourth generation, the 2018 Kia Cerato has grown in all dimensions, whilst also showing off a new corporate style from the brand.

So far, only the sedan variant has been revealed though the hatchback is due to be revealed soon. At launch, the same 2.0-litre petrol engine as the previous model is the only engine available, though the 1.6-litre turbo petrol from the Hyundai i30 SR and Pro_cee’d GT hot hatch will be available in a GT model within the next year.

“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.

“There is no denying that Cerato has been a cornerstone car for us in the Australian market, and with the new generation car all the things that made Cerato great are still there, just that little bit better.”

Initially revealed at the 2018 North American International Autoshow in January, the fourth-generation Cerato is 80mm longer than the previous model at 4,640mm long. The 2,700mm wheelbase is unchanged, though it is 20mm wider at 1,800mm wide, and 5mm taller at 1,440mm tall. Thanks to the extended length, the 2018 Kia Cerato offers a larger boot at 502-litres – almost 100-litres more than a Mazda 3 sedan – and 60:40-split folding rear seats.

The engine and transmission options for the 2018 Kia Cerato remain unchanged, with a 2.0-litre four-cylinder petrol engine on all variants with a six-speed automatic, though a six-speed manual is available on the entry level S model. The engine produces 112kW of power and 192Nm of torque – 8kW and 11Nm less than in the Hyundai i30 – and Kia claims that the automatic uses 7.4L/100km on a combined cycle, whilst the manual uses 7.6L/100km.

The 2018 Kia Cerato is available in three main grade levels for the time being, with S, Sport and Sport+ forming the range. Continuing Kia’s value charge, all pricing for the 2018 Cerato range is drive away, and all models earn Kia’s seven-year warranty with seven years of roadside assistance as standard.

The Cerato S is the entry point of the range ($19,990 manual, $21,490 automatic) and is equipped with 16-inch steel wheels, six airbags, an 8.0-inch touchscreen with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, a six-speaker sound system, DAB+ digital radio, a reversing camera with dynamic guidelines, front and rear parking sensors, cruise control with a speed limiter, tyre pressure monitoring, manual air-conditioning and drive mode selection. Crucially, autonomous emergency braking with forward collision warning as well as lane keep assist and driver attention alert are standard equipment on all 2018 Kia Cerato variants.

Step up to the Sport ($23,690) and 17-inch alloy wheels, inbuilt satellite navigation with live traffic and 10-years of map updates, a ‘premium’ steering wheel and gearknob, aero blade wipers and a sportier cloth seat trim are standard.

Top of the 2018 Kia Cerato range for now is the $26,190 Sport+, which adds a more sophisticated AEB system that detects pedestrians and cyclists, radar cruise control, LED daytime running lights, keyless entry and start, leather upholstery, auto-folding mirrors, dual-zone climate control and rear air-vents.

Two option packages are available for the 2018 Kia Cerato range. Safety Pack 1 ($1,000) adds the more sophisticated AEB system, as well as radar cruise control (for automatic variants), blind-spot monitoring with rear traffic alert, electric-folding mirrors and premium trim to the steering wheel and gearknob for S and Sport models. Safety Pack 2 ($500) adds blind-spot monitoring and rear traffic alert to the Sport+ (the other features of Sport Pack 1 are already standard on the Sport+). Premium paint is $520.

2018 Kia Cerato pricing (drive away):
– S 6-speed manual: $19,990
– S 6-speed automatic: $21,490
– Sport 6-speed automatic: $23,690
– Sport+ 6-speed automatic: $26,190

Options:
– Safety Pack 1 (S and Sport): $1,000
– Safety Pack 2 (Sport+): $500
– Premium paint: $520

The 2018 Kia Cerato is on sale in Kia dealerships now. 2018 is shaping up to be a big year for Kia in Australia. In May, the brand outsold Holden, and continues to improve its sales numbers. The brand has just launched a new GT-Line variant of its Picanto light car range, a facelifted Carnival MPV and there will also be a facelifted Sportage medium SUV on sale next month.