Kia Cerato
Cover up the badges and what does this four-door saloon look like to you? We think there's more than a hint of executive car about the styling, yet this Kia will cost less than £10,000 when it goes on sale in the UK next summer.
With smart styling, a well designed interior and a choice of two petrol and diesel powerplants, the Cerato will be light years ahead of its predecessor, the Mentor. Ride quality will need to be improved to satisfy UK buyers, but nimble handling should help the Kia to get ahead of low-cost rivals.
Cover up the badges and what does this four-door saloon look like to you? We think there's more than a hint of executive car about the styling, yet this Kia will cost less than £10,000 when it goes on sale in the UK next summer.
Following the successful introduction of its well built and attractive Sorento off-roader, this is the latest car in Kia's plan to upgrade its range, and will also form the basis for the next version of the Shuma hatch. Badged Cerato in its native Korea, the saloon will go on sale in the UK next summer as the replacement for the Mentor, axed from the range last year.
It's not known whether the Shuma and Mentor names will remain, as the UK could use the new Cerato tag for both variants. Auto Express was the first UK magazine behind the wheel to see how the newcomer shaped up.
The most striking feature of the Cerato is in profile, where a Jaguar S-Type-style sweeping curve down the side adds character to the attractive shape. The front is reminiscent of Hyundai's Accent, while the rear is finished with a small lip spoiler on the bootlid. Inside, the cabin is similar to the Sorento's, which means it's well laid out and built from better quality materials than on previous Kias, and there is plenty of hi-tech kit. Both front and rear passengers have enough space to stretch out, and there's no shortage of cubby holes for stowage.
On the road, the first thing we no-ticed is how firm the suspension is. In a bid to provide a sporty driving experience, engineers have sacrificed some low-speed ride quality, but the result is a reasonable resistance to body roll and surprisingly agile handling.
Our test car was fitted with a 1.5-litre petrol engine, but a 2.0-litre unit will also be available alongside 1.5 and 2.0 diesel units. Coupled with a ponderous three-speed automatic gearbox, the 106bhp isn't the quickest, but go for the 141bhp 2.0 and you'll have the option of an auto with sequential manual over-ride, as well as a five-speed manual.
Prices are yet to be confirmed, but expect the Cerato to be priced at around £9,500 in base 1.5-litre guise, rising to approximately £12,000 for the flagship diesel. With vast improvements over the Mentor in every area, rival budget manufactures should be worried.
