Kia Cerato S Premium

KOREA CHANGE BACK TO THE OLD DAYS

IT’S BEEN many years since we stopped advising against South Korean cars on principle. These days, the likes of Hyundai and Kia have their acts well and truly together, and the seven-year/unlimited-kilometre warranty on the latter helps make that point. That said, there’s no denying the frantic pace being set in the global small hatchback/sedan segment and, well, the four-year-old Cerato is looking and feeling a bit left behind by some newer designs in this cut-throat segment.

It starts from the moment you step into the cabin and discover mis-matching textures, plasti-chrome chintz and a slippery-rimmed steering wheel that looks like a crying emoji. The radio’s graphics are equally cheap, though nice touches such as a digital speedo and decent front seats help balance the ledger. But we still can’t figure out why taller drivers can’t seem to get far enough away from the Cerato’s pedals, even with the adjustable steering column fully extended.

In the back, the space is about par for the course (if a tad tighter on headroom than some) and, while there are no seat pockets (just the same plastic seat-back shells as the Elantra), the S Premium’s centre-rear armrest is the most comfortable of the lot. The rear cushion also scores well, but toe room isn’t generous and the Cerato’s rising waistline could make vision difficult for kids just out of child restraints.

Power comes from a 2.0-litre port-injected atmo four (shared with Elantra) that offers precisely nil in the way of surprises. Or delights, for that matter. It does the job, but that’s about it, and even then you need to keep the tacho needle below 5000rpm to avoid the unit becoming shrill. There isn’t an abundance of acceleration, either, and Cerato’s 80-120km/h rollingstart figure is distinctly underwhelming. Furthermore, producing those numbers means revving it up and that equals instant decibels inside the cabin, and vibes up through its controls. Like the urge, fuel economy is also mid-pack with an on-test figure of 9.1L/100km.

Up to this point, though, the ageing Kia is holding its own, even if it’s not wowing anybody, but the plot starts to unravel when you point it at a corner.

Even at conservative urban speeds, the Cerato doesn’t feel keen to change direction. It feels reluctant to turn in, and its steering has a particularly artificial feel to the way it wants to self-centre. It’s also inert and lifeless, and that doesn’t change even once you’ve wound an armful of lock on. And steering response isn’t linear, making it difficult to judge what effect a certain amount of wheel input is likely to yield.

Cerato’s suspension tune feels similarly unsophisticated. Despite local input into spring and damper tuning, it feels pattery over small-amplitude bumps, and that’s despite the 55-series tyres on our test car. As well as tending to skip about a little, the Kia also feels as though it lacks a little rebound damping, judging by the way the front wheels slam into potholes and snag on broken edges.

If you push deep into the Cerato’s dynamic reserves it’ll eventually involve its rear-end in the action, but it never feels encouraging like its Elantra cousin does.

Again, we’re long past advising against a Korean car on the basis of its country of origin, but the real movers and shakers in this segment have had a growth spurt. And that leaves the dated Cerato resting on the laurels of its market-leading warranty. SW