2013 Kia Cerato Review and First Impressions

Overview

Dubai, UAE - Kia launched its revamped C-Segment offering, the 2013 Kia Cerato, yesterday for the GCC and Middle East markets, amidst competition from over 20 compact sedan models in the region. The Cerato is available in two versions, 1.6L and 2.0L, with both manual and automatic options, as well as multiple option versions. The tentative price range is between 55,000 - 69,000 AED.

First Drive Experience

The first drive commenced at Intercontinental Hotel, Dubai Festival City, where senior management from Kia Motors Worldwide and Al Majid Motors presented information about the Cerato. This was followed by a convoy drive to Bab al Shams, culminating in a scenic route back to the Intercontinental after lunch.

First Impressions

The Kia Cerato stands out with more interior features than a typical compact sedan. Key features include:

• Rear AC vents
• Touchscreen with navigation
• Sunroof

These features are typically found in larger sedans, marking them as a strong selling point for the Cerato.

Driving Experience

In terms of handling, the Cerato performs reasonably well. However, some acceleration lag is noticeable on highways, which is common in compact sedans with smaller engines. It’s worth noting that the Audi A4 is not a direct competitor of the Kia Cerato.

Fuel Economy

The official combined fuel economy is rated between 6.5 - 7.2 L/100 km depending on the engine type. During our long drive, we recorded fuel consumption between 7.5 - 8.0 L/100 km.

Competitors

During the Q&A session with Kia officials, the main competitors identified were:

• Toyota Corolla
• Honda Civic
• Chevrolet Cruze

We also consider the Ford Focus and the newly launched Nissan Sentra as part of this competitive landscape.

Initial Verdict

While we have yet to conduct a detailed test drive, the interior updates and competitive price points make the Kia Cerato worthy of consideration.

One significant concern for Kia is its reputation for reliability. While the Toyota Corolla and Honda Civic may lack the variety of options offered by the Kia Cerato, they are known for their reliability and high resale value. This presents a challenge for Kia, as questions about reliability have arisen in the past, and Kia tends to update or change models more frequently than other brands.

Conclusion

In summary, the Kia Cerato boasts impressive features and offers a decent driving experience. However, it still needs to establish itself in terms of reliability and resale value.

Check Out:

• - 2013-2014 Kia Cerato prices and specifications
• - Kia Cerato vs Nissan Sunny vs Peugeot 301
• - Launch Report: 2013-2014 Kia Cerato