Kia Cerato Hatchback

The five-seat configuration is built on a 2,700 mm long wheelbase, featuring cloth trim seats with basic pattern in entry-level and sport pattern in Sport and above variants. Interior features such as six-way driver’s seat with height adjuster, front center console armrest, split-fold rear seats with 60:40 function, rear center armrest, height adjustable headrests in front and rear seats and height-adjustable front seatbelts are part of the standard kit. Sports leather seat covers, 8-way power-adjustable driver’s seats with 2-way lumbar support and IMS driver’s seat with 2 seating position memory & easy access function can be had with the GT trim. Also layered inside is an eight-speaker JBL premium sound system with satellite navigation multimedia system with traffic information, Bluetooth connectivity, steering mounted controls, Android Auto and Apple CarPlay among others. Talking of storage space, it has a cargo volume of 428-litre, while other in-cabin storage points include 4 cup-holders, 4 bottle-holders, glovebox with illumination, centre console storage, under-floor storage box, parcel shelf, etc. 

The Kia Cerato hatchback measures 4,510 mm in length, 1,800 mm in width, 1,445 mm in height and has a 140 mm of ground clearance (minimum ground clearance). As for styling, the lower grades sport halogen daytime running lamps, while the LED-equipped units are reserved for the higher variants. The LED headlamps and LED rear combination lamps come only with the top-spec GT trim. It additionally sports high gloss outside door mirrors and an exclusive GT body kit. Moving to the sides, there are body painted wing mirrors with integrated turn signals and power-folding function. Smart boot with the auto release is missing in the hatchback, though it comes in higher variants of the sedan version. At the back, it sports chrome-tipped exhaust as standard save for the top-spec GT grade which comes with dual exhaust units. Front and rear both get wiper along with washer as standard. 

The S, Sport, and Sport Plus variants provide a comfortable ride, whereas the GT trim features a firm suspension set-up and a more powerful engine. Handling is more refined in GT, while the Sport trim seems more controlled. 

The Kia Cerato hatchback is available with a 2.0-litre MPI petrol engine tuned to make 112kW at 6,200 rpm against 192 Nm torque at 4,000 rpm. This unit is standard save for the GT grade and can be had either with a six-speed manual or a six-speed automatic gearbox. The range-topping GT variant is powered by the 1.6T-GDI petrol engine with 150kW of top power at 6,000 rpm against 265 Nm torque between 1,500 to 4,500 rpm. This engine is available only with a seven-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission. 

Braking set-up comprises ventilated disc units at the front and solid discs at the rear. The list of active features include ABS with EBD and BA, vehicle stability management, hill start assist control, emergency stop signal, reverse parking sensors, a rearview camera with in-audio display & dynamic parking guidelines, electrochromic rearview mirror, etc. In addition to the above tech, it packs lane-keeping assist, driver attention alert, autonomous emergency braking (AEB) with forward collision waning system and car avoidance. While blind-spot detection, rear cross-traffic alert, pedestrian & cyclist avoidance are optional in base trim. Passive tech like airbags, side door impact beams, front seatbelt pre-tensioners with load limiters, childproof rear door locks and impact sensing auto door unlocking are part of the standard kit. 

The standard kit on Cerato makes it a great value for money vehicle at an affordable price-point. It is a highly practical hatchback which comes with a long warranty.