Another day, another updated Kia product. Not long after being revealed, the 2021 Kia Cerato has gone on sale in Australia armed with styling and tech updates that make it better than ever before, according to Kia. Recently selling past 150,000 units in Australia alone, the Cerato is now Kia Australia’s most successful product having overtaken the Rio in sales. Because of that, the new Cerato is the first Kia product to receive the brand’s new logo in Australia with others to follow soon.
“Since it was launched almost 10 years ago, Cerato has increasingly been recognised by Australian car buyers as having all the touchstones of a stylish, safe, functional and high-value vehicle,” said Kia Australia Chief Operating Officer Damien Meredith.
“With its new logo, fresh styling cues and additional equipment, the new Cerato provides a compelling argument for consideration which is further enhanced by Kia’s 7-Year Warranty, 7-Year Fixed Price Service and 7-Year Roadside Assist.”
A mid-life update rather than an all-new car, the 2021 Kia Cerato has received a light exterior refresh with new lighting, more angular bumpers for a sharper look, new wheel designs and updates to the cabin including wireless smartphone mirroring, a new 10.25-inch touchscreen on the Sport and above, and rear air vents across the Cerato range. As before, the Cerato is available in either a sedan or a hatchback and they cost the same.
Available drivetrains for the 2021 Kia Cerato lineup remain the same as before. All models bar the GT use a 112kW/192Nm 2.0-litre ‘MPI’ four-cylinder petrol engine that’s now mated to a six-speed automatic transmission as standard. The GT switches to a more powerful 150kW/265Nm 1.6-litre turbocharged unit with a seven-speed dual-clutch auto as standard.
In terms of fuel consumption, the 2.0-litre engine is rated at 7.4L/100km on a combined cycle and the GT improves that to 6.9L/100km. Co2 emissions are rated at 173g/km for the 2.0L and 157g/km for the 1.6-litre turbo. Both engines run on 91RON regular unleaded fuel.
As before, there is a four-tier model lineup: the base S, mid-spec Sport, top-spec Sport+ and sporty GT, which comes with larger wheels, independent rear suspension and the turbocharged engine. Because of the updates – and that manual models are now unavailable – pricing has crept up to $25,990 drive away for the base S, which is a rise of $3,500 in base price, though a lesser $1,500 rise like-for-like.
The entry level Cerato S now includes LED daytime running lights and front fog lights, rear air vents, an 8.0-inch touchscreen with wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, leading vehicle departure alert, lane follow assist, driver attention alert, rear occupant alert and auto high beam.
That’s on top of the S’ other standard equipment, including 16-inch steel wheels, automatic headlights, air-conditioning, rear fog lights, an 8.0-inch touchscreen, selectable driving modes, a security alarm, a rear centre arm rest, heated mirrors, cruise control with a manual speed limiter and a height-adjustable driver’s seat.
Other safety kit includes six airbags, auto emergency braking (AEB) with pedestrian detection, lane departure warning, front and rear parking sensors and a reversing camera.
The Cerato Sport ($27,990 drive away) adds 17-inch alloy wheels, a leather-wrapped steering wheel, a larger 10.25-inch touchscreen with wired smartphone mirroring and inbuilt satellite navigation, digital radio and illuminated vanity mirrors.
The $1,500 Safety Pack (for S and Sport models) adds cyclist detection for the auto braking system, adaptive cruise control, blind-spot monitoring with rear cross-traffic alert, 15-inch rear disc brakes, an electric handbrake, auto-folding mirrors and for the S, a leather-wrapped steering wheel (which is already standard on the Sport).
The Cerato Sport+ ($31,690 drive away) then adds all the content of the Safety Pack, as well as keyless entry and start, dual-zone climate control, leather upholstery, a sliding arm rest cover and heated front seats.
The top-of-the-tree Cerato GT ($36,990 drive away) then adds the aforementioned turbocharged engine and seven-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission, larger 18-inch alloy wheels, a sunroof, LED headlights and tailights, a wireless phone charger, an eight-speaker JBL sound system, paddle shifters and ventilated front seats with driver’s electric adjustment with memory.
The sole no-cost colour option for the 2021 Kia Cerato is ‘Clear White’ – premium options ($520) include ‘Aurora Black’, ‘Horizon Blue’, ‘Mineral Blue’, ‘Platinum Graphite’, ‘Steel Grey’, ‘Runway Red’, ‘Silky Silver’ and ‘Snow White Pearl’.
2021 Kia Cerato pricing (drive away):
S 2.0L 6A: $25,990
S safety pack 2.0L 6A: $27,490
Sport 2.0L 6A: $27,990
Sport safety pack 2.0L 6A: $29,490
Sport+ 2.0L 6A: $31,690
GT 1.6T 7DCT: $36,990
Premium paint: $520
Stay tuned to DiscoverAuto for the latest automotive news and reviews.
Leave a Reply