Kia Cerato YD (Sedan) SLi (2013-2016)

Great City Car – I use the car daily as I drive for Uber. I drive around 35,000 per year. I get the car regularly serviced as per the log book and haven’t had any issues with the car. Easy to drive - GPS and Bluetooth enhance safe driving. Only use 98 Unleaded petrol for maximum kms and economy. Great little car!  Show details

infotain sucks – i had same issue here... now waiting for KIA dealer to deal on mybehalf.. they said mine 5 years only, seem mine got letter say Feb 2014 i got this Jul 2013 a bit weird KIA... so upset.. sat nav stop working so the reverse camera image nah radio 1 channel only... the rest hang.. so hope the dealer NOBLE KIA can help to resolve the issue even… Read more

after they said warranty expired..7 years warranty new one only 3 years for infotain and 1 year for all LED lights unit, door panel 3 months or 6 months depending on the problem.. watch out fellow KIA buyer

2014 Cerato SLi Infotainment Faults – Have had mine since August 2014, so far other than destroying 2 YES 2 Infotainment Units, now my 3rd one has decided to kill itself, mechanically no problems whatsoever, fuel economy is great considering, I have the 129kw 2.0ltr, other than the fact the Infotainment Units are CRAP the car itself is a good buy...  Show details

What's not to love! – We have been very happy with our Kia Cerato. Mechanically it has never let us down yet. It is extremely comfortable with leather heat/cool electric seats, auto lights, keyless entry and auto locking, sun roof. Looks are very pleasing. Only problem we have had was with the Radio Head Unit which just died after 2 years and was promptly replaced… Read more

with a new (and better, more up to date) one. The sedan boot is very large and rear seats can fold down to make it even larger. Great warranty. Great price.

KIA CERATO YD SLI 2017 – I bought this car in Feb 2017. The feautures are amazing and very advanced similar to a high end car like BMW, Merc etc. good reliability, smooth handling, only makes little noise when try to accelerate on Eco mode drive. Got three Modes, Eco, Normal and Sports. Heaps of standard and extra features. only drawback No CD / DVD Drive. Mileage is low… Read more

as compared to advertised. Plenty of leg room for front passengers, ok for the back. Good dashboard. Running cost high due to Low mileage.

Big boot space and 7 years warranty with full spare tyre. Getting used to the new car from my Toyota Yarris Yr.

MY new car – Having only had it 5 days so far so good. I have to readjust myself to new seating etc but good. The drive is good and getting used to it compared to old car. The motor has plenty of power and gearbox has excellent response when going up from slow speed. The legroom is ample but have to sit in back to evaluate it. My passengers are happy so must… Read more ·  1

be ok. Interior is very good. Leg room is a problem [minor] as got to get seats set up properly as being tall makes it a bit harder in/out. So far it is hard to evaluate fuel use as only 5 days old.i watch the gauge to see if good economy and good as not lead foot. Dashboard is well lit and plenty of instruments to look at. Radio is very good but have only got 2 stations using at present so have to read the manual. Have got Bluetooth installed but can answer in calls but have to work out out calls. Having this car hopefully it will be last in line of 8. The warranty is very good. 7 years/105000 ks,7 years fixed price service and 7 year roadside assist. When i asked about the assist i was told its part of the price etc. I have 50 years NRMA so to keep the continuity of service they drop down membership to Traveller Care and that way i keep up with them and Kia if needed. It covers me IF i need assist outside of 100 km distance and no Kia coverage. I was told by a friend to keep the selling dealer service car and each year the time is added onto the list. Not sure about using cruise control yet but time will see if i do. No noise into cabin as i have 4 weather shields and that keeps it out.

September 19th 2017 Update: Using a KIA cerato

After buying my Kia and driving for a couple of months I am very happy with it. It has a couple of quirks that need to be remembered. There are 2 small glass windows in front of both side mirrors. Why they are there is not known but very distracting when using the mirrors for lane changing. Also no CD player and only AM/FM radio which are very good in city but not knowing non-city stations makes it hard. I have about 300 CD,s that need to be loaded onto USB's so I can listen to music. As for driving it is very good on open roads and good economy if cruise control and high octane fuel [not E10] is used. Just had free 3000 km service. One bit of advise. IF by chance you need to buy/install new outside mirrors expect to pay $700 plus supply/fit. Just been down that road after someone [clown] hit it. Plenty of boot space and 5 people sit ok. We have baby seat in rear so that cuts it to 4 but still room to sit in comfort. One thing that i found out is the car has 7 year roadside assist as well as your normal company [whatever state]. But you need to contact them and get special price that allows your membership to stay until other expires. It is good for country areas where Kia may not have a presence but they use state wide people.

Perfect cars become good overtime – Sounds like there are issues with customers on their Cerato, but I've no problem with my sons Cerato SLi bought in 2015 when it was under 3 years old. I've driven it about a dozen times, when he's allowed me to! I drive an i45 myself so I understand the Korean cars. The car is smooth to drive almost have to step on the gas, the seats are plush and… Read more

it fabricates my adhesion to the seats. When I drive it is for about 20km to the fuel kiosk. No problem encountered with audio CD player. I've not tested his blue tooth features. I'm satisfied he has bought a very good quality sedan with a warrantee still at age 4! When dealing with Korean car dealers be nice to them and they will give you the world!

2015 Cerato SLi Fantastic vehicle – Performance is great. In fact the next model (current) has a slightly less powerful 2.0L turbo engine. Very happy with the vehicle. The only problem is, we are waiting for the 3rd warranty changeover of the touch panel as the GPS keeps randomly blacking out. Nuisance is that each time it has taken two weeks to order in the part only to find the same fault in the new one.  Show details ·  1

Don't waste your time on a Kia – The car is quite nice in its price range. SLi being the top of the range model, interiors are nice and the leather seats are comfortable. However the factory fitted navigation unit has failed thrice till date and KIA have replaced the unit all 3 times. The 4th unit is working fine till date (fingers crossed) The car drives well but I find that it… Read more

is a bouncy over potholes and bumps. I have checked with various tyre pressures and also got the suspension tested but it looks like that's the design of the car. Have dealt with 3 different KIA service centres, their customer service can be better and they have a lot of room for improvement

Update in Jan 2020: The 4th navigation unit has failed as well. The problem began with loss of satellite signal, followed by loss of USB and Bluetooth connectivity. A week later, the unit stopped working and there’s no power to it. Dropped it off for the scheduled service and was advised the unit will not be replaced as it is out of warranty. Looks like I have had 4 units with the same problem but the last one worked a couple of years. I would say this is a known issue to KIA and they don’t care enough to revolve the issue and just rely on replacing faulty units when new faulty ones.

Update May 2020: Consumer Affairs Victoria asked us to contact Kia Australia who have not responded to emails, calls or messages on Facebook. Absolutely appalling!

KIA Cerato SLi Sat/Nav GDI - Update 185,000km's – Its been a while since providing an update - however the Kia is in for a Service at 185,000km's - There appears to be nothing major mechanically wrong, just usual service requirements Oil/Filters etc. I have used the vehicle solidly without being stranded, apart from a loose cable to the starter motor - which appears to have been an issue from… Read more

either a previous service(when it was loosened) or just camer loose due to vibration! Car looks and drive well, no significant degradation of interior, exterior features, everything still works really well. There is however a slight knock when moving the steering whilst stopped - this appears to be a problem KIA recognizes as the wearing of the MDPS Flexible coupling within the steering unit. It is a premature wear apparently seen in humid areas. KIA has published a rectification for this - but its not a recall as the safety is not in question(I believe). My mechanic said the part is $30 but the labour could be for 4 hours I will keep the car until over 200,000km's or until its reaches 10 years old..... OK - the car has just reached 110,000km! Mechanically great, at the 105,000 service no issue. I have put a tow bar on it and just towed a 4.3M boat to 100km/h but of course on 20mms, I wouldn't suggest going long distance. The ininterior is beginning to show some age particularly the drivers seat, I'm 84kg so if you are 100kg then the seats may flatten.

How to read my review - I add a paragraph at each service or at each key milestone - which is really just a regular blog style update.

The car reached 70, 000km's during a summer road trip Victoria, NSW and QLD - all types of roads and conditions, lots of country and freeway driving, mechanically doing really well - fuel economy low 6 litre/100km's - previously I did get 5.4litre/100 km, but this time no so. After the last service the fuel efficiency dropped a little - will check what this is about. The rear passenger side window problem resurfaced - so it does not wind! Otherwise all is good. We went through some very dusty roads there was no leaking into the cabin so happy with this, did some 22% grade roads and winding rough surface roads the car handled these well - the suspension seemed very adaptable and even corregations did not cause too much change of character. The car now needs a good wash.....

I just had the 60,000km service, this cost $475.00 Aud, there were no additional costs. They changed the oil, fluids, hepa filter, fuel pump filters, etc. There is a noticeable improvement in acceleration, so I think changing/checking the fuel system earlier would be a good idea...it could be due to poor quality/dirty fuel being provided by the local stations. I will assess this at the next 15,000km service. There were no issues from the service, they did notice my brakes were due for replacement, but I had indicated I would do this myself.

I changed the front brake pads myself, using Hong SungHDB2240/HP0045 a Korean variant from an Asian Parts Importer - these brakes used for both KIA and Hyundai - it appears the Cerato is very similar to the Hyundai Elantra. The rotors are in great condition, there is no squealing noise, there was no variation in there rotor - so 60,000km mostly metro driving is good value. After wearing the brakes in they are good, not as touchy as the new car was, however once hot the brakes grab very well, no shudder or fade.

I have to say that there was some confusion at Repco, Burson's - also tried Supa Cheap Auto, as this model Cerato is not clearly listed in their manuals for brakes (Brembo, etc.) that is. The 2013 MY confused them as this is July 2013 and a YD..really it should be listed as a 2014.... Repco and Burson were very helpful and we looked at the Elantra Hyundai (because I felt its similar size, specified vehicle also, I checked the break pads which had both KIA and Hyundai logos on them (easy to find and a good hint when looking at parts) - luckily I checked and photographed these prior to looking for pads they (Burson rep) have a nifty app which you photograph the shape of the pad and it listed the possible replacement options! magic of new technology. We used my photo from my smart phone, the counter clerk photographed my photo and hey presto it came up with a couple of options! not in KIA but in Hyundai!. The costs front pads only KIA $170, Burson $120, (during the Saturday drive around I was given the name of Mekong Auto spares) Mekong Spares $35 - as I wanted to change them that weekend I bought Mekong Auto Spares brakes (Canley Vale NSW), very helpful made me feel confident they were suitable quality. I will go back for rear brake pads soon.

The 52,500km Service was last week, there were no mechanical or electrical issues reported. The service was typical log book interim service and they replaced the oil and oil filter but no air filter and inspected a number of items. There was an update to the GPS which is still working fine since the initial issue last year when they replaced. There were no recall on any item. After a good clean the car is looking good.

The brakes are 60% worn at the front and 40% worn at the back - I had checked this myself and thought similar when i had rotated the tyres.

I just reaching 50,000 Km's. I have had the car since new January 2014, therefore two and half years. I am due for the 50K Service. I can't see anything that requires attention. I did the tyre rotation myself, there were no issues with vibration or wheel alignment that I could detect. The tyre wear from the front wheels at about 5,000km's of wear was noticeable but not too bad - there was a slight improvement once the back wheels were put on the front. As before I think the Michelin PILOT SPORT 3 215/45R17 91V is a good tyre for this vehicle, however I do think a 55mm profile might be a good option. These are not the best wearing tyres but for a medium size vehicle the wear is no too bad. I have over done it once or twice around a corner and did not come unstuck. I do keep the traction control turned on so who knows this could of helped. I recently had a proper look at the GPS settings, and set the red light/speed camera radar warning alert, and it has not missed a beat. My usual commute the beeps audible even during music keeps you aware of where these "NSW road safety" systems are placed. My partner does complain about the low ride of the vehicle, that she would prefer a SUV Style car. I would therefore say at this point it is worth considering going for an extended test drive with your partner/ family if you are deciding on such a vehicle. My decision was based on the mid size, economical/work commute requirements/and sporty weekend jaunts in a well equipped sub $30,000 vehicle. Who knows what our next vehicle will be, I do have a boat license and might buy a small boat soon, I am sure this will do the job but not sure how it will go at second rate boat ramps Next update after the 50,000 service if anything is an issue! Previous updates:

I just had the 40,000km service (@42,500km's). There was no issues mechanically, the rear passenger window now works after having something (controlling the motor) replaced under warranty - so all electrical systems and mechanical systems ok. I was not asked about the fuel injector clean this time. The car is due for tyre rotation and balance/alignment, this I will due in the next couple of months. The car still feels like new, the brakes have not shown any wear, the performance is still fantastic, I have been using E10, 94 Octane with good fuel economy in city 8.4litres/100km, but yet to take it on a long country drive. The speed is good - I now regularly drive to work and on occasion spin up to 120km/h from 40/60km/h and this happens without issue or revving above 3500RPM. I like the throttle control, where less is more, no use really in dropping down gears. The Black paintwork needs a good detail, the drivers foot well is showing wear (which I expected), the sunroof is good/no problems. The doors/boot/bonnet all ok, internally all switches, lights, glove box, controls all work fine and don't show wear. I have had regular drives with 4 adults and the car had no problems taking hills, freeway and corners the handling was all ok. Still get the occasional look like, "what is this car?", as the Sedan with Black paint/Mags/sunroof and styling looks good, also the handling which is effortless and quick cornering and mid range speed surprises the usual rev heads, I seldom try I just point and get it around tight corners/bends, etc. it is a pleasure to drive. I think the front windows need the wind deflectors as when you wind down the window you get a blast, however if you use the sunroof instead its no problems and the air flow from above works a treat.

OK - another update at 37,500km with the interim Service, actually I was contacted to say the new Sat/Nav Radio was in so thought I would get this installed and have the service (I used to do this with my motorbikes) and hey presto the replacement Sat/Nav works very well. The service went ok no problems mechanically - they did ring me for a injector clean $120, I ended up doing this myself with a brand name additive, I have to find out if they take the rocker covers off and do a full check of injectors/fuel assay, etc. maybe the $120 will be worth it. I had another little issue with a rear window not winding down. A bit annoying, will wait til next service for this as I a little too regular at the KIA Counter. I am wondering if I am pushing this vehicle too far and maybe the KIA/Audi designer didn't envisage 20,000km/year on the clock. I recently had a day with the in-laws, therefore the little car had to deal with 4 adults, luggage on a hot day with steep and winding roads. The Cerato GDI coped well. Even at 60km/h the engine found the necessary torque to cope in reasonable gears without shifting down too harshly. The ride good, however I think the rear seat may need cushioning for longer trips. My next little exercise is to look for a tow bar - appears a few out in the $400 - $600 price bracket - next update will hopefully be towing a small boat and give an account how this goes.

I recently filled the fuel tank with E10 93 Octane and did a short freeway, hills, bends, etc. not bad acceleration, it felt solid however a noticeable drop in punch from 95 and of course 98 octane. I had been city driving for too long so the economy was not too good - so after the tank with injector cleaning additive had cleared I went on some long distance driving - the economy registered 5.6L/100km, which was very reassuring.

Previously - I decided to take the car into another Service centre at 30, 000km to see if they have any luck with the Sat/Nav but it appears not to be promising with a suggestion they will order a new item from Korea (I believe this is a euphemism for "Hey mate we can't fix it, it's a KIA's issue which should be recalled!) will wait for their call.

Still happy with the vehicle - recently did a short run at 200km/h on a freeway. It felt really good I had bought new sport tyres Michelin PILOT SPORT 3 215/45R17 91V and had let them settle in for 1,000km. Happy with these tyres on the vehicle. Would suggest 200km/h is a fine top speed in 6 close to top of the power curve. I will however do an interim service at 37,500 just to ensure all mechanicals are working ok. That will be the maximum I take it and believe 140km/h would be a suitable cruising speed, allowing plenty of power for safety maneuvers (dropping down to 5th speed without over revving), ample braking ability, reasonable swerving capability, comfort, suitable passive safety features to allow survival in a crash (not head on).

Again the internals are fine (except sat/nav), doors/sunroof/boot/bonnet/fuel lid/wing mirrors appear ok/operational. The steering is very good with the new tyres, however a slight/noticeable body lean/reposition occurs around certain corners - maybe I am being fussy and probably at 75% at top of adhesion during these turns/corners, but the "sporty" feel diminishes, just slightly. I have tried slightly higher/lower air pressure 42psi-38psi, so will assume I am asking a bit much and will control my driving. The tyres stick very well, braking good - the car brakes are fine - I don't know the extent of wear on the pads, but will take advice at next service. I do believe the the ABS works well, however sometimes during heavier braking at corners where there are corrugations the ABS puts me into the corner further than I would be without ABS. Again I am probably arriving at these points a bit early!

I am happy with the electronics, lights, seat warmer/cooler (for me) my passenger often tells me she wants her seat cooling too and that I should of arranged this when purchased ha ha - not sure if this is an option in this model!

Water leaking in boot - this has occurred a couple of times -there is now mould under the carpet in this area, hhmm I thought this occurred with older cars. Maybe the rain was particularly bad and came from the wrong direction! Quickly fixed however not sure if this occurs on other models.

Overall very good and happy with vehicle, can't wait the sat/nav to be fixed!

_________ Previous review

I'm David K38 - my first review of the Cerato was at the 15,000 Kms and was very happy with car. I still rate the drive as one of the best for this size vehicle. With petrol being cheaper I have been running 95 & 98 octane city/country - this car engine loves the good juice now at just bellow 30,000km's the engine is free running and mid range torque/power is there and plenty - therefore I feel ok about using it, a recent 300-400 meter thrust from the lights below 5,000RPM going through the gears, 1, 2, 3, 4 into 5th all about 4,500 RPM I got to 120kmh (non built up area) with ease. Very happy and with normal cautious driving rarely go past 2,000/3,000 RPM - also had a few head turns from casual observers wondering why this car appears effortlessly negotiating hills, corners with smooth ease! I am ready for new tyres however I am mostly a conservative driver and there is still 2, 000 to 3,000 left (I have rotated tyres twice). I am in the market for at least 4 tyres and think there are a good range to choose from - if anyone has some ideas please note them. I am thinking of Pirelli P7/Bridgestone!!

The external body work fixtures and fittings are all good, the engine bay, windows, wipers, sunroof (I use every day), mirrors, door handles all ok, bumpers (I put a slight mark in the left rear due to reversing into a metal pole - nothing too bad), I have scraped the wheels a bit disappointed with myself not use to 45mmm profile tyres.

The internal condition still ok, with some minor wear also probably due for new mats, I had a cleaner put armour oil on the dash which is not recommended however it has not affected the surface or caused too much reflection. The drivers controls are all good, I regularly clean the steering wheel and make sure I clean my hands if gone fishing!! I never touch the ceiling fabric and think this is still my concern as there appears to be a slight discolouration from test drivers prior its delivery to me - not happy with the condition at initial delivery!

My major gripe - The GPS/Radio went on the blink - dramatically turning on/off at will (possessed by a KIA/Hyundai devil no doubt), increasing volume. I had to take it back 3 times and they just swap them out (stupidly) I just don't get this plan of attack. On the last trip to the service centre they said the units are supplied to Hyundai - not sure what I can do - it appears mostly rectified however the GPS does to locate the vehicle (mostly in daylight) on the right road - so you see the car navigating on side streets hundreds of meters from actual position - the day/night visual function sometimes get confused and switches back and forwards! Not sure what to do next, will give it to them at 30,000 service and suggest they sort it before returning vehicle - letter to KIA head office will be next action.

Internals continued - I often fold down the rear seat to take things along, mountain bike (just need to remove front wheel) there is a good size once seats are folded very happy with this as I have a sedan (my preference over hatch) a big plus is the volume in this vehicle. I am the old 6 foot (180cm's) and regularly wear a hat/cap never feel uncomfortable.

I am still very happy with the vehicle.

Yep I agree about Sat Nav and Tyre Noise – If I was repurchasing a YD Cerato I'd opt for an aftermarket navigator, they're Les troublesome, and at least you can set them without running the engine. Tyre noise is woeful, and I agree that you can't hear the radio on the highway. If the SatNav version had SDVC (speed dependent volume control), as installed in lower grade models, it might be… Read more

a bit easier to live with. I've purchased a set of 16 inch YD wheels and tyres in the hope that the extra inch of rubber reduces road noise.