Kia’s excellent Cerato now has the third body style it always needed – a five-door hatchback. Priced from $20,240, the Kia Cerato hatchback is available in two model grades – Si and SLi.
Car Showroom has previously reported our enthusiasm for both the Cerato sedan and two-door Koup, so we reckon the hatchback should be one of the best.
Power remains Kia’s refined 2.0-litre petrol engine offering 115kW/194Nm and driving the front wheels via a choice of six-speed manual or six-speed automatic transmissions.
Kia says the Cerato hatchback – like the company’s excellent Sportage SUV – benefits from an Australian development program to fine-tune the suspension for local conditions. Like the latest European small cars, the Cerato runs MacPherson strut front/torsion beam rear suspension.
Similarly, the electric motor-driven power steering (reduces fuel consumption by up to three per cent) was also recalibrated after local testing.
Externally, the Kia Cerato hatchback also debuts some styling changes we’ll see next year when the Cerato sedan and Koup score model year upgrades. These include a new front grille and fog lights, LED lights in the mirrors, new taillights and 17-inch alloy wheels.
Cerato hatch also features the extensive extra sound deadening measures which 2011 sedan and Koup versions will see – to further improve the refinement and low NVH of the Cerato.
Naturally for the hatch, Kia designers re-did the roof, rear side panels, C-pillar, tailgate (with rear spoiler), rear bumper and taillights to adapt the sedan design. Naturally the Kia stylists - under the direction of former Volkswagen designer Peter Schreyer – have done a great job and the Cerato hatch looks integrated, contemporary and European
