Kia Cerato
 (4/5)
expert rating
 (4.3/5)
owner rating
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Kia Cerato YD (2013-Present) Owner Review

Share your experiences with the Kia Cerato - Write an owner review

Do you own the Kia Cerato? As the owner, you have literally sat in the driver's seat and discovered the ups and downs as you go about your everyday life.

Share your experiences with the Kia Cerato and help others in the market for a car like this.

40 Owner Reviews
Date Reviewed
1 September 2023
Performance
Ride & Handling
Comfort
Safety
Space
Value
Dave
2.0 (2014)
Bought new, Owned for 10 Years
Fuel Economy: 10.0 km/litre (10.0 L/100 km), RON95, Mileage: 800 km/month
    Value for money, great specs, ventilated seats are a major plus in these hot weather. Got the highest spec model and no issue whatsoever since the day I got this car, done my regular servicing and engine is superb, drives comfortably even at high speed. Infotainment system is great and the speakers given are good enough. I use the sunroof quite often especially when driving up to Genting or when I am shooting videos as I can clip my Insta360 camera when the sunroof is open, very convenient for me. Reverse camera was super clear and it impressed even my friends who drove other more fancy branded cars.
    Fuel consumption can be better, on paper, it was supposed to be 7L/100km but have never got that low. Service centre (when they were under Naza KIA) was so so, nothing to shout about, facilities were basic with free drinks and a comfy place to sit while you wait for your car to be serviced. Nothing fancy.
To Improve
Of late, KIA has been making waves in other countries but here, it seems that not many varieties are being brought in, KIA has great potential, it's brand has improved a lot from those early years, sad that they didn't capitalise on it like in other countries.
Yes, I would recommend this car
Date Reviewed
21 March 2017
Performance
Ride & Handling
Comfort
Safety
Space
Value
Wilfred
1.6 (2014)
Bought new, Owned for 2 Years
Fuel Economy: 12.0 km/litre (8.3 L/100 km), RON95, Mileage: 2,600 km/month
    Best combination of specification and features vs price and affordability
    You can't find the same stuff you get from other manufacturers with that same price point
    cheap not necessary good, that's for sure.
    Parts' quality has been in question for generations, coupled with scarce availability of its replacement parts, every replacement took owners weeks if not months to wait for it.
    worsen by the poor service quality from service branch/dealer.
To Improve
It the poor to max after-sales service is the cause by Naza, do not expect they can get improved, unless the authorised distributor is no longer Naza.
No, I would not recommend this car
Date Reviewed
15 December 2016
Performance
Ride & Handling
Comfort
Safety
Space
Value
Balwant Singh
2.0 (2014)
Bought new, Owned for 3 Years
Fuel Economy: 9.1 km/litre (11.0 L/100 km), RON95, Mileage: 2,000 km/month
    Car design interior and exterior
    Car Gear Shifting, Noise insulation, Suspension.
    But worse of them all, Their service Centers. Naza KIA have the worse services guys, worse service advisers and worse after sales responses.Most of their responses to any problem i have faced is "this is normal".. where i believe they are not technically sound and lazy to make an effort to solve it.
    Kia even though is not a bad car , but thanks to this service center, its a NO for me if i would to recommend it.Not until other distributors start distributing it.
To Improve
Change the distributor from Naza Kia and i believe 80% of the problems can be solved.
No, I would not recommend this car
Date Reviewed
6 June 2016
Performance
Ride & Handling
Comfort
Safety
Space
Value
Parruen
2.0 (2015)
Bought new, Owned for 6 Years
Fuel Economy: 16.0 km/litre (6.3 L/100 km), RON95, Mileage: 1,500 km/month
    Top safely pack with 6 airbags
    Fuel so so
    Sunroof
    Powerful engine
    Memory seats
    Stylish
    Engine is too loud
To Improve
Nothing to be improved in this car
Yes, I would recommend this car
Date Reviewed
8 March 2016
Performance
Ride & Handling
Comfort
Safety
Space
Value
Hemanraj
1.6 KX (2014)
Bought new, Owned for 2 Years
Fuel Economy: 10.0 km/litre (10.0 L/100 km), RON95, Mileage: 2,500 km/month
    It's value for money. Packed with features for a price of B-Segment car. It's comfortable for a long drive that gives a decent mileage. The sound system is pretty good ans the multimedia features are entertaining when you are driving. It gives premium feel ans look with sexy touch here and there for the money. The air- cond is decent although it's manual for the KX variant and the car has so much of space for storage and humans. Seats are comfortable and the reverse camera with front and rear sensors helps to solve your parking problem with ease.
    I personally don't like the sound proofing. Engine sound can be heard at lower gear but it fades as the gear increases. Wind and tyre sound will annoy you at high speed cruising. The build quality is good but the assembly is bad. You'll hear minor rattling sound here and there while driving. The paint quality is bad where minor impact of parked cars door will leave deep mark on the body. Not only marks but minor dents too. Steering is too soft which gives gaming feel while driving. The car is extremely stable while cruising at high speed but it's under powered at certain circumstances and produces less low end torque.
To Improve
Sound proving need to be improved alongside assembly quality and build quality.
Yes, I would recommend this car
Date Reviewed
15 February 2016
Performance
Ride & Handling
Comfort
Safety
Space
Value
Wilfred
1.6 (2014)
Bought new, Owned for 1 Year
Fuel Economy: 13.0 km/litre (7.7 L/100 km), RON95, Mileage: 2,200 km/month
    - Above-average specifications and accessories versus competitor's products of the same class
    - modest performance, even though just 1.6L engine, not feel so underpowered unless fully loaded
    - Simplified options on purchase (1x 1.6 with full spec, 1x 2.0 with full spec) vs even own brother company (Hyundai 3x 1.6)
    - Humanly design in many aspect of the touch.
    - unavoidable rattling noise (due to too much separated plastic components?)
    - not up to expectation dealer service
    - Could had included MirrorLink support
To Improve
I would expect Cerato Hybrid (1.6 + Motor) which supplement options and perhaps vs Civic Hybrid (If we are to get Hybrid Exemption again)
Yes, I would recommend this car
Date Reviewed
5 September 2015
Performance
Ride & Handling
Comfort
Safety
Space
Value
Henry
1.6 (2014)
Bought new, Owned for 2 Years
Fuel Economy: 12.5 km/litre (8.0 L/100 km), RON95, Mileage: 1,000 km/month
    1) top safety features (6 airbags, VSC, ABS brakes, etc.)
    2) the design of the front and rear LED lamps, combined with the car design, just oozes sex appeal. It stands out on the road (in good way)
    3) keyless entry
    4) 3 different steering modes
    5) 2 memories of driver seat position
    6) gear shift paddles & 6-speed gear
    7) rear-vent aircond
    8) large touch screen with GPS (although GPS is so-so)
    9) rear view reverse camera with front & rear sensors
    10) fuel consumption is satisfactory
    11) value for money for all the features
    1) power is so-so. Good for smooth, comfortable driving but acceleration & going uphill feels underpowered
    2) engine sound still audible - prefer it to be more silent
    3) radio reception not strong sometimes
    4) paint job is not so refined if you take closer look
To Improve
I can accept the cons. However if I need to change 1 thing, it will be the quieter and more powerful engine
Yes, I would recommend this car
Date Reviewed
6 July 2015
Performance
Ride & Handling
Comfort
Safety
Space
Value
Yeo
1.6 (2014)
Bought new, Owned for 1 Year
Fuel Economy: 12.0 km/litre (8.3 L/100 km), RON95, Mileage: 1,700 km/month
    Beautiful design + Spacious interior + Reasonable fuel consumption.

    Most of the safety features you can find in the market has loaded in this car.
    I should test drive this car before I buy it, I don't think I will still consider it after I make a test drive, that's my fault.

    Lousy service center, always tell you " Everything is ok" when you make complaint for certain problem.

    EPS always feeling stuck when I turning it, SC answer: Please adjust your steering mode to Comfort or standard...Please la...feeling stuck ok? Not feeling tight ok!!

    More and more weird sound coming out on a 7 months car... 7 months car with 12000km mileage only...

    Door panel...inside the dashboard...steering (when you turning it)...sigh...

    Cushion materials make it looks like a A/ B segment cheap car.

    Handling?? Whats that??
To Improve
Now I understand why got people willing to pay higher price for a lower segment car.
No, I would not recommend this car
Date Reviewed
10 January 2015
Performance
Ride & Handling
Comfort
Safety
Space
Value
Wee Fei
2.0 (2014)
Bought new, Owned for 1 Year
Fuel Economy: 9.6 km/litre (10.4 L/100 km), RON97, Mileage: 2,500 km/month
    The main reasons for me to pick this car was:-
    1) Top safety features (6 Airbags, Traction Control, BA, VSA, EBD, ABS, etc)
    2) Considerably the cheapest among its competitors, yet it was packed with tons of electronic features
    3) Never feel tired driving it because of good power, good braking and very light steering mode (Comfort Mode), ventilated driver seat, auto headlamp, auto-dim rear view mirror and parking camera.
    Of course it is not 100% better in every aspect. Not in any car.
    1) Handling is so so. You cannot really feel your front wheel turning on your electric power-steering. It was like controlling a PS4 racing wheel in front of your TV. However, it is light and very comfortable.
    2) Engine sound is louder in the cabin compare to Honda's.
    3) Keyless entry disallow me to lock the car doors from outside while the engine is running. This is useful especially when I wanted to get out of the car while my passengers are waiting in the car. The passengers have to lock the doors from the inside.
    4) Unable to switch off the Daytime Running Light while the engine is running.
    5) It is battery hungry. Just replaced a new battery under warranty (1 year or below 20,000KM). Maybe due to the welcome headlamp and many electronic devices running before the engine starts.
To Improve
Dealer's service center is like blood-sucker. They will use unethical ways to convince you buying extra third party products or forcing you to do tyre alignments and balancing plus campers plus bla bla bla to maximize their profits even during your first service. They will drink the extra new engine oil if you did not request to take it back.

Would prefer to service my car at Red Cubes, but they have too many cars to handle every day. They can't focus to solve minor problems which is important to us car lovers. :)
Yes, I would recommend this car
Date Reviewed
22 December 2014
Performance
Ride & Handling
Comfort
Safety
Space
Value
raymond
1.6 KX (2014)
Bought new, Owned for 1 Year
Fuel Economy: 9.0 km/litre (11.1 L/100 km), RON95, Mileage: 1,000 km/month
    compare to non-Kia car at same price range:
    - auto cruise is a big advantages
    - segment C space is unbeatable
    - tiptronic gear is very useful especially when i want more power in certain condition
    - rear vent air-cond
    - 6-speed gear
    - luxury look interior and exterior
    - adjustable steering weight
    - organ-type accelerator pedal is a design i love too much. It makes me driving comfortably.
    - 8" touch screen with GPS
    - rear view camera
    - front packing sensors
    - spare tyre is full set with original rim
    - driving is very stead thanks to 17" rim and car weight (but need to scarify a bit fuel consumption)
    - fuel consumption is moderate but not bad
    - interior plastic part assembly is not up to standard. The 1st day i get the car, there was some noises come out from front air cond vent and under steering wheel. It really hurt my 1st impression when i compare back to test drive unit.
    - BUT, BUT... most of the noise can be resolved. Due to my job, i like to solve issue myself. The noise from air cond vent is due to loosen wire. It was making noise while car idling. Now it gone. For the noise under steering wheel, it was making noise while i turned the wheel and i heard rubbing sound. It was due to the shaft linkage (along the steering wheel shaft and near the accelerator pedal), it rubbed the small opening of carpet. i just cut it bigger then issue resolved.
    - Now the car is up to my satisfaction. I start to love this car.
    - AM/FM signal receiving is not good.
To Improve
- after sale service quality i.e. service center
- Kx and k3 price is not much different but components are different a lot. Kx should be cheaper again
- build quality especially plastic components assembly and cables tightening
- reduce car weight (now >1700kg) so that fuel consumption is reduced
Yes, I would recommend this car
Date Reviewed
24 October 2014
Performance
Ride & Handling
Comfort
Safety
Space
Value
K3
1.6 (2014)
Bought new, Owned for 1 Year
Fuel Economy: 11.0 km/litre (9.1 L/100 km), RON95, Mileage: 1,000 km/month
    Ever since the employment of former Audi designer into Kia Motors Corp, a lot of improvement can be seen from every aspect of the cars especially in the aspect of design. For Kia Cerato, the design is definitely the main selling point with the eye-catching tail light which can be recognized from far just by looking at the two eye-like design tail light. Whereas the headlight isn't any less appealing than the tail light, just like the taillight, the Kia Cerato can be distinguished from others by the eyebrow like day light. Overall design is simple and slick, just like the Audi. The matter of fact, we can sense the shadow of Audi by the looks of Kia Cerato.

    The interior have a modern touch and almost every part of the dashboard and door have soft-touch which makes it comes out from the Japanese car. The Kia Cerato is packed with loads of usually luxury accessories such as 10-Way Power Driver Seat with Memory, Dual Zone Full-Auto Air Conditioner, rear vent, push-strt button, 8inch LCD Touch Screen with GPS, Electronic Chromic Mirror (ECM), Motor Driven Power Steering (MDPS) with Flex Steer, welcome light and etc. However some accessories seems to be an excess as not used often or not practical, such as the Flexsteer.

    On the aspect of safety, Kia Cerato rated 5 stars in the ANCAP crash test although the front small overlap crash test doesn't scored with a flying colors. However in overall, with the inclusion of the safety system either active or passive, we definitely feel much safer driving in it.

    The performance wise for the 1.6, although the power cannot compared to other turbo charged complementary competitor or even EcoBoost Ford Fiesta, which is really fun to drive, the Kia Cerato 1.6 with 130 HP and 157 NM is more than enough for a normal road or city drive. Potential extra power can be driven out whenever overtaking or coming from a junction. In terms of fuel efficiency, I should say "can't complain" with 9.1L/100KM, for city drive with traffic jam every morning and evening.

    As a conclusion, if you are looking for FUN driving, Kia Cerato definitely not the choice, you should be looking at Ford or VW. However you have a family of four and would like to have an above average experience of driving, or a luxury-like ride, Kia Cerato definitely is your choice, with smooth driving, quiet interior when driving, comfortable suspension and don't forget those luxury car accessories. With ONE important condition, you are NOT an anti-kimchi! LOL.
    The MAIN cons I definitely want to bring up is the Quality problem, the assembly of the car is not done perfectly. My Kia Cerato with less than one week old, having the cover of the A pillar to loosen and pop out. It's no big deal as it can be easily fix back but this really hurt the impression of the good quality. Another big problem is the knocking sound when turning the steering, I brought up this issue to the SC but they said they can do nothing but to report to the HQ and many other Kia Cerato owner also facing this problem, leaving me driving my car with the knocking steering. Many case of this knocking sound but why isn't any counter action taken to solve this? Then some minor problem such as cracking sound when adjusting the power driver seat and rattling sound in the driver side door and B-pillar, which is super annoying when the interior is so quiet, even the tiniest rattling sound can become loud and big.

    For the driving experience, the gear shifting feels a little hard and always shift in a very awkward timing, such as shifting gear during a sharp corner, and I will be like "What the hell!" For the suspension wise, a failrly new Coupled Torsion Beam Axle is used for the rear suspension, the handling feel better than the conventional Torsion Beam Axle but still far behind than the Multi-link. Body-roll and floating sensation can be felt during sharp corner but road bumps is greatly absorbed by the suspension. After all, nothing is perfect, right?

    There is another flaw for the Kia Cerato, I think this should be a quality issue as well. The paint job is not up to the standard. Little uneven can be seen from the paint and the big issue is the color different between the car body and the bumper, especially for white color car. I noticed that almost every white Kia having this issue, even the show room car. Another unfortunate thing happened is that when my new car arrive at the dealer, the salesman polished my whole car, causing serious swirl all over my car body... When I mention this to the salesman, he said that as long as not a visible scratch then is OK. =.=...
To Improve
Quality should be further improved
- Please fix the steering, eliminate the knocking sound when turning
- cracking sound from the power driven seat
- improve paint job to eliminate color difference in bumper

Performance
- turbocharge can be introduced to inject Fun
- better gearbox should be replacing the current one
Yes, I would recommend this car
Date Reviewed
19 October 2014
Performance
Ride & Handling
Comfort
Safety
Space
Value
afd
1.6 (2014)
Bought new, Owned for 1 Year
Fuel Economy: 13.0 km/litre (7.7 L/100 km), RON95, Mileage: 4,000 km/month
    -Outstanding design [interior & exterior]
    -outstanding safety features
    -good brakes
    -spacious interior plus back aircond
    - comfortable seat for driver & passenger but less comfortable for front passenger
    -load of features [ love the electronic seat & auto cruise]
    -flex steering, especially comfort mode during bad traffic & tight parking eg basement
    -very bright front light during night driving
    - comfortable driving & minimal wind noise
    -sufficient power even full loaded
    - good high speed stability
    -acceptable fuel consumption [avrg 13km/l] as my daily driving from rawang to klcc with very bad stop/go traffic [peak hour]
    -Tyre roar at rough road
    - font passenger seat too low
    - touch-screen infotainment system a bit slow to respond [compare to ipad]
    - radio reception not so strong
    - accelerator pedal get sometime to be used to [perhaps myself only]
To Improve
-Tyre roar
- radio reception
Yes, I would recommend this car
Date Reviewed
15 August 2014
Performance
Ride & Handling
Comfort
Safety
Space
Value
Lim
1.6 (2014)
Bought new, Owned for 1 Year
Fuel Economy: 12.5 km/litre (8.0 L/100 km), RON95, Mileage: 1,500 km/month
    -Outstanding exterior and interior design
    -Comfort cruising
    -Value of Money
    -Safety Features
    -Interior & Driving Features
    -Normal Fuel Consumption
    -Handling are not up to expectation
To Improve
-it will be perfect if come with GDI engine which same as Korean version
-use multi-link instead of torsion beam for rear suspension for handling improvement
Yes, I would recommend this car
Date Reviewed
23 July 2014
Performance
Ride & Handling
Comfort
Safety
Space
Value
Joo Long
1.6 (2014)
Bought new, Owned for 1 Year
Fuel Economy: 7.6 km/litre (13.1 L/100 km), RON95, Mileage: 1,000 km/month
    Outstanding exterior design especially at night.
    Premium feel for interior
    Packed with a lot features with affordable price tag
    Safety features fully equipped
    Car is more heavy compare to japan car but it increase the safety level for the car
    Fuel Consumption need more improvement but current fc for me is acceptable
    Need more power when going uphill
To Improve
My unit is CBU and the quality is way better than CKD quality. Its not fair to new buyer
Increase the spare parts availability in market
Yes, I would recommend this car
Date Reviewed
14 July 2014
Performance
Ride & Handling
Comfort
Safety
Space
Value
sudonano
2.0 (2014)
Bought used, Owned for 2 Years
Fuel Economy: 13.0 km/litre (7.7 L/100 km), RON95, Mileage: 1,000 km/month
    Looks way more expensive than it is, especially the rear. The LEDs at the back are so beautiful, in fact I would say this has to be the best Kia on the road, together with the Optima. It looks and feels nothing like how the Forte was, which felt like it was built to a price. The front end looks nice too. Love the interesting feature where the mirrors fold out when you approach the car and the puddle light comes on.

    The interior feels pretty plush, significantly better than the older Forte. The quality of the leather is nice, and the interior is well laid out. Buttons feel premium and the touchscreen while small (this was when Kia decided not to give satnav, why Kia why...) was responsive and nice to use. The interesting thing was the touchscreen did remind me a bit of VW's RNS310 touchscreen system, which is not a bad thing. Rear seats are very spacious, and even with a 6 footer in the driver's seat, another 6 footer can sit at the back comfortably. All the electronic gizmos you need are there, with all the safety too.

    In drive, the car responds well thanks to the 2.0 engine. It pulls well and is nice in traffic too. In fact on one occasion, I had to rush across KL in traffic, with the use of my not so reliable GPS that decided to not talk that day (one of those Garmin ones) and had to slip in to the lanes at the last minute just I missed the barriers. It allowed to zip in and out like I was driving a smaller car. Speaking of which, visibility is good and that made it easy to move about in traffic. The reverse camera made the car even easier to park, though I rarely used it since the mirror were good enough and the nice glass space was good.

    Speaking of glass, the sunroof is a gem. Absolutely love the days I can leave it open to get the fresh air, or on a rainy day, have the blinds open at least, to see the raindrops when crawling in traffic. The ventilated driver seat is probably a highlight too, especially on a hot day, the cold seat is so welcoming.

    At speeds too it is a quiet car, well insulated, and if driven sanely is very relaxing. The normal mode on the steering is just nice and has somewhat enough weight for moving about, not the best but not the worst either. The suspension is tuned for comfort and cruising, so don't try and attack corners like on a race track (tried and tested), and you would need to brace for the roll. This is not a fault since this car is for families anyway and it's not a Focus.

    The engine and transmission is a good combination, smooth with good power too. The six speed auto with paddles respond well, and in a traffic light gran prix, it will pull well. (I don't condone such acts, however sometimes when you get a situation, you know you can get away quickly). The transmission is not a dual clutch, but it is responsive for Korean and Japanese standards.

    Boot space is decent and average, and should be pretty sufficient for most people.
    Flex steer is the biggest waste Hyundai/Kia did when developing this. Comfort mode makes it too light, sport feels unnecessarily heavy and lumpy. I initially used sport for a short while but went back to normal after that.

    Front is a bit difficult to judge due to the sloping down bonnet. Again, this may be due to my height or rather the lack of it, resulting me in scraping the underside of the front when I parked it too close to a kerb. The front sensors don't help in this situation at all.

    When revved hard, the engine does sound strained and rough, not like a German engine or an iVTECH unit from Honda. The lack of a turbo small cc engine like the 1.4TSI on the Jetta makes road tax to be high for this car.

    Aftersales is only so-so. One niggling issue on mine is that in Park or Neutral, the RPM of the engine drops too low, causing the whole car to vibrate and shake, but in Drive or Reverse it is fine. Would have to get this checked at the next service but it could be the idle rpm could be set too low in the system.
To Improve
Improve the speed of aftersales and sales. Also, consider improving the Kx variant to have at least ESP and 6 airbags. Kia was the only company in Malaysia who did not compromise on safety, with complete 6 airbags and ESP until the Kx came.

Also, I'd gladly trade Flex Steer for something more useful for Blind Spot detection.
Yes, I would recommend this car
Date Reviewed
6 August 2014
Performance
Ride & Handling
Comfort
Safety
Space
Value
MOHD ATTAFUL UZAIR
2.0 (2014)
Bought new, Owned for 1 Year
Fuel Economy: 11.0 km/litre (9.1 L/100 km), RON95, Mileage: 500 km/month
    -sporty looks
    -comfort + luxury feels
    -spacious interior & boot
    -value for money
    -thumbs up for the 6 air bags
    - handling are not up to expectation
To Improve
could improve more on the handling & ride + fuel efficiency
Yes, I would recommend this car
Date Reviewed
10 July 2014
Performance
Ride & Handling
Comfort
Safety
Space
Value
Yoong Ern
2.0 (2014)
Bought new, Owned for 1 Year
Fuel Economy: 12.0 km/litre (8.3 L/100 km), RON95, Mileage: 1,000 km/month
    Nice Daytime Running Light
    Value for money
    Pack with advanced features like a European Car
    Comfort
    Won't Feel Underpower
    After sales service not really good, not all SC willing to help solve problems.
    Some rattling sound happened around the speedometer area and no one can solve it after so long.
    Auto Gear shifting is too sluggish sometimes, likes to drop 1 or 2 gears if put in a lot of acceleration ends up engine roars loudly. (It is fine when driver use manual mode)
    Did not get any free service for early bird first batch purchase.
    Rear absorber too soft and likely to hit the bottom when the car has 4 person.
To Improve
Kia after sales service must fix.
Kia should compensate for the early bird buyers.
Should change to a stiffer rear absorber and do not use MCPEARSON.


Yes, I would recommend this car
Date Reviewed
10 July 2014
Performance
Ride & Handling
Comfort
Safety
Space
Value
Kay Loong
1.6 (2014)
Bought new, Owned for 1 Year
Fuel Economy: 13.3 km/litre (7.5 L/100 km), RON95, Mileage: 3,500 km/month
    - exterior & interior design
    - lots of features, especially the luxury features usually on more expensive cars
    - spacious interior
    - safety - 6 airbags & ESP
    - comfortable
    - a bit lack of power when going up hill, but sufficient power for daily drive
    - car brand power in Malaysia still not as strong as the Japanese T, H & N brand
To Improve
- fuel efficiency of the car is OK for C-segment cars, but I believe it can be better
- road noise insulation
- ride & handling is OK, but could be better
- more auto features like auto-parking, auto-stop like the Ford & Volvo cars
Yes, I would recommend this car
Date Reviewed
8 July 2014
Performance
Ride & Handling
Comfort
Safety
Space
Value
TAY
1.6 (2014)
Bought new, Owned for 1 Year
Fuel Economy: 9.0 km/litre (11.1 L/100 km), RON95, Mileage: 500 km/month
    ~ 4 Disc Brake
    ~ 6 parking sensor & camera
    ~ Day time running light
    ~ 6 air bag
    ~ free 3 year services
    ~memory seat
    ~ rear air con
    ~electric chrome mirror
    ~no leather seat for 1.6
    ~fuel consumption slightly high compare to japanese car
To Improve
~better fuel consumption
Yes, I would recommend this car
Date Reviewed
5 June 2014
Performance
Ride & Handling
Comfort
Safety
Space
Value
Zulkarnain
2.0 (2014)
Bought new, Owned for 1 Year
Fuel Economy: 14.0 km/litre (7.1 L/100 km), RON95, Mileage: 7,000 km/month
    What I love the most:
    1- Rear LED lights: Look superb day/night and believe me it's eye-catching.
    2- Welcome lights: puddle lights-up upon approaching the car and all lights-up (auto mode) upon unlock it.
    3- Air ventilated driver seat: Use it most of the time during day time.
    4- Cool-looking front DRL.
    5- Huge 7/8" touchscreen for reverse camera, navigation and playing movies for my kid.
    6- Comfortable leather seats.
    7- Spacious boot: Can store even a bulky baby car-seat + stroller.
    8- Paddle-shift + manual mode: Makes manual driving pleasure.
    9- Fuel consumption: Manage to drive JB-Pekan-JB (630km) with a single pump (RON95, RM100, 47 liter).
    10- Quite engine sound, considerably quite cabin with little road noise, not wind.
    Ride & handling is great but not excellent.
To Improve
If the ride & handling comparable to/better than Ford Focus, this car is the winner in its class or 1 class up.
Yes, I would recommend this car
Date Reviewed
28 May 2014
Performance
Ride & Handling
Comfort
Safety
Space
Value
JASON
2.0 (2014)
Bought new, Owned for 1 Year
Fuel Economy: 8.0 km/litre (12.5 L/100 km), RON95, Mileage: 700 km/month
    -Attractive design
    -Leather seats for 2.0 + ventilated + 10 ways memory seat
    -Auto Cruise
    -6 air bags
    -Big HU 8' for CDK units + GPS
    -Continental MC5 tyres
    -awesome 17" rims
    -welcome light + puddle lamp
    -3 steering mode (normal/sport/comfort)
    -6 speakers
    -Day light LED
    -Keyless
    -Half leather dashboard with nice features and up to date design
    -desinger Peter Schreyer (previous Audi car designer)
    -Sunroof for 2.0
    -same engine as K5
    - ventilated gloves box
    -double 12v charger plug hole
    -NO Auto leveling HID lamp (was in advertising but not in actual car)
    -soft suspension (can be solved with R-Bach Spring buffer)
    -No 3 years free service for 2.0 units
    -No discount for 2.0 units (depending on dealers too)
To Improve
I felt cheated by the advertisement/brochure of NAZA KIA that cerato 2.0 comes with auto leveling HID lamp, which i made a complaint. NAZA KIA said, they have right to remove anything prior consent. Its ridiculous!!!
Yes, I would recommend this car
Date Reviewed
30 May 2014
Performance
Ride & Handling
Comfort
Safety
Space
Value
Ivan
1.6 (2014)
Bought new, Owned for 1 Year
Fuel Economy: 12.5 km/litre (8.0 L/100 km), RON95, Mileage: 1,000 km/month
    - nice looking
    - welcome lights,smart key,paddle shift,memory power seat…
    - value for money, 8 inch DVD HU
    - very comfortable car with safety features.
    - no leather seat for 1.6
To Improve
Improve the reception of the FM antenna
Yes, I would recommend this car
Date Reviewed
27 May 2014
Performance
Ride & Handling
Comfort
Safety
Space
Value
alex
1.6 (2014)
Bought new, Owned for 1 Year
RON95, Mileage: 500 km/month
    - new generation, stylish,sexiest car!
    - welcome lights,smart key,paddle shift,memory power seat…
    - value for money! Just my car is without 8 inches Dvd player!
    - very comfortable and safety car with many safety features.
    - 1st batch car owner! My car dont have DVD player!!wtf!
    - no free service~~
    - fool by Naza as an early bird owner!
    - Never become early bird especially want to buy Kia new launch car!!
To Improve
- For Kia 1.6, should loaded 16 inches rim and dont nexen tyres for better oil consumption…
- Naza Kia should improve better relationship to previous owner !! I feel cheated by Naza Kia after owned this K3!!
- Naza Kia please get ready more spare parts and dont let owner waiting so long for spoil spare parts exchange…
- Naza Kia have to improvement about technical support for Kia Cerato!
Yes, I would recommend this car
Date Reviewed
26 May 2014
Performance
Ride & Handling
Comfort
Safety
Space
Value
Eric
1.6 (2014)
Bought new, Owned for 7 Years
Fuel Economy: 12.0 km/litre (8.3 L/100 km), RON95, Mileage: 200 km/month
    - Value for money
    - Welcome light,
    -Stylish spot 17" rims
    - 6 airbags
    - Auto push start
    - 6 speed transmission
    - Electronic Chromic mirror
    - Driver seat with memory
    - DLR
    - NO 8" HU for 1 batch !
    - NO 3 years free service !
    - Nexan Tires
    - High fuel consumption
To Improve
Never never be white mouse !
Yes, I would recommend this car
Date Reviewed
30 May 2014
Performance
Ride & Handling
Comfort
Safety
Space
Value
Chan
1.6 (2014)
Bought new, Owned for 1 Year
Fuel Economy: 8.0 km/litre (12.5 L/100 km), RON95, Mileage: 1,200 km/month
    value money compare to Japan car
    good exterior
    full of gadgets
    non impressive fuel consumption
To Improve
should change new engine / gearbox
Yes, I would recommend this car
Date Reviewed
26 May 2014
Performance
Ride & Handling
Comfort
Safety
Space
Value
steven
1.6 (2014)
Bought new, Owned for 1 Year
RON95, Mileage: 800 km/month
    - Price for the features is worth the money. Six Airbag, Leather seat, sun roof, welcome light, head lamp delay and etc.
    -Comfy when cruising alone.
    -Stylish
    - Soundproof are not as per expected.
    - Not equip with a alarm.
    - Soft Suspension
To Improve
Price for new car change very frequently. Bad Planning and price control from NAZA KIA.
Service Center from KIA are not professional enough.
Yes, I would recommend this car
Date Reviewed
23 May 2014
Performance
Ride & Handling
Comfort
Safety
Space
Value
Brendan
1.6 (2014)
Bought new, Owned for 1 Year
Fuel Economy: 12.5 km/litre (8.0 L/100 km), RON95, Mileage: 1,800 km/month
    - Choked full of features
    - Top notch fitting and materials
    - Sexy exterior and eye catching rear LED lights
    - Rear aircond vents
    - Premium safety features at bargain price
    - Handling on the softer side
    - Disappointing Head Unit although the latest batch comes with a 8" HU
    - Pickup not as good as some B-segment cars
To Improve
- Improve the handling of the car, needs more composure in bumpy corners.
- Additional front parking sensors to cover the front instead of the sides only.
- Boot access car seat release from the cabin instead of the boot.
Yes, I would recommend this car
Date Reviewed
22 May 2014
Performance
Ride & Handling
Comfort
Safety
Space
Value
CS
1.6 (2014)
Bought new, Owned for 2 Years
Fuel Economy: 13.0 km/litre (7.7 L/100 km), RON95, Mileage: 3,500 km/month
    1.A very comfortable ride with full of safety features such as 6 Airbags, ABS, TCS, ESC, VSC, etc at affortable price.
    2. Eye catching exterior design with spacious cabin.
    3. Oustanding NVH.
    4. Stable 1.6l power plant coupled with smooth 6AT transmission.
    5. Accurate and useful reseve camera and it is useful when doing reverse parking.

    1. Average handling experience especially the cornering.
    2. Fabric material seats.
To Improve
1. To improve on handling issue.
Even though it is designed as a family comfort car but it should not compromised on handling.
2. ECO Mode
KIA Cerato Malaysia should include the ECO mode to both variants for improving the fuel consumption especially to benefit the urban owners.
Yes, I would recommend this car
Date Reviewed
22 May 2014
Performance
Ride & Handling
Comfort
Safety
Space
Value
Kalai
1.6 (2014)
Bought new, Owned for 2 Years
Fuel Economy: 11.0 km/litre (9.1 L/100 km), RON95, Mileage: 200 km/month
    Abundant of features that only found mostly in higher end cars. nice design and good supporting seats. reverse camera and navi are extremely useful.
    bad aftersales. faced problems with the start up button, when the car was brought to Kia service, the problem cannot be fixed. went almost ten times and the reason of the problem could not even be recognized. the interior quality isn't as high as it may look. rattling sound from the side doors.
To Improve
aftersales. Kia services is extremely poor. perhaps they need better qualified technicians
Yes, I would recommend this car
Date Reviewed
22 May 2014
Performance
Ride & Handling
Comfort
Safety
Space
Value
Jerry
1.6 (2014)
Bought new, Owned for 1 Year
Fuel Economy: 10.0 km/litre (10.0 L/100 km), RON95, Mileage: 1,260 km/month
    - C Segment with this price is value for money
    - comfort when cruisng high speed on highway
    - very good NVH
    - Nice front LED Daytime Running Light & LED Taillight can catch lot of eyeball :D
    - Safety features of the car : 6 Airbag , ABS , EBD , ESC , TCS
    - Flex Steer with 3 mode : Sport , Normal & Comfort is very convenience use. For me when parking change to comfort is easy to turn the steering and Sport when cruising at high speed
    - got some small noise coming out from the B Pillar
    - higher fuel consumption compare with Japan C Segment car
To Improve
Is very dissapointed that early owner cannot get the 8 inche HU & Free service offer
Yes, I would recommend this car
Date Reviewed
22 May 2014
Performance
Ride & Handling
Comfort
Safety
Space
Value
Wafa
2.0 (2014)
Bought new, Owned for 1 Year
Fuel Economy: 7.3 km/litre (13.7 L/100 km), RON95, Mileage: 5,000 km/month
    The gadgets are fantastic. When I was looking for a new second car, I was looking at other C-Segment main contenders; Ford Focus, Honda Civic, Hyundai Elantra, VW Jetta, Toyota Altis, Kia Cerato and Proton Inspira. I compared the price, running costs, performance, equipment, comfort and ride, and also fuel consumption. And thenI also came across Paul Tan's review on Cerato, Focus and Civic. He recommended the Cerato.

    Based on the review and study done, I decided on the Cerato 2.0 for its value and overall abilities. For the price I am paying for the Cerato, I am getting super value and comfort out of it. If the same spec were to be chosen for the other models, I would have to fork out at leats RM20k more. And furthermore, its inclusive of 3 years free service which I thought was just the icing on the cake.

    I am getting about 7.3km/l for my 2.0 Cerato clocking 5,000km a month. Great value! The decision was finally made when I fell in love with the rear lights and design. SEXY!
    The KIA brand itself is normally associated with cheap and unattractive cars. KIA has grown and improved so much since then. The resale value is strong ever since they introduced the Forte. The build quality is brilliant. The design is sleek. Lots of modern equipment for GREAT value.
To Improve
The Sat-Nav application could be improved. Its useable and ok... but would have loved if the radio console uses an Android based application such as Waze.
Yes, I would recommend this car
Date Reviewed
22 May 2014
Performance
Ride & Handling
Comfort
Safety
Space
Value
KC
1.6 (2014)
Bought new, Owned for 1 Year
Fuel Economy: 12.0 km/litre (8.3 L/100 km), RON95, Mileage: 2,000 km/month
    -Awesome looking exterior, both front & rear. LED-combi rear and DRL front. Aerodynamic design.
    -Interior dashboard quality are all soft touch plastic, everything interior are solid, material are total continental-car-like
    -1.6 DCVVT engine with smooth 6speed gearbox. 140HP, high numbers for its size.
    -Very low NVH ride of it's class, comfortable.
    -Top notch 5stars safety rating
    -For the equal features and specs, there's no other better value for money than this
    -Bluetooth phone connection is something worth mentioning for ppl like me who calls often, clear voice quality, recipient don't even realise i'm using bluetooth handsfree.
    -as a 1st batch owner, our vehicle don't have GPS navigation and 7" display like 2014 owner.
    -Too soft rear suspension like any other C-segment, coz most of C-segment dont use multilink suspension like D-segment for rear and it's tuned to "comfort" hence the soft rear spring rate, on full loading of passenger car will bottom when going thru humps.
    -Due to its sleek bodyline design, tall person sitting in rear will have a little problem of headroom space.
To Improve
-The rear passenger seat are quite straight, could adjust more backward for better comfort.
-Could SLIGHTLY stiffen the rear spring, overly stiffen suspension are good for handling but no comfort.
Yes, I would recommend this car
Date Reviewed
22 May 2014
Performance
Ride & Handling
Comfort
Safety
Space
Value
Ahmad
1.6 (2014)
Bought new, Owned for 1 Year
Fuel Economy: 10.0 km/litre (10.0 L/100 km), RON95, Mileage: 1,000 km/month
    -Superb NVH.
    -Smooth engine. Very nippy and sprightly 1.6L engine. Not at all underpowered, enough for overtaking on long highway journeys) (if you drive within the speed limit)
    -Comfortable on long journeys.
    -Spacious interior. Big boot.
    -Very well equipped even for the 1.6L variant (2014 CKD). ( decent 8' touchscreen with built-in GPS (Speednavi), Continental tyres, full safety (6 airbags, stability and traction control), 10 way power seats with memory, front parking sensor, DRL, cruise control, pedal shifters, reverse camera, basically all the bells and whistles of a modern car).
    -Sexy looks, looks more expensive than it actually is.
    -Comes with 3 years free service.
    -Average fuel economy in city driving.
    -Steering feels a bit numb and artificial.
To Improve
-Suspension, would like a balance between comfort on handling.
-The 8' touchscreen user interface, looks a bit cheap and aftermarket-ish.
Yes, I would recommend this car
Date Reviewed
30 May 2014
Performance
Ride & Handling
Comfort
Safety
Space
Value
Ch
1.6 (2014)
Bought new, Owned for 1 Year
RON95, Mileage: 1,000 km/month
    - full of gadgets
    - beautifully designed
    - value for money
    - 6 air bags
    - Acceleration lacking
To Improve
Bring in eco mode and sports mode
Yes, I would recommend this car
Date Reviewed
21 May 2014
Performance
Ride & Handling
Comfort
Safety
Space
Value
Lim
1.6 (2014)
Bought new, Owned for 1 Year
Fuel Economy: 8.5 km/litre (11.8 L/100 km), RON95, Mileage: 1,900 km/month
    - Happy Revving 1.6L engine.
    - Smooth 6 Speed Gearbox.
    - Boot Space is good.
    - Comfortable ride.
    - Well support seats for the driver and front passenger. Back seats leg room is good as well.
    - Loads of tech stuff. (Color 4" HU, Bluetooth, Aux, USB, Rear Chromic Mirror, Side Mirror Puddle Light, Reverse Cam, Auto Climate Control, 6 Speaker System, Keyless Entry, Push Start Button and not to mention 10 way Electric Driver seat)
    - Safety feature doesn't come with high price, as it come with ABS, EBD, TCS, HSA, Parking Sensor System & 6 Air Bags.
    - Handling is not that great as body roll is in every corner.
To Improve
A better set of suspension will be good to match the engine and the gear box.
Yes, I would recommend this car
Date Reviewed
21 May 2014
Performance
Ride & Handling
Comfort
Safety
Space
Value
Steven
2.0 (2014)
Bought new, Owned for 1 Year
Fuel Economy: 11.0 km/litre (9.1 L/100 km), RON95, Mileage: 2,000 km/month
    -Best Value for money car in this segment
    -Lots of gadgets and safety equipment
    -Large cabin with real air cond vent
    -Beautiful DRL and tail lamp
    -Ventilated, 10 way power adjustable with memory driver seat (2.0)
    -Free 3 years service and 5 years warranty
    -Average handling
    -Non impressive fuel consumption
    -Bumpy suspension in uneven road
    -Resales value (for those who worried)
To Improve
Overall a very good car which is quite comfort to ride. The cabin is big enough to carry your family out and the rear air cond vent is value added. Safety feature is also the highlight of the car.
Kia need to improve with it fuel consumption by having ECO button, stop/start function or newer transmission. The DRL cannot be turned off even if your car is not moving. Handling could be better. Provide more trip information for the beautiful colour panel.
Yes, I would recommend this car
Date Reviewed
30 May 2014
Performance
Ride & Handling
Comfort
Safety
Space
Value
Ryan
1.6 (2014)
Bought new, Owned for 1 Year
Fuel Economy: 11.0 km/litre (9.1 L/100 km), RON97, Mileage: 800 km/month
    Good safety features, plenty of toys and aggressive exterior styling.
    Air conditioning not as cold as Japanese car, numb steering and noise from the wheels.
To Improve
Please improve the air conditioning system, alarm system and sound system.
Yes, I would recommend this car
Date Reviewed
21 May 2014
Performance
Ride & Handling
Comfort
Safety
Space
Value
Simon
2.0 (2014)
Bought new, Owned for 1 Year
Fuel Economy: 11.0 km/litre (9.1 L/100 km), RON95, Mileage: 1,500 km/month
    - Very good NVH even at high speeds
    - Feels very solid and well built for a sub 120k car
    - Outstanding safety features (6 airbags, ESC, VSC ...etc)
    - Power ports are aplenty
    - 10-way electric seats with 2 memory settings and comes with ventilated seats
    - Noticeable body-roll when handling corners
    - Could come with better sound system
    - High fuel consumption comparing to other known Japanese cars in the same segment
To Improve
- Earlier buyers with 4.3 inch Touch Screen could be given an option to upgrade to the now bigger touch screen with a minimal price. Similarly, earlier buyers (first batch) are given Nexus tires, which is known to have reported cases on burst tires for no reason on Kia K5 and K3.
- I also wish that all the general reported problems, such as the noticeable vibration in the cabin would be tested and fixed before delivery instead of the car owners to get it fix. Other more commonly reported problem are fogged headlamps, scratching noises when steering wheel are turned should be resolved as well.
Yes, I would recommend this car
Date Reviewed
20 May 2014
Performance
Ride & Handling
Comfort
Safety
Space
Value
Infinity
1.6 (2014)
Bought new, Owned for 1 Year
Fuel Economy: 13.0 km/litre (7.7 L/100 km), RON95, Mileage: 2,500 km/month
    - Good equipment list
    - Quiet
    - Nice interior and exterior design
    - Very poor handling - sampan feeling
    - Poor steering feel - no confidence during high speed cornering
    - Bumpy and harsh ride
To Improve
- Handling is so poor. My previous rides Wira and Myvi, was much better.
- The ride should be more supple and comfortable.
- This car is not a drivers car
Yes, I would recommend this car
Date Reviewed
20 May 2014
Performance
Ride & Handling
Comfort
Safety
Space
Value
Tommy
2.0 (2014)
Bought new, Owned for 1 Year
Fuel Economy: 12.0 km/litre (8.3 L/100 km), RON95, Mileage: 1,000 km/month
    Rear LED Light design
    Got Advance Spec compare to same range
    Ventilation Chair
    6 air bag


    Sound Proof not good when driving above 100km/h, can heard wind sound
To Improve
Malaysia version don't have ECO mode
Yes, I would recommend this car

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