Driving along the other night amongst a sea of traffic, my eyes were drawn to a set of rear-lights unlike anything else on the road. I could not recognise what car it was, and that really bothered me. As it turned out, those unique luminescent tail-lights belonged to a Kia Cerato, quite possibly one of the most underrated cars in the country today.
A mere ten years ago, I would not even have taken a second look at a Korean car, so it’s simply amazing just how far they’ve come in a decade. The brand has never looked better under the ownership of Naza Kia Malaysia, and following the launches of the New Kia Optima K5 in January and the New Kia Sportage in March, they’ve just launched another variant of the Cerato, called the CeratoKx.
“The CeratoKx caters to the practical needs of daily use based on the extensive features offered which in turn gives more value added to the new price range,” said Datuk Hafiz Syed Abu Bakar, Chief Operating Officer of Naza Kia Malaysia.
CeratoKx Highlights: Kia’s signature ‘Tiger Nose’ radiator grille features a geometrical lattice pattern that sets off the CeratoKx’s stylish profile along with frontal projector halogen headlamps and LED Daytime Running Light (DRL) for optimal visibility. The tail end is flanked by rear combination lamps bulb-type with rear fog lamp that is a uniquely Kx design. Additionally, the Smart Welcoming Light system presents puddle lamps that automatically sense the Smart Key and lights up the car ground while pocket lights illuminate the door handle. The CeratoKx’s interior features a flex steer system, rear view camera, front and rear parking assist system,push start ignition, smart key and keyless entry, an 8” touch screen LCD with audio GPS navigation and Bluetooth steering control. Under the hood of the CeratoKx is Kia’s Gamma 1.6 MPI D-CVVT Engine which produces 130 PS and 157 Nm of torquemated to a six-speed automatic transmission.
History: The Cerato was Kia’s second best-selling model globally in 2013 after the Rio. Since its worldwide launch in 2013, the Cerato has won ‘Best Compact Sedan’ by Cars.com, named among ‘Ten Best Interiors for 2013’ by Wards Automotive, rated Number One in ‘The $20,000 Compact Sedan Challenge’ by USA Today & Cars.com and ‘Family Car of the Year 2013’ by New Straits Times (NST) – Maybank Car of the Year 2013 awards.
Buyers who book and register a Cerato model will be rewarded with a Petrol Card worth RM1,000. This offer is applicable only for the CeratoKx variant at all authorised Kia branches and dealers nationwide. The on-the-road price for the CeratoKx is RM89,888 in Peninsular Malaysia. The CeratoKx comes with a five-year unlimited mileage warranty.
It’s a big car too, having driven one for a brief spell recently, and I recall being suitably impressed with not just its interior and ergonomics, but its refinement, driving characteristics ride and handling as well. Based on the competition its going up against, it can hold its headlights up high, and that’s saying a lot. Its more affordable price now actually puts it closer to the B-segment, and well worth checking out.
