- Decent interior space and comfort
- Comfortable ride
- Comfortable rear seats
- Engine noise
- Light, overly-assisted steering lacks feel
- Offset driver’s seat has unsupportive cushion
- Suspension lacks body control
Review: Kia LD.I Cerato (2004-05)
Overview
Released in July 2004, the Kia LD Series I (LD.I) Cerato was a small, front-wheel drive sedan. Manufactured in Hwasung, South Korea, the Cerato was powered by a 2.0-litre four-cylinder petrol engine. Transmission options consisted of five-speed manual or four-speed automatic units, the latter featuring ‘fuzzy logic’ which adapted gearshift behaviour to driving and terrain.
G4GC ‘Beta’ engine
The 2.0-litre G4GC ‘Beta’ petrol engine had a cast iron block, an alloy cylinder head, double overhead camshafts (chain-driven), four valves per cylinder, continuously variable intake valve timing (CVVT) and a compression ratio of 10.1:1.
Dimensions
Based on the Hyundai XD Elantra , the LD Cerato sedan was 45 mm shorter (at 4480 mm), 28 mm wider (1753 mm) and 45 mm taller (1470 mm), but had the same length wheelbase (2610 mm).
Suspension
The LD Cerato had MacPherson strut front suspension and semi-independent, multi-link rear suspension.
| Body | Engine | Trans. | Peak power | Peak torque |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4dr sedan | 2.0-litre petrol I4 | 4sp auto, 5sp man. |
101 kW at 6000 rpm | 182 Nm at 4000 rpm |
Safety equipment
Standard safety equipment included dual front airbags and front seatbelts with pretensioners and load limiters.
Features
Standard Cerato features included a six speaker sound system with CD player, air conditioning, cruise control, front and rear fog lights, split and folding rear seats, remote central locking, power windows and heated mirrors, a tilt adjustable steering wheel, tinted windows and an immobiliser.
Review: Kia LD.II Cerato (2005-08)
Overview
Released in November 2005, the LD Series II (LD.II) Cerato introduced a five-door hatchback model and retuned engines. The LD.II Ceratos were also distinguished by being sold as ‘EX’ variants, though features were substantially the same as the LD.I Cerato.
| Variant | Body | Engine | Trans. | Peak power | Peak torque |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| EX | 4dr sedan, 5dr hatch |
2.0-litre petrol I4 |
4sp auto, 5sp man. |
105 kW at 6000 rpm | 186 Nm at 4000 rpm |
Euro NCAP crash testing
In Euro NCAP crash testing , a five-door Cerato hatchback with a 1.6-litre engine received a three star adult occupant protection rating with a score of 19.9. In the frontal offset crash test, protection from serious leg injury was marginal for the driver, while chest protection was marginal for the passenger. In the side impact test, chest protection was poor and abdomen protection was weak for the driver.
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