Test drive Kia Cerato (Spectra) Sedan 2004 - 2007 sedan

Step into the first echelon

Once I had to witness a characteristic scene in the car dealership: a picky buyer for a long time drove the seller’s nose along the flaws of the manufacture of the Lada, finally could not stand it and quit: what did you want for such and such money?! Something similar, although in a much less pronounced form, was present in relation to Korean cars, a low price made it possible to look through fingers at faceless design, cheap materials, conservative technical solutions, the small number of modifications, and the scarcity of equipment. Kia Cerato, who debuted in March at the Geneva Motor Show, pretty shook this performance, and we hastened to reduce a closer acquaintance with him by going to Estonia (ZR, 2004, No. 7). The diesel sedan confirmed the impressions, but what are serial machines? And finally, the official European presentation. Fifty cars, different bodies, motors, configuration, test, try, try!

Two bodies ...
In the lineup, Kia Novikov changed Sephia and the noise he is shorter, but wider and higher than his predecessors, moreover, it has a large base. Soft comfortable chairs, a pretty interior, a neat finish, a pleasant plastic is more like a European car than a Korean car.
However, it should be so, Kia Cerato is designed in the company's design center in Frankfurt, and production is established in Slovakia in the town of Zelin. The car is produced with two types of bodies of a five -door hatchback and a four -door sedan. The first is the role of a locomotive of sales in close Europe, the second should be more popular in the United States, where it will be sold under the name of the spectrum. Russia, formally related to the European market,, in its preferences closer to America, is loved by sedans. By the way, the manufacturer is contrary to the generally accepted practice that the larger and representative three -hubbler will be $ 500 cheaper than the hatchback than not the argument?!
Wait, wait! What is this with trunk numbers say one thing, and their eyes see completely different! Factory characteristics provide unexpected data on the volume of trunk, moreover, measured according to the SAE method, which are not released in Europe, giving the palm of the championship a five -door machine (see table.). Not being entitled to dispute them, let us comments, focusing on the VDA methodology, which we usually use. The sedan is only 140 mm longer than the hatchback, but has a much more voluminous trunk at first glance about 450 liters. If you fold the parts of the split back, a rather large hatch will open into the interior for transporting long -breeders. The hatchback volume of the luggage compartment is significantly smaller, the total three hundred liters, including due to the liner of the floor. Although the asset is traditional for this type of body, the convenience of transformation.

Four motors and two boxes ...
A long serpentine, lost in low clouds, stretched somewhere in the mountains, then twisting into a tight spiral, then thrown out with long arcs. The steering wheel sometimes had to shift almost from the stop to the stop all the more pleasant seemed a combination of intelligible control in corners with confident piloting in fast areas. The flexible motor agreed to take on any gear even with peaceful muttering on the fourth, even with a roar and screeching tires on the second. The secret is not only in a considerable class of 2 liters and capacities of 143 liters. p., but also in the VVT \u200b\u200bphase regulation system. The device that first appeared on KIA cars allows you to improve the return of the gasoline engine in a wide range of revolutions. The new 1.6-liter engine of its 105 liters has a calmer character. p., as often happens now, they are rically infuriated by environmental seconds and are unlikely to satisfy the gambling driver, rather, the choice of balanced pragmatics.
Another pair of units was also awarded by the definition for the first time, car Kia received not only gasoline, but also diesel engines: sixteen -valve, with a boost and power system Common Rail.
In standard trim levels, KIA Cerato is equipped with mechanical five -speed gearboxes with a comfortable handle and a clear switch. An adaptive machine appeared, which increases the cost of a car by a thousand dollars, it is put only on gasoline versions. The Korean has learned the rules of a good car tone now in order to move the selector, it is necessary to press the brake pedal, otherwise it is blocked.

And for everything
Kia Cerato is produced in two trim levels. The basic LX includes tinted glass, ABS, two front pillows, immobilizer, air conditioning, front electric windows, audio training for four speakers such a machine with a 1.6 liter engine and a sedan body stands in the company of Kia Sandol of the official distributor of Kia Motors in Russia 15 300 u. e. (1, e \u003d 30 rubles). Rickeeper EX equipment worth 16,400. e., there are fog lights, heating external mirrors and front seats, central locking, adjusting the height of the driver's seat, two side pillows and two full -sized curtains, the central armrest in the back, two assault lamps, the door lighting, and alloy wheels. In the list of options, the TCS traction system, the board, cruise control, light sensor, audio system, active head restraints, athermal glass, electric lover, leather interior, 16-inch discs with such a set and even two-liter engine and automatic machine will digest 22 thousand . And try to say that in this class you are used to more!
In Russia, sales of sedans started at the end of June, the hatchback will appear by the fall. The factory warranty is three years or 100 thousand km, dealer five years or 150 thousand km. In the United States, the conditions are even better than a special warranty program for 10 years or 100 thousand miles, despite the fact that the prices for the sedan start at $ 13,160.

Not every car of even a higher class can be sitting behind by throwing your foot on your foot. Cerato passengers, who has a record 898 mm to the back of the front seats, can afford it. However, in all other sizes, the novelty surpasses the grads such as Volkswagen Golf V, Renault Megan and Ford Focus. It is inferior by 2030 mm. It is Peugeot 307, and then only in height of the cabin in front and width from the back. So, according to the totality of parameters, Kia Cerato is a new leader in the class!
 


Yuri Nechetov. Photo by the author

A source: The magazine "Driving"