New Cerato Sports+ Vs GT, Is It Worth Paying The Extra $6000?

lehendx123 on 03/11/2021 - 15:10
Last edited 03/11/2021 - 15:59

Hi all,

I need a car soon for commuting from home to work and been eyeing on the new Kia Cerato (new logo looks good) so just wanting some opinions and the reputation of Kia these days.

The key difference i've found were the engine and existence of sunroof.

Sports+ ($31,490) - Got price of $30,990 from a dealer
112kw 2.0L MPI Petrol (Naturally aspirated)
Leather appointed seats

GT ($36,990)
150kw 1.6L T-GDI Petrol (Turbo intercooled)
GT style exterior/interior (Red trim around exterior and red stitches in seats/steering wheel)
Sports leather appointed seats
Power drive electrical seats (2 memory settings)
Ventilated front seats
Sunroof
LED head, rear light
Wireless charging (Qi certified)
JBL speakers

All the safety features are equally equipped.

Do the features on GT justify the price difference of $6000?

All other recommendations are welcome.

My budget is around $35,000

Automotive Car Kia

Comments

  • bhubb18 on 03/11/2021 - 15:14
    +13

    ~40% increase in power + lots of other stuff.

    No brainer for me, but I'm not the one paying for it

    • HeWhoKnows on 04/11/2021 - 10:27
      -4

      And lets not forget that its a Kia!
      Much better cars for less

  • Muzeeb on 03/11/2021 - 15:25

    What are the differences in running and servicing costs?

    • lehendx123 on 03/11/2021 - 15:28

      Sports+
      5 years or 75,000km $309

      GT
      5 years or 50,000km $309

      Same price pretty much

      • Muzeeb on 03/11/2021 - 15:50

        $309 per service?

        Do they both use 91 octane?

        • lehendx123 on 03/11/2021 - 15:53

          Correct, only going to fuel in 95 or above

          • Muzeeb on 03/11/2021 - 16:03
            +1

            @lehendx123: Why? Pegaxs wants to know as well.

            • lehendx123 on 03/11/2021 - 16:13

              @Muzeeb: Just better mileages in general but E10 will be it for now til prices settle

              • SBOB on 03/11/2021 - 16:19
                +3

                @lehendx123:

                Just better mileage

                E10, sure.
                but regular 91 v 95, in a kia engine tuned for 91…
                you sure about that :)

              • Brian McGee on 03/11/2021 - 16:33
                +1

                @lehendx123:

                Fuel type recommended | Regular unleaded **
                **E10 Compatible.

                The advantage of running this car on 95 will be negligible, except to your wallet/bank account. 95 will not make your engine cleaner or smell like unicorn farts and fairy floss. The 20km 'extra' you get from the tank of 95 is the extra cost at the pump over E10.

  • apsilon on 03/11/2021 - 15:40
    +1

    Interesting you think the new logo looks good. You don't think it looks like KN now? I say that as someone who just bought a Kia BTW.

    Drive both but IMO, if the budget is there I'd say there's easily $6k of value there. I'd likely buy it for the engine alone.

    • coffeeinmyveins on 03/11/2021 - 15:41
      +1

      yeah i really don't dig the new logo. Makes me think of a cheap chinese knockoff for some reason. but to each their own.

      • coxjon on 03/11/2021 - 15:46

        Yep, it’s too big too!

    • lehendx123 on 03/11/2021 - 15:53

      Yeah it does kind of look like KN but just thought it looks much more simple than the kia in circle.

  • ily on 03/11/2021 - 15:54
    +2

    the power increase is substantial.

  • USER DC on 03/11/2021 - 16:15

    I am waiting for new entry level Gas cars to drop to ~$15000, before buying it hopefully in 2 years time prices will come back down

    • deme on 03/11/2021 - 16:20

      LPG? or Seppo Gas?

      • USER DC on 03/11/2021 - 16:25

        whatever cheapest decent cars like i20, or ascent, or yarris, or swift these kinda small hatches Petrol

        • deme on 04/11/2021 - 12:53

          Petrol isn't Gas though?

          • BartholemewH on 10/11/2021 - 02:34

            @deme: Not sure why you were negged, it's a liquid for a start.

    • spackbace on 03/11/2021 - 16:43
      +7

      Cars… dropping in price?

      Whatever drugs you're on, can I have some?

    • Brick Tamland on 09/11/2021 - 16:14

      prices won't drop, current market is the new normal

  • SBOB on 03/11/2021 - 16:18

    wife has the same engine (although detuned) in a Seltos GT.
    Goes well enough so definitely worth the better performance (and stuff like ventilated seats and sunroof are also nice. Wish hers had memory position seats though :/ )

    If the $6k isnt a game stopper i would say its worth it .

  • djkelly69 on 03/11/2021 - 16:25

    Not sure how much has changed recently, but when I test drove the GT about 20 months ago the harsh ride put me off the car completely. I was weighing it up against an i30 N-Line which is what I went with. Few better inclusions on the GT but I couldn't live with a ride that firm.

    So would recommend a test drive if you haven't already.

    • lehendx123 on 03/11/2021 - 16:48

      How's the i30 N-Line? I've actually been looking into that one too

      • djkelly69 on 03/11/2021 - 17:14
        +1

        I love it, great on fuel but plenty of go if you need it. No issues so far but relatively early days.

        Styling is a bit more subtle than the GT which suits me, but may not be for everyone.

        I would have loved the LED lights and ventilated seats but couldn't justify the extra $6k for an N-Line Premium. So if the GT ride is improved, it could be a very competitive option.

      • gmozz on 04/11/2021 - 09:33

        Had exactly the same experience 2 years ago. Found the GT too firm and went with an N-Line. The Kia dealer said they get that response a lot.

        The Kia was the better vehicle in terms of inclusions and interior in my opinion, so if they’ve softened the suspension a bit then it would be a very hard choice now.

    • greencomet on 03/11/2021 - 16:52

      Kia have done some work on the update, the suspension is still firm but apparently much better than it was.

    • gjk on 04/11/2021 - 07:12

      Too firm a ride on the GT was my experience also, so I ended up with Sports+. No regrets here for a commuter car.

    • ernest as on 04/11/2021 - 08:11

      Did the same as you, drove the GT and Sport+ back to back. The DSG hesitation and the firm ride killed it there and then, nicely appointed inside, but no sale. Went to talk to the Toyota people.

  • pharkurnell on 03/11/2021 - 16:40
    +2

    They chuck a "sports" or "GT" badge on anything these days don't they

  • spackbace on 03/11/2021 - 16:44

    I need a car soon

    I trust you've asked them about wait times?

    • lehendx123 on 03/11/2021 - 16:48

      I've seen few Ceratos in-stock ready to drive away. Stocks confirmed by dealers across Sydney

      • Muzeeb on 03/11/2021 - 17:04
        +1

        Can also confirm. My local Kia dealership has plenty of new stock in the yard surprisingly. The same can't be said for the Toyota, Hyundai or Mazda dealership.

        • pharkurnell on 03/11/2021 - 19:12

          Probably a reason for that…LOL

        • Emli on 04/11/2021 - 09:20

          Not in WA. Have been waiting three months for a Kia Cerato

    • apsilon on 03/11/2021 - 17:27

      Kia seems to only have stock issues with SUVs. Cars are fairly readily available off the lot.

  • greencomet on 03/11/2021 - 17:01
    +5

    No brainer for me, for 6k not only are you getting quite a bit more power/torque, you're getting a whole bunch of extra kit that will make it nicer to live with. LED headlights are a must on any new car imo, ventilated front seats are awesome in summer, sunroof/stereo/electric seats aren't essential but they're nice to have. Keep in mind you'll also be getting a much better multi-link rear suspension setup, instead of the cheap torsion beam setup by going for the GT.

    Sending the extra 6k on a car will make you sad once, but having a new car that's gutless, has a torsion beam rear end, is missing led headlights and other nice luxury features would make me sad every time I drove it.

  • Drakesy on 03/11/2021 - 19:10

    112kw is anaemic
    150kw is better, still only a mildly warm car.

    I'd go a secondhand golf gti/stinger for the same price as the GT. Much more fun to be had. Kia ceratos are, as reliable as they are, a bit bland.

    • SBOB on 03/11/2021 - 19:27

      go a secondhand golf gti/stinger for the same price as the GT

      Where are you seeing a decent stinger gt second hand for the same price as a new Cerato gt?
      Unless you want one with 100000+ks on it already..

      • Drakesy on 03/11/2021 - 19:44

        https://www.carsales.com.au/cars/details/2018-kia-stinger-33…
        And thats with covid tax
        That was Easy

        • brendanm on 03/11/2021 - 20:10

          That's got 100k on it?

        • SBOB on 03/11/2021 - 20:11
          +5

          Scraped it under the 100000km mark :)

          Still, telling someone looking at a new car to instead buy something with 100000ks on it
          Not exactly a 'sensible' suggestion

          • Drakesy on 04/11/2021 - 00:39

            @SBOB: True
            But then again buying a brand new car isn't exactly sensible either

          • Ade99 on 04/11/2021 - 08:09

            @SBOB: A valid option assuming the price reflects to added risk of buying a '100k KM' car.

        • coffeeinmyveins on 04/11/2021 - 09:39
          +1

          100k, expired rego, looks dirty in the pics (with marks on the seats). No thanks.

          • SBOB on 04/11/2021 - 11:11
            +1

            @coffeeinmyveins: what dealer doesnt clean the cocaine off the passenger seat before taking pics :)

    • Muzeeb on 03/11/2021 - 19:36
      +1

      WTF are you banging on about?

    • Ade99 on 04/11/2021 - 08:08
      -1

      KW gives you better top speed whilst torque gives you acceleration…….As generally limited to 100 kph on motorways prefer good torque numbers.

  • Euphemistic on 03/11/2021 - 20:19

    If you only want for

    commuting from home to work

    Spend the least your ego can afford. It’s not worth the extra $6k to sit in traffic just to get street cred from a badge.

  • lainey13 on 03/11/2021 - 20:49

    Have you test driven both engine types? You might find one a lot better to drive (eg the turbo). Also, will the car have different drivers? Electric seats are a MUST if you're changing drivers or you'll get a sore arm pumping the handle! Sunroof is also nice to have.

  • BrettSh on 04/11/2021 - 09:01

    Have you driven both?

    To me there are the significant differences:

    Certao Sport
    112kW at 6200rpm and 192Nm (4000rpm) service interval 15,000 km or 12 months. Torsion Beam Axle rear suspension.

    Cerato GT
    150kW at 6200rpm and 265Nm (1500-4500rpm) service interval 10,000 km or 12 months. Michelin Pilot Sport 4 (good) tires and multi-link rear suspension.

    While there is some truth to the saying you should by the cheapest car your ego can afford, I personally would stump up the extra money for the GT as (on paper at least) it looks like more fun to drive. It's got a lot more mid-range torque more sporty suspension and better tires.

    Of course the GT will require servicing more often and cost more up front. So, it depends which of those things are more important to you.

    One option to a Cerato is the Hyundai i30 which comes as hatch and sedan now that Hyundai has done away with the Elantra badge in Oz. The Cerato & i30 share a lot of components.

  • OzHunterNSW on 04/11/2021 - 09:39

    Go the GT

  • Yonaton on 04/11/2021 - 09:40

    The engine upgrade on the GT alone is almost worth the extra $5k. It is not just about the extra power and torque, but alot more USABLE torque from a low rpm over a wide range.
    If your budget allows I think its a no brainer to go with the GT, oh and LED lights make a world of difference at night or in bad weather compared to the crappy halogen lights.

  • DardyMate on 04/11/2021 - 12:25

    I've driven both before when I was looking for a car.
    Definitely worth the upgrade. Now wishing I got it before for around $31-33k DA!
    But drive both for yourself, so you can see the difference. Good luck!

  • StickMan on 04/11/2021 - 13:54
    +1

    $37K is insane money for an A->B weekday commute car. Highly recommend going cheaper. Unless ofc you do have the money for it (most don't).

    Sunroof will let more heat in when it's parked. LED lights are useless because you'll be city driving and only in winter. Engine upgrade is cool if you actively drive, useless if you mostly casually chill in traffic. Ventilated seats are amazing for summer use, but you're driving this in morning/night when it's not so hot.

    Work out how much you save on the $7K as: interest off your house; interest on the car loan; investment at ~10% p.a. returns.

    • subsbligh on 09/11/2021 - 05:25

      You’re not wrong. Even the nicest car novelty wears off after 6 months and you start counting down the days to when you can put that loan money into investments

  • datc1 on 09/11/2021 - 09:32

    As a GT owner, I would definitely go with the GT. The cooling seats and extra power is enough to justify.

  • Brick Tamland on 09/11/2021 - 16:17

    Personally, I'd jump for the GT but if its strictly a commuter and for pottering around then the extra power is probably not worthwhile?

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