BMW 118i vs Kia Cerato

What's the difference?

There was a big kerfuffle a few years back when BMW made the decision to switch its entry-level 1 Series hatchback from a rear-drive platform to a newer, more efficient front-wheel drive architecture, shared with its Mini sister brand.

Despite the concerns of a few enthusiasts and motoring writers, the impact of the change in driven wheels hasn’t harmed the 1 Series’ reputation or sales.

As with the equivalent entry-level small car models from BMW’s premium rivals, the entry grade 118i is an expensive car for what you get.

But does the 118i hatch have enough charm to transcend the price and spec concerns?

Three years after the fourth-generation Cerato small car rolled into Australian dealerships, Kia launched a mid-life facelift for the sedan and hatch range in mid-2021.

It ushered in styling tweaks including new headlights and Kia’s new logo, as well as more safety tech and a multimedia upgrade.

At the top of the range sits the warmed-up Cerato GT. It’s not quite Hyundai i30 N-level performance, more i30 N-Line. In other words, more than enough performance to keep most people satisfied and enough poke to get away quickly at the lights.

But is the updated version of Kia’s Cerato trying to be something it’s not, or is it a performance bargain?

Read on to find out.