Kia Cerato Sport+ 2017 review: snapshot

EXPERT RATING
8.5

Likes

Looks positively premium outside
Leather seats and soft-touch plastics improve cabin ambience
Impressive road manners

Dislikes

Lacks AEB, even at this price point
Engine noise can be intrusive
Gearbox can feel overly fidgety
Andrew Chesterton

Contributing Journalist

2 min read

The Sport+ is the new top-of-the-range Cerato, following a rationalising of the range for 2018 and beyond. It sits atop the Sport and entry-level S in the three-model family.

At $27,290 no matter whether you opt for hatch or sedan, the Sport+ is near-enough $10k more expensive than the cheapest Cerato, but your extra investment buys you an Apple CarPlay and Android Auto-equipped seven-inch touchscreen as well as a standard navigation system.

You’ll find 17-inch alloy wheels, too, as well as a better steering wheel and a leather-wrapped instrument cluster, soft-touch door panels, carbonfibre-effect trim inserts, a cooling glovebox and illuminated mirrors in the visors. Leather-appointed seats make an appearance as well, and you also get gear-shift paddles on the steering wheel and vents for backseat passengers.

With just the one motor on offer right across the Cerato range, the Sport+ shares its 2.0-litre, four-cylinder unit, good for 112kW, with the cheaper members of the family. It partners with a six-speed automatic transmission and sends its power to the front wheels.

The Sport+ builds on the Cerato's six airbags (dual front, front-side and curtain), parking sensors and foglight by adding a reversing camera, but still misses out on AEB and more advanced technology, like lane-departure warning.

Read the full 2018 Kia Cerato review

Kia Cerato 2018: Sport+

Engine Type Inline 4, 2.0L
Fuel Type Unleaded Petrol
Fuel Efficiency 7.2L/100km (combined)
Seating 5
Price From $11,770 - $15,730
Safety Rating

Pricing Guides

$16,766
Based on 259 cars listed for sale in the last 6 months.
LOWEST PRICE
$7,490
HIGHEST PRICE
$23,990
Andrew Chesterton

Contributing Journalist

CarsGuide contributing journalist Andrew Chesterton is an award-winning Australian automotive reporter with more than 20 years of experience across newspapers, magazines, digital publishing and automotive corporate communications. Andrew began his journalism career at Sydney’s The Daily Telegraph and The Sunday Telegraph, reporting across business, courts, crime, property and state politics before moving into automotive journalism. He joined Top Gear Australia as its online editor in 2008, later being appointed editor of Top Gear New Zealand. He subsequently worked as an assistant editor during the Australian launch of the Daily Mail Australia, and as communications manager at FCA Australia, now Stellantis. His experience on both sides of the media industry gives him an unrivalled understanding of the automotive industry, and the relationship between car manufacturers, the media, and Australian consumers. Andrew’s work has appeared across leading automotive, news, business, luxury, travel and lifestyle publications, including CarsGuide, EV Central, DMARGE, The Sydney Morning Herald, Marie Claire, Top Gear, GQ Australia, The Australian, WISH Magazine, Boss Hunting, The West Australian, The Nightly, Women’s Day Australia, Carsales, NRMA, Men’s Health, CEO Magazine, Australian Financial Review and more.   Andrew specialises in industry news, vehicle reviews, policy,  performance and luxury cars, electric vehicles, automotive technology, EVs hybrid and plug-in hybrids, and the broader Australian new-car marketplace. In 2025, Andrew was named Newspress Australia News Journalist of the Year and was a finalist for the overall Journalist of the Year award. Earlier honours include Website of the Year wins at the Australian Magazine Awards and ACP Awards, the ACP Rising Star Award and recognition in the Bauer Media and News Ltd journalism awards. Expertise Electric, hybrid and plug-in hybrid vehicles Performance, luxury and supercars New-car reviews and road testing Australian automotive industry and new-car sales Chinese automotive brands and emerging manufacturers Utes, SUVs and family vehicles Automotive technology Policy Awards 2025 Newspress Australia News Journalist of the Year Featured Publications CarsGuide EV Central DMARGE The Sydney Morning Herald Marie Claire Top Gear GQ Australia The Australian WISH Magazine Boss Hunting The West Australian The Nightly Women’s Day Australia Carsales NRMA Men’s Health CEO Magazine Australian Financial Review The Daily Telegraph The Sunday Telegraph Note: The author, Andrew Chesterton, is a co-owner of Smart As Media, a content agency and media distribution service with a number automotive brands among its clients. When producing content for CarsGuide, he does so in accordance with the CarsGuide Editorial Guidelines and Code of Ethics, and the views and opinions expressed in this article are solely those of the author.
About Author
Disclaimer: The pricing information shown in the editorial content (Review Prices) is to be used as a guide only and is based on information provided to Carsguide Autotrader Media Solutions Pty Ltd (Carsguide) both by third party sources and the car manufacturer at the time of publication. The Review Prices were correct at the time of publication. Carsguide does not warrant or represent that the information is accurate, reliable, complete, current or suitable for any particular purpose. You should not use or rely upon this information without conducting an independent assessment and valuation of the vehicle.
Pricing Guide
$7,490
Lowest price, based on CarsGuide listings over the last 6 months.
For more information on
2018 Kia Cerato
See Pricing & Specs

Have you considered?

Suzuki Swift
Suzuki Swift
Hyundai I30
Hyundai I30
BYD Atto 1
BYD Atto 1
MG MG3
MG MG3
Check out more Hatchbacks
CarsGuide Logo

Rival reviews

Toyota Corolla 2017 review
6.9/10
Mazda 3 2017 review
7.5/10
Hyundai i30 2017 review
8.3/10

Comments