Citroen C3 vs Kia Cerato
What's the difference?

Citroen C3

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2023 price

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Kia Cerato

$14,984 - $31,990

2022 price

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Mercedes-Benz A-Class

Summary

2023 Citroen C3

2022 Kia Cerato

By James Cleary

By Tim Nicholson

Safety Rating

Engine Type

Turbo 3, 1.2L

Turbo 4, 1.6L

Fuel Type

Unleaded Petrol

Fuel Efficiency

5.2L/100km (combined)

6.9L/100km (combined)

Seating

Likes

Equipment
Design
Space efficiency

Peppy turbocharged engine
Modern simple multimedia system
Massive boot

Dislikes

Price
Sub-par refinement
Ownership costs

Harsh ride quality
Unrefined, noisy cabin
Ageing interior design

2023 Citroen C3 Summary

You’re a city dweller on the hunt for a small hatch, but the usual suspects just don’t do it for you. Time for a trip down the urban road less travelled.

The Citroen C3 fits the bill in terms of scale, but brings something extra when it comes to personality. A fun-sized European with the ability to surprise and delight.

It comes at a price, though. So, is the promise of some extra excitement in your motoring life worth it? Read on to find out.

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2022 Kia Cerato Summary

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.

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Deep dive comparison

2023 Citroen C3 2022 Kia Cerato

Verdict

The Citroen C3’s plus column contains some big ticket items like a solid standard equipment list, design flair, generous interior space, an eager engine, good safety and a comfy suspension. However, the minus side of the ledger isn’t exactly empty, with entries like steep price, marginal perceived quality, poor cabin storage, sub-par refinement, okay economy, and high ownership costs.

But there’s no doubt this car delivers a different, adventurous take on the city-sized hatch, and for you, that alone may count for more than any of those things.

Verdict

Kia has value and packaging on its side with the sleek and spunky Cerato GT sedan. There’s no shortage of standard gear, it comes with the latest multimedia and safety gear and the cabin and cargo area are spacious and practical.

The powertrain is a winner too. Which is why it’s such a shame that it’s let down so badly by the ride quality.

If you’re going to be driving on various road surfaces, or regularly driving long distance, check out the far more compliant Hyundai i30 N-Line instead.

But if you’ll only ever drive in urban areas – or enjoy the occasional back-road blast – and you can handle the firm ride, there’s still plenty to like about the Cerato GT.

Citroen C3 vs Kia Cerato What's the difference?

Summary

Deep dive comparison

Verdict

Verdict

Citroen C3 vs Kia Cerato
What's the difference?