2012 Kia Cerato

Kia Cerato

Kia’s Cerato has always tried to catch the attention of buyers who want something a little edgier than the usual suspects. In both coupe and five-door form, it aimed to stand out from the Polo sedan, Corolla Quest, and Civic of its era—on paper at least. Every example you’ll find locally runs a petrol engine, mostly the naturally aspirated 1.6-litre, but the Koup brings a 1.6T GDi turbo if you’re after extra punch. Gearbox options are all auto or semi-auto, so you won’t find a manual in this batch. Pricing is pure mid-market used-car territory: from R99,500 up to R209,950, with most sitting near R140,000. Five cars on the market isn’t exactly a flood, but it’s enough to get a sense of what’s out there. These Ceratos are a decade old, give or take, with average mileage at 172,409 km. That’s a lot, but anyone shopping this age bracket knows the deal. The Koup 1.6T GDi at R209,950 is the most interesting if you want something a bit more lively, but whichever you choose, expect plenty of kilometres on the clock. South Africans have always been drawn to the Cerato Koup for its styling, especially when the Civic of the day looked so anonymous. You’re not finding anything new, so it’s all about condition and service records. That matters because with used metal like this, the specific variant fades in importance next to how well it’s been looked after. If you pack smart, you’ll find value, but don’t expect miracles—these are honest old cars now.