The Japanese car Toyota Corolla is a global bestseller, the sales figures of which many competitors can only dream of. At the same time, some skeptics are sure that buying a Corolla has become a habit, while there are many much more worthy and interesting cars. Most experts will not agree with this position.
But to be objective, you really need to compare the Corolla with some of its competitors. One of them is rightly the Korean sedan Kia Cerato. It is also Kia Cerato, since the name Kia Cerato has several translation options into Russian.
To determine the best car, you need to compare them according to the main characteristics and criteria.
General technical information
The current 4th generation Kia Cerato is presented as a front-wheel drive sedan of the European C-class. The debut took place in the USA (Detroit) in January 2018. Moreover, in the USA the car is called Kia Forte. In Russia, and already under the name Cerato, the car was shown at the end of August 2018.
The Korean sedan is built on a modernized platform from the 3rd generation. The engine has a transverse placement. More than 50% of the body consists of high-strength steel. The front suspension is independent with MacPherson struts and transverse stabilizers. The rear has a semi-independent design with a torsion beam and hydraulic shock absorbers. The steering mechanism is rack and pinion with integrated electric power steering. All brakes are disc, including ventilation on the front pair. Already from the start, the car is equipped with an ABS, EBD and BAS system.
Toyota Corolla also belongs to the C-class and has front-wheel drive. This is already the 12th generation in the history of the model. The latest version made its international debut in November 2018. In Russia, the car has been available since February 2021, having previously been trained for use in local conditions. In particular, the ground clearance was increased, the suspension settings were changed and some winter options were added.
New Toyota Corolla
Toyota Corolla is built on a front-wheel drive GAC platform with a transversely mounted engine. This trolley is a derivative of the TNGA modular platform. The body is steel, but the hood is aluminum. The suspension is completely independent. MacPherson struts were installed in front, and a multi-link system was used in the rear. There are anti-roll bars and hydraulic shock absorbers all around.
The steering mechanism is rack and pinion with built-in electric power steering. The brakes are all disc and work in conjunction with the standard ABS and EBD systems.
Exterior and dimensions
When choosing between a Cerato or Corolla, the first thing a potential buyer will look at is the exterior.
If you prefer a more sporty appearance, then the Korean will be the priority choice. It looks a lot like the Stinger model from Kia. The car is externally balanced, dynamic and interesting. Attracts a young audience of motorists.
The dimensions of the Kia Cerato fully correspond to the declared class:
- length 4640 mm;
- width 1800 mm;
- height 1440 mm;
- wheelbase 2700 mm;
- ground clearance 150 mm.
But the Toyota Corolla looks more restrained and respectable. In fact, this is a smaller copy of the Camry model, which gives objective advantages to the Corolla. At the same time, the car is not without sporty notes, relief shapes and an organic silhouette.
New Kia Cerato
The dimensions of the Corolla also easily fit into the golf class:
- length 4630 mm;
- width 1780 mm;
- height 1435 mm;
- wheelbase 2700 mm;
- ground clearance 150 mm.
Almost complete equality in size. Now it’s interesting to know how engineers and designers were able to take advantage of these dimensions when organizing the interior and trunk.
Common features
Traditionally, Toyota is perceived as a sportier car than the Korean Kia. However, we must admit that manufacturers took into account the needs of customers and made their car larger, more powerful and more maneuverable, so the comparison becomes unpredictable. Each car has a number of advantages, as well as some disadvantages. Both sedans handle well on the road, are roughly the same size, and have roomy but not excessive trunk space.
Both sedans have rather loud engines that can be heard in the cabin - this is a minus, but it can be called insignificant. Both models are equipped with such familiar options as power steering, parking control, and climate control in the cabin. Both Toyota and Kia have the ability to switch modes, the former has Sport / Standard , the latter has Eco/Normal/Sport .
Interior and luggage compartment
Since the Toyota Corolla, like its competitor Kia Cerato, belongs to the mid-budget class, it places somewhat higher demands on the quality of finishing and organization of the interior space.
The interior of the 12th generation Toyota Corolla is very modern, beautiful, progressive and solid in places. Although in the basic configuration the car looks much simpler. The gray plugs are unpleasantly surprising.
But the interior is well thought out, with excellent ergonomics and decent quality of materials used. The salon is 5-seater. The amount of space on the back seat is normal. Three people can sit, but maximum comfort is available for 2 people.
Toyota Corolla interior
The luggage compartment is average in the class and has 471 liters in stowed condition.
The interior of the Kia Cerato is no less interesting and modern. Moreover, in the basic configuration the Korean looks better than his Japanese opponent. In top trim levels there is natural equality.
At the same time, the Cerato has slightly more legroom for rear passengers, although the sofa is the same 3-seater. In terms of trunk space, the South Korean sedan again has superiority with its 502 liters.
As a result, South Korean designers managed the dimensions of their sedan a little better. But the weaker level of assembly and lower quality finishing materials do not speak in favor of the Cerato. The extent to which this is a significant drawback depends on the individual consumer.
For whom KIA Cerato or Toyota Corolla
When comparing, it turns out that sedans, despite the informal coincidence in class, are quite different in operating modes. Kia Cerato is more “glossy”, comfortable inside, but the steering wheel is not fully heated, but only in the grip areas.
This is clearly an “urban beauty”; the car behaves well on a flat road, but is not designed for driving over bumps and overcoming obstacles. Good for a woman or family who does not plan frequent trips to nature.
is more aggressive in appearance and driving style , its cross-country ability is higher, although the speed and power are slightly inferior. This is definitely a more brutal car. The car is not so comfortable, but it is quite possible to go on a long trip. In terms of budget, this C-class car is close to crossovers and vaguely has some features of such cars. Toyota is suitable for a man or a single lady. Loving travel and long trips out of town.
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Motors, gearboxes and their capabilities
The cars to be compared, represented by the Kia Cerato and Toyota Corolla, are still neck-to-nose. Therefore, it’s time to compare their technical characteristics by looking into the engine compartment.
You shouldn’t expect a huge range of engines and gearboxes from either a Japanese or South Korean sedan.
Let's start with a representative of the South Korean brand. There are only 2 engines available for the Kia Cerato on the Russian market. These are two 4-cylinder naturally aspirated petrol engines.
- The basic one is a 1.6-liter unit with 128 horsepower and 155 Nm of torque;
- The top-end is the 2.0-liter internal combustion engine with an output of 150 horsepower and a torque of 192 Nm.
The younger engine is combined with a 6-speed manual or 6-automatic transmission. There are no options for the older engine. Only a 6-speed automatic will be installed here.
Toyota Corolla engine
The declared dynamics when accelerating to 100 km/h range from 9.8 to 11.6 seconds. The maximum speed varies from 195 to 203 km/h. In the combined cycle, the car consumes from 7.1 to 7.4 liters of gasoline per 100 km. ways.
Since a comparative analysis of two cars is being carried out, such as the Cerato and Corolla, the presented characteristics need to be compared with the capabilities of the Japanese sedan. Then the comparison will claim maximum objectivity.
Toyota Corolla is equipped with only one engine available on the Russian market. This is a naturally-aspirated 4-cylinder petrol unit with a volume of 1.6 liters and a power of 122 horsepower with a torque of 153 Nm. It is standardly combined with a 6-speed manual transmission, but for an additional fee you can get a continuously variable transmission with a torque converter.
It's unlikely that anyone will be very impressed by the Corolla's driving characteristics. The sedan accelerates from zero to hundreds in 10.8-11 seconds. The maximum speed does not exceed 195 km/h. But fuel consumption is quite low. At 100 km. combined cycle routes require from 6.3 to 6.6 liters of gasoline.
Dynamics, power and maximum speed turned out to be better in the South Korean sedan. If you need a more dynamic car and are willing to sacrifice a difference in fuel consumption of about 1-1.5 liters, then the Kia Cerato will be a better option.
Engine Kia Cerato
However, it cannot be said that in real conditions the difference in consumption or dynamics will be very noticeable. Yes, the basic engines of the cars are identical. But Toyota can't offer anything other than its 122-horsepower engine. And between it and the 150-horsepower internal combustion engine from Cerato, the difference is more significant in terms of acceleration and maximum speed.
Test drive HyundaiElantra 2.0, KiaCerato 2.0, ToyotaCorolla 1.8
In our country, people drove golf-class sedans even before the invention of this very class - it’s just that, by and large, we didn’t have other cars before. And for many, their father’s and grandfather’s “Lada” and “Muscovites” formed the most desirable type of car, which now seems extremely traditional.
What is the sedan's appeal? Now that the market is full of all sorts of different cars, the answer to this question does not seem obvious. In terms of practicality, the three-volume body is far from ideal: hatchbacks and station wagons imply much wider possibilities for transformation when it comes to transporting goods. In favor of the sedan, you can come up with various arguments of any degree of persuasiveness, but the main argument will still be habit: the sedan is for all times, because it is a classic of the genre.
Recently, however, the four-door body has been experiencing serious competition from new formats: crossovers are enslaving the market. And yet, sedans have their own army of fans who cannot be seduced by a high seating position and high ground clearance, but can be lured by design, technology, equipment and God knows what else. What exactly? We decided to check this out by putting together a collection of three popular models. The main ringleader was the new Hyundai Elantra: a year ago the “Korean” got a new generation, and more recently it reached Russia. We took a Toyota Corolla, which had just undergone a restyling, to accompany him. And the third we called Kia Cerato - the most obvious rival for Japanese and Korean cars. All cars are equipped with the most powerful engines and automatic transmissions possible. So, let's try to figure out which of the three cars is ready to bring its owner maximum everyday joy.
TOYOTA COROLLA
The best-selling car in the world is the Toyota Corolla. This model has more lives than a cat: over half a century of its dizzying career, the car was reborn eleven times! In 2013, the Japanese celebrated the production of the 40 millionth copy - it was a car of the current generation, which has been produced since 2013. By the way, Corolla also used to imply body variety, but several generations ago it ceded this prerogative to the Auris model, which spun off from the “Royal” family.
Corollas have always been different from one another in different markets. However, this tradition has been preserved to this day: for example, in America this sedan looks completely different. We sell the so-called global model with a different body design. Despite having its own assembly plant near St. Petersburg, the car is brought to Russia from abroad from the Turkish Toyota plant and sold with three power units: 1.33 (99 hp), 1.6 (122 hp) and 1.8 (140 hp) l. The weakest engine is combined only with a “mechanics”, while the most powerful one has a variator by default. But the 1.6-liter engine is mated to both manual and CVT.
Quite recently, an updated Corolla went on sale, with its exterior and interior thoroughly retouched. The global bestseller began to look clearly more interesting, and yet Toyota still does not shine with beauty. However, this is just a matter of taste.
The interior of the Japanese sedan is much richer than that of the Kia, but the Corolla is still far from the German ideals. What's wrong? Well, for example, sitting behind the wheel. It seems that you can get comfortable without any problems, but after Hyundai and Kia, it seems that there is not enough range of steering wheel adjustments. The front seats are softer and more amorphous than in Cerato, however, in essence, they are in no way inferior to Korean furniture: yes, they seem looser, but they hold tightly in turns.
Veniamin Belikov
- Manager,
- Driving experience – 12 years,
- Car – VW Jetta
The Japanese car attracts primarily with its driving performance: it seems to be the most “natural” in sensations. There is a clear and honest steering wheel, which for me is the key to good handling; comfortable suspension and quite peppy engine. At first I was confused by the variator, but it is configured in a way that other “automatic machines” have never even dreamed of. And the interior is decorated nicely: the finishing materials and build quality are not satisfactory. “Toyota” seems the most comfortable due to the fact that it has a high dashboard - you feel protected in it. However, there are also disadvantages. I don’t understand why a car that costs a million and a quarter doesn’t have parking sensors. The rear view camera is, of course, good, but additional sound indication of approaching an obstacle is still missing. And, of course, it freezes the need to visit maintenance every ten thousand kilometers, which greatly increases the cost of maintaining the car.
Toyota boasts the most advanced multimedia device, but its main complaint is the lack of physical buttons. Everything here is sensor-based: both the screen itself and the “presses” around it. A particular failure is the volume control: poking at the drawn plus and minus is terribly inconvenient. The problem is partly solved by the buttons on the steering wheel, but even they cannot compare with the usual “round” volume control - like in Kia and Hyundai. And also this “piano varnish” on the center console, framing the music center. Hey, gentlemen, designers of automobile companies! How long, eh? The beauty is questionable, and during use the gloss quickly loses its presentation.
But in the back everything is not so smooth - even though there are no problems with space there. The process of sitting on the sofa is not overshadowed by anything, but there are fewer amenities here: there are no separate ventilation ducts or heating; and the center armrest is located too low - much lower than its counterparts on the door trims. But in a Toyota it is easier for three people to ride in the back row: there is more legroom for the one who is destined to sit in the center (there is practically no tunnel; and there is quite a long distance between its casing separating the front seats and the sofa cushion).
The trunk is approximately the same size as that of its competitors, and there are no special nuances in terms of transformation: you can only recline the backrest, creating a decent step instead of a flat loading area. Theoretically, the Toyota will accommodate the longest load - another plus. And as a minus, let's add the complete lack of devices for securing luggage.
The Corolla is fun to drive. Of course, there is no talk of any drive, but the car seems very lively and responsive. The variator works great: it deftly pulls the car along with the engine, without breaking the connection between what is desired and what is actually done. The steering wheel is filled with effort and information in equal measure: the steering wheel rotates a little harder than that of the Elantra, but the transparency of the drive of the Japanese is better. And one cannot help but note the obvious fact that the sound insulation has been worked out more carefully. Like!
KIA CERATO
"Cerato"? "Cerato"? "Serato"? One inevitably has to think about how to correctly pronounce the name of a Korean car. You can hear a variety of options - right up to the offensive "Orphan". In general, who cares what.
The current sedan is no longer young: it appeared in 2012. By the way, about the body: the first generation Cerato, which replaced the Sephia model, existed in two forms - both as a sedan and as a hatchback. However, with the change of generations, the Kia model range launched a new branch on which the cee'd grew with all its variations. And Cerato retained only the four-door modification.
By the way, the Koreans themselves are deprived of the opportunity to make a mistake with the name of the car: in their homeland, the sedan is sold under the designation K3. And in North America this car is called Forte.
Cerato arrives at Russian dealer showrooms from Kaliningrad, where full-cycle assembly has been established. The buyer has a choice between two petrol engines 1.6 and 2.0 liters; at the same time, the weaker engine is combined with both “mechanics” and “automatic”, and the two-liter power unit can only be obtained with automatic transmission.
The appearance of the Kia, although pleasant, is painfully inconspicuous: the sedan looks somehow “average”, and besides, over the years of its existence it has managed to become familiar. The interior, compared to the background of the Corolla and Elantra, looks, excuse me, lonely: it seems the most plastic. But this simplicity, in fact, does not spoil the impression of the car, since there are essentially no reasons for complaints: the ergonomics are good, and all the necessary amenities are present. No frills? Well, so what - but Cerato is cheaper than its rivals, even in conditions of equality of trim levels. And for buyers of cars of this class, this is an argument!
Veniamin Belikov
- Manager,
- Driving experience – 12 years,
- Car – VW Jetta
“Kia” looks quite modern, but inside it is already noticeable that this car has been produced for several years. The interior looks quite budget-friendly, primarily due to the hard plastic, although my Jetta, whose finishing materials are also not up to par, manages to create a more noble impression. I was more confused by the persistent smell of phenol that the interior exudes - for an expensive car of a decent brand, this is completely unacceptable! But it turned out to be a pleasure to ride the Serato. I liked both the smoothness of the ride and the dynamics of acceleration. A curious feature is the button that changes the steering wheel settings. True, I did not appreciate this innovation: in the comfortable mode, the effort drops so much that it becomes almost uncomfortable (paradoxically), and in the sports mode it seems as if the front wheels were slightly deflated.
Instead of a sophisticated multimedia system with a touch screen, Kia has a not too sophisticated head unit with a conventional “insensitive” matrix display and control of keys and knobs. However, it is much more convenient to handle music the old fashioned way than to achieve mutual understanding with more sophisticated systems decorated with large screens (like the Toyota multimedia center, for example).
A serious drawback of the Cerato is the pungent odor emitted by the plastic interior. Frankly, this fact slightly discouraged me: I was sure that the Koreans had long ago conquered plastic odors. Is this really the cost of the Kaliningrad assembly? But the mediocre visibility cannot be blamed on production - these are the design features. Thick front pillars with “support” can hide an important part of the landscape behind them. The side mirrors are small, but generally informative. Our car did not have a rear view camera - this is the prerogative of the top version. Premium.
I liked the front seat: the padding is thick, the lateral support is excellent. There are no problems with adjustments: there are a minimum of them, but the ranges are sufficient, so you can instantly customize the “furniture” to suit yourself. The back row is spacious, and nothing overshadows the boarding process - although tall citizens, it is possible, will note that the doorway is not the highest. As in the Elantra, the side seats of the gray sofa can be heated.
The trunk is not very impressive both in size and arrangement. The lid is held on by hinges, which, when closed, swivel onto the luggage; In addition, the quality of the finish is very dull - there is a thin rug on the floor covering the full-size spare wheel. The saddest thing is the inability to open the trunk from the outside: there is no corresponding button on the lid. Another option is to use the key, where there is a button. Or pull the lever on the floor next to the driver's seat.
The two-liter engine, coupled with a 6-speed automatic transmission, gives the Kia life-affirming agility. Acceleration is active, and it’s easy to control: the gearbox clearly knows its stuff! But in terms of handling, the “Korean” is far from ideal: when sharply maneuvering at a decent speed, the car begins to sway, revealing noticeable rolls; and the steering wheel always seems empty, although with the help of settings you can make it heavier or, conversely, lighten it to the extreme.
But with the smoothness of the Kia, everything is quite decent: the suspension rounds out significant irregularities in favor of the occupants of the cabin, and completely dissolves small ones without a trace. True, the “Korean” seemed a bit noisy: the song of the engine is always clearly audible, and other acoustic debris reaches the ears of passengers more often than in Hyundai and Toyota.
HYUNDAI ELANTRA
The Korean Elantra is a child of the nineties. Or rather, the nineties: production of the first generation car began in the fall of 1990 - it was a simple sedan with a 1.6-liter Mitsubishi engine. In some markets (for example, in Europe) the car was called not Elantra, but Lantra. Subsequently, other names were added: for example, in its homeland in South Korea, the car is known as Avante.
Over the course of a quarter of a century, five generations of the model have changed, and last year the sixth Elantra was presented. This fall, the sedan appeared in dealer showrooms, and was immediately assembled in Russia - the car is produced at the Kaliningrad Avtotor using the large-unit assembly method. We sell modifications with 1.6 and 2.0 liter petrol engines, each of which can be combined with either a manual or automatic transmission.
Externally, the Elantra has changed: the lines stopped flowing and lined up in a more strict and expressive form - and the sedan immediately visually became more expensive. There is no doubt: of our trio, Hyundai looks the freshest and most attractive. The effect is also enhanced by color - our car was painted in brick-red mother-of-pearl PhoenixOrange, which definitely attracts attention and... money: an additional payment for any color other than the basic white is ten thousand. Tolerable.
The 17-inch wheels on which our Elantra stood are a feature of the Style package (RUB 80,000), which also includes xenon, keyless entry and a Supervision dashboard with a color display. The latter is similar in graphics to the one on Kia, but the image quality of the Elantra is at a fundamentally different level, although there are no special advantages in terms of functions. The information content of the devices is absolutely impeccable.
The multimedia looks simpler than that of Toyota, solely due to the small size of the screen. And yet this is a full-fledged touchscreen that is convenient to use. And most importantly, the volume is adjusted with a normal knob, and not with touch buttons, as in the Corolla.
If we limit ourselves to purely superficial observations, then the interior of the Korean car makes the most favorable impression, but in reality the inner world of the Elantra is replete with hard plastic: for example, the door cards are made almost entirely of it. Traces of savings can be found in other places: Auto mode is provided only for the driver's window, and there is no backlight in the glove box.
Veniamin Belikov
- Manager,
- Driving experience – 12 years,
- Car – VW Jetta
I can’t help but note the design of the new Elantra - finally, the cars of the Korean brand have found their face! I think many buyers will be attracted by the looks alone. And the interior looks very good - it looks clearly more expensive than the interior of a Kia, although the quality of materials does not reach that of a Toyota. And yet, there is a certain contradiction in the car - especially in terms of equipment: here is the fattest stuffing, which contrasts with annoying shortcomings like a glove compartment without backlight and power windows that do not have an automatic mode (only the driver has it). In terms of dynamics, the Hyundai is slightly inferior to the Kia, but the steering is a little more interesting, although I still liked the Toyota better.
In terms of visibility, the Hyundai is clearly better than the Kia: the mirrors are the same in shape, but the A-pillars are noticeably thinner. The rear view camera suggests the trajectory - unlike the Corolla, where the lines in the picture do not move when you turn the steering wheel.
The seats are similar in shape to the Cerato seats, but are covered with something leather-like in appearance. We will take the question of whether such furniture is needed in a relatively inexpensive car out of the discussion. But there is no doubt that an ordinary “rag” is more comfortable: in the summer, the skin quickly heats up and cools down slowly. As for winter, there is no need to worry: like Kia, all the seats and steering wheel in the Elantra are heated.
In terms of space in the back row, the Hyundai is comparable to the Cerato, but sitting for three people will not be as comfortable: the distance from the center tunnel trim to the sofa is shorter, so the passenger in the center will not be very comfortable. In addition, in the Elantra there is a clearly felt lack of headroom - this is due to the sloping roof.
The trunk is ordinary, although it should still be noted that here, too, a full-size spare tire on an alloy wheel is hidden underground.
The two-liter Elantra drives briskly, although not as lively as the Cerato. But I liked the chassis settings much more than the Korean brother: the suspension is not so relaxed, but at the same time it is in no way inferior in terms of smoothness - even adjusted for tires with a smaller profile. And the energy intensity is quite decent: you won’t scare the Hyundai even with relatively large bumps - rather, you’ll scare yourself.
Handling turned out to be good: the steering wheel is sharp and precise, and there is little roll. Both on a straight line and in an arc, the car moves confidently, without forcing you to steer - in general, it behaves defiantly correctly. After all, what is the most important thing for such a car? That's right: predictability. And the Elantra has more than enough of this! T
SUMMARY
Being the oldest participant in the test, the Kia Cerato turned out to be quite a serious rival for more recent cars. Its assets include a spacious rear row of seats and attractive warranty conditions: 5 years and 150,000 km - a serious argument in favor of this car. Modifications with a 1.6-liter engine compete with competitors in price, but the two-liter modification turns out to be noticeably more profitable. Among the shortcomings of the “Korean” one can and should note the unpleasant smell in the cabin and not the most successful chassis settings.
The global bestseller Toyota Corolla does not enjoy the same deafening popularity here as in other countries of the world, although after a recent update the Japanese sedan has become much more interesting both externally and in terms of interior. The strengths of the car are high-quality interior materials, a spacious rear row and well-balanced driving characteristics. And the most obvious disadvantage lies in the short mileage between services, which, coupled with expensive insurance, greatly affects the cost of owning a car.
The newest Hyundai Elantra not only looks great, but also drives great. It has a pleasant interior, although it is assembled from not the most expensive materials, and a well-tuned chassis allows it to appropriately combine a decent ride and decent energy-intensive suspension with interesting handling. The car, by and large, is devoid of any serious flaws, and the only things you can complain about are the back row (not very hospitable for three passengers) and excessive savings on “matches”: the lack of illumination of the glove box and automatic mode for all power windows in our time bad manners.
Text: Kirill Brevdo
Photo: Alexander Obodets
Security and Manageability
It is also necessary to compare the Cerato sedans from Kia and the Corolla sedans from Toyota in terms of safety and handling parameters. They are often used to compare cars that are on the buyer’s list of priority candidates.
In practice, the Cerato offers a sharper, more vibrant driving experience. And it's not just about engine power. There are slightly different settings for the suspension and steering, the electric booster of which has several operating modes, including sports. Because of this, the Cerato is more attractive to young and adventurous drivers. At the same time, the car behaves stably at any speed.
Toyota Corolla confidently clings to the road surface. The car is somewhat better adapted to Russian conditions and bad roads, so it can withstand bumps and unevenness more reliably. They are not so noticeable in the cabin. Still, the Cerato suspension turned out to be a little stiffer. The controls are measured, suitable for those who like careful and leisurely driving.
Kia Cerato salon
The security issue is implemented perfectly in both cases. However, for Kia Cerato only crash test results are available in the USA for the Forte model. Tests were conducted within the framework of the IIHS. As a result, Forte (Russian analogue of Cerato) received the highest safety rating. But Euro NCAP has not crashed the Cerato since 2006.
But Euro NCAP has test results for the Toyota Corolla. Here the car received the maximum 5 stars. Moreover, the safety indicators for the driver, passengers, children, and pedestrians are very high, one of the best in its segment. And all this is included in the basic configuration.
Salon
It is worth noting immediately that there are many similarities in the interior decoration of both cars. However, in the Corolla's interior the main emphasis is on progressiveness and technology, while the opponent's is on simplicity and practicality. Interestingly, both the Korean and Japanese models have the dashboard mounted at an angle towards the driver, which is usually seen in European cars.
In terms of spaciousness, car interiors are approximately at the same level. But the quality of finishing materials is noticeably better in the Corolla, and it is the Japanese car that emerges victorious from this local confrontation.
Options and prices
For the Russian market, the South Korean automaker offers 5 trim levels of its sedan. Namely:
- Comfort.
- Luxe.
- Prestige.
- Premium.
- Premium+.
Do not confuse Cerato and Cerato Classic. The previous generation continues to be offered under the second name in Russia. The current version bears the usual name Cerato.
The minimum price tag for this South Korean sedan is 1.05 million rubles. The top-end configuration costs 1.3 million rubles from the start.
Toyota Corolla has 5 trim levels to choose from:
- Standard.
- Classic.
- Comfort.
- Prestige.
- Prestige Safety.
But here the basic equipment will cost at least 1.17 million rubles. Top versions can be purchased for at least 1.7 million.
Toyota Corolla
To a first approximation, the Toyota Corolla is slightly better in price - 659,000 rubles in the basic version. However, it has a smaller engine, only 1.33 liters, developing only 99 hp. A manual transmission is standard. A larger engine – 1.6 liter capacity – comes in the “Classic” configuration, also paired with a manual transmission. Engine power - 122 hp. The cost of the “Classic+” configuration is 754,000 rubles .
The modification with a CVT instead of a regular manual transmission costs 44,000 rubles more. Such versions are more expensive; in the “Prestige” configuration the car costs 938,000 rubles . The manufacturer also offers a third version of the engine, with a volume of 1.8 liters and a power of 140 hp . The transmission is a CVT, stepless. The “comfort+” modification will cost 880,000, the more expensive “Elegance” costs 933,000 rubles, the maximum configuration and design “Prestige” will cost the buyer a million.
Toyota received new 17-inch wheels - this increased handling on the road.
Who to give preference
Quite a lot of good things can be said about both sedans from the South Korean and Japanese manufacturers. For many, the Corolla is by definition better because it is more popular and in demand in the market. But Cerato should also be given its due.
The car is more affordable, but faster and more dynamic, only slightly inferior to the Japanese in fuel consumption. The interior of the Cerato turned out to be a little more spacious, the luggage compartment is more spacious. And this with almost identical dimensions. Yes, there are some shortcomings in the assembly and quality of finishing materials. But Corolla is far from ideal.
Not wanting to overpay for the brand, it makes sense to buy Kia Cerato. If you want maximum reliability, durability and the ability to lose a minimum of money on resale, choose Corolla. Such a machine is highly valued on the market, serves for a long time and does not let its owner down.
