√Kia Cerato S wins 2022 Drive Car of the Year Best Value Car

When it comes to purchase price, retained value and ownership costs, no other car is as affordable to buy and own as Kia’s popular small hatchback and sedan.

The 2022 Kia Cerato S is not just the best value small car in Australia, it is the Best Value Car in Australia. Full stop.

The Kia Cerato S is available as a sedan or hatchback priced at the time of judging at $25,990 drive-away across Australia. A mid-2021 update brought a refreshed look and new features to an already popular car.

Blind-spot monitoring is not standard on the Cerato S, but that important safety feature is part of an affordable $1000 Safety Pack that includes rear cross-traffic alert, enhances the AEB system with cyclist awareness, fits larger rear brakes and adds a few cosmetic enhancements in the cabin, making it $1000 wisely spent.

The secret to the Cerato’s affordability begins with that $26,990 (including Safety Pack) price combined with a solid 66 per cent retained value after three years.

The Cerato’s comprehensive insurance premium is one of the cheapest in our survey at just $806 per year.

For servicing costs, the Cerato is not the cheapest but it is far from the most expensive, and let’s not forget Kia’s confidence-inspiring seven-year, unlimited-kilometre warranty.

Fuel efficiency is a very respectable 7.4L/100km, given the Cerato is not a hybrid or a diesel, which equates to just under $1900 a year, or around $36 a week.

Overall, the cost of owning a Cerato is just $74.25 per week for all out of pocket expenses. When we add depreciation to the equation, the true cost is $136.84 per week during the first three years.

That’s not the smallest sum in our survey, but the Cerato’s drive-away price advantage means it will be a long time before any other car could have saved you more money.

Read about all the other 2022 Drive Car of the Year categories and winners