We say The Cerato saloon lags behind rivals but is cheap enough to be worth a look.Performance 1.6-litre petrol is limited but can perform reasonably if worked hard; 2.0-litre provides more get-up-and-go but is noisy and unrefined; 1.5-litre diesel has torque and power and is comfortable revving or cruising. None of the Cerato saloon’s powertrains are really up to scratch though.Emissions 57mpg combined and 127g/km of CO2 emissions are good on the Cerato’s 1.6 diesel engine.Driving The Cerato saloon offers decent grip, better than the hatch, but poor body control lets the side down. Generally soft suspension lets harder bumps through and ensures the Kia hatch wallows through corners.Feel Noisy engines, lots of road noise and the unsettled ride don’t make the Cerato saloon a nice place to be.Space Decent space for four adults in the Kia saloon. Splitfolding seats boost the already excellent decent boot – 345 litres minimum.Equipment Aircon, CD player and remote central locking on the basic spec. Alloys cruise control and leather on higher.Price Acceptable running costs, very good list prices, poor residuals. The Cerato sells for a song on the used market.Quality The Cerato saloon is cheap inside but engines should be built to last, even if they are weak.Safety Basic models have reasonable amount of safety kit. The Cerato netted a poor three-star Euro NCAP rating.Pros Good kit, cheap, decent space inside.Cons Indifferent drive, cheap interior.Alternatives Mazda3, Hyundai Sonata