The strongest weapon in the Avante’s arsenal is its price, but the Forte offers a lot more Korean saloon for just a little more money. The curvaceous Hyundai looks modern, but it’s unceremoniously overshadowed by the dramatic Chevy. Last but not least, the Avante’s driving position is downright odd compared to the well-raked Cruze and the well thought out Forte. In conclusion, the Avante is a casualty in this Korean war, but it will recover to do battle another day.
The Cruze is the most capable saloon in the Chevy line-up right now. It’s not as big as the flagship Epica, of course, but its talents are more and its build quality is noticeably better, right down to the minor switchgear. There is attention to detail, too, as evidenced by the one-tap-three-blinks indicator stalk. The Cruze’s large-car persona is played up by the ride comfort, on-board amenities and physical dimensions. But the “Transformer” Chevy forgot to transform the straight-line performance of its predecessor, the Optra Magnum, from average to above average.
The Cerato Forte is victorious in this conflict, although the Cruze and Avante didn’t go down without a fight. The Kia ticks all the correct boxes for the budget motorist, like competitive pricing, daily practicality and good fuel economy, but then proceeds to tick a few more bonus boxes that surprise and delight the driver in question: continental styling panache, best-in-class gadgets and genuine high quality from bumper to bumper.
At the end of the day, you simply cannot enjoy more car for this amount of money than the Cerato Forte.
Group Test: 2009 Toyota Corolla Altis vs 2009 Hyundai Avante vs 2009 Subaru Impreza
Group Test: Chevrolet Cruze vs Kia Cerato Forte vs Hyundai Elantra
Chevrolet Cruze 1.6 (A)
ENGINE
Capacity 1598cc
Cylinder layout Inline-4
Valves 16, DOHC
Bore x stroke 79mm x 81.5mm
Compression ratio 9.5:1
Power 107bhp at 6000rpm
Torque 150Nm at 4000rpm
TRANSMISSION
Type 6-speed automatic with manual select
Driven Wheels Front
PERFORMANCE
Top Speed 177km/h
0-100km/h 13.5 seconds
Consumption 12.8km/L (combined)
SUSPENSION
Front MacPherson struts, coil springs
Rear Torsion beam, coil springs
BRAKES
Front Ventilated discs
Rear Discs
TYRES
Type Kumho Solus KH17
Size 205/60 R16
SAFETY
ABS Yes
Airbags 2
Traction Control No
MEASUREMENTS
Length 4597mm
Width 1788mm
Height 1477mm
Wheelbase 2685mm
Kerb Weight 1310kg
Power to Weight Ratio 81.7bhp/tonne
Turning Circle 10.9m
BUYING IT
Price $61,988 incl. COE
Warranty 3 years/100,000km
+ Handsome design and details, stylish yet sensible interior, smooth ride and good handling
– Cabin space less than expected, cheap plastics here and there, acceleration below average
Hyundai Avante 1.6 (A)
ENGINE
Capacity 1591cc
Cylinder layout Inline-4
Valves 16, DOHC
Bore x stroke 77mm x 85.4mm
Compression ratio 10.5:1
Power 121bhp at 6200rpm
Torque 153Nm at 4200rpm
TRANSMISSION
Type 4-speed automatic
Driven Wheels Front
PERFORMANCE
Top Speed 180km/h
0-100km/h 11.6 seconds
Consumption 15.2km/L (combined)
SUSPENSION
Front MacPherson struts, coil springs
Rear Multi-link, coil springs, anti-roll bar
BRAKES
Front Ventilated discs
Rear Discs
TYRES
Type Hankook Optimo K415
Size 185/65 R15
SAFETY
ABS Yes
Airbags 2
Traction Control No
MEASUREMENTS
Length 4505mm
Width 1775mm
Height 1490mm
Wheelbase 2650mm
Kerb Weight 1320kg
Power to Weight Ratio 91.7bhp/tonne
Turning Circle 10.3m
BUYING IT
Price $55,999 incl. COE
Warranty 3 years/100,000km
+ Curvy, contemporary styling throughout, very clean and functional interior, pricing either attractive or aggressive
– Steering feels cheap and disconnected, cockpit appears to be almost spartan, less compelling than its cousin, the Forte
Kia Cerato Forte 1.6 (A)
ENGINE
Capacity 1591cc
Cylinder layout Inline-4
Valves 16, DOHC
Bore x stroke 77mm x 85.6mm
Compression ratio 10.5:1
Power 124bhp at 6300rpm
Torque 156Nm at 4200rpm
TRANSMISSION
Type 4-speed automatic with manual select
Driven Wheels Front
PERFORMANCE
Top Speed 182km/h
0-100km/h 12.0 seconds
Consumption 14.3km/L (combined)
SUSPENSION
Front MacPherson struts, coil springs
Rear Torsion beam, coil springs
BRAKES
Front Ventilated discs
Rear Discs
TYRES
Type Kumho Solus KH17
Size 215/45 R17
SAFETY
ABS Yes
Airbags 2
Traction Control No
MEASUREMENTS
Length 4530mm
Width 1775mm
Height 1460mm
Wheelbase 2650mm
Kerb Weight 1261kg
Power to Weight Ratio 98.3bhp/tonne
Turning Circle 10.8m
BUYING IT
Price $54,999 incl. COE
Warranty 3 years/100,000km
+ Stylish, with wide range of colours, thoughtful cockpit features, easy to drive, with ample power
– Engine intrusion at high revs, slightly choppy ride on 17s, inconsistent power steering
Check out the Hyundai Avante’s replacement, the Hyundai Elantra
