The Kia Cerato GT doesn’t exist anymore. Kia dropped the Cerato name in Australia in 2025 and replaced it with the K4, so the car people still search for against the i30 N Line can only be bought used, or from whatever old stock a dealer has hiding out the back.

The Hyundai is still on sale, just not as you remember it. The 150kW 1.6 turbo these two used to share is gone from the i30 N Line hatch, replaced by a 117kW 1.5 mild hybrid. So the old twin test has turned into a stranger question: is the best warm hatch under $40,000 now a second-hand Kia?

One thing up front. We haven’t driven either car. Everything below comes from the published specs and from Australian road tests, and we’ve linked each one so you can read the full thing.

Kia’s replacement costs more and makes less

The last Cerato GT (MY25) listed at $36,860 before on-roads. For that you got 150kW and 265Nm, a seven-speed dual-clutch, a 428-litre boot and a space-saver spare under the floor.

The closest thing in a Kia showroom today is the K4 GT-Line. It makes 142kW and 265Nm, swaps the dual-clutch for an eight-speed conventional auto, and lists at $43,790 before on-roads. That’s $6,930 more for 8kW less.

It isn’t a bad car. CarExpert’s road test of the K4 GT-Line hatch liked the ride and handling balance and the cabin. It also recorded 8.2L/100km, complained about overbearing driver aids and found the second row tight. But a $44k hatch with a torque-converter auto is a different animal from a $37k one that Chasing Cars timed at 6.71 seconds to 100km/h.

The i30 N Line got slower on purpose

Hyundai’s update swapped the old 1.6 turbo for a 1.5-litre turbo with 48-volt mild-hybrid assist. Outputs fell to 117kW and 253Nm, the claimed fuel figure dropped to 5.6L/100km, and the claimed 0-100km/h time is now 8.6 seconds. CarExpert’s 2026 listing has it at $36,250 before on-roads.

Testers noticed. CarExpert’s review of the N Line Premium said it “no longer feels like a warm hatch”, found it slow to respond from a standstill, and used 7.2L/100km against that 5.6 claim. WhichCar was kinder about the chassis, praising the handling balance and body control, but thought the ride was too firm on rough roads.

Firm ride, less shove. That’s the wrong way round for a car wearing a body kit.

There’s a practical cost too. The 48V battery lives where the spare used to, so the i30 N Line carries a repair kit only. Fine in the suburbs. Less fine with a torn sidewall two hours from anywhere.

What road testers made of the Cerato GT

Chasing Cars tested the GT hatch in early 2024 and came away with a clear picture. The engine is punchy and the chassis is fun on a good road. Fuel use sat around 7.0L/100km.

The complaints matter if you’re shopping used. The ride is firm around town, the dual-clutch can be hesitant at low speed, and the lane-keep assist was poorly tuned. None of that is a fault. It’s just what the car is like, so make sure your test drive includes a car park crawl and a rough street, not only the fun bit.

Two things the brochures skip

The Hyundai has no current safety rating. The i30 hatch’s five-star ANCAP score came from 2017 testing and expired in December 2024, so the car is now unrated. The Cerato’s five stars date from 2019. Neither result tells you much about how they’d go against today’s tougher tests.

Hyundai’s seven-year warranty has strings. For cars first registered from 1 June 2025, Hyundai covers you for seven years if every scheduled service is done at a Hyundai dealer. Miss that and it’s five. Kia’s seven-year, unlimited-kilometre warranty stays with the car, so a 2024 Cerato GT should have years of cover left. Ask a Kia dealer to confirm the start date before you hand over money.

Both want servicing every 12 months or 10,000km.

So which one?

If driving is the point, find a used Cerato GT with a full service history. It’s the last of the cheap, properly quick Korean hatches, it has the bigger boot and a real spare, and you can’t buy anything like it new for the money.

A few things to do before you commit:

• Run a PPSR check. It costs $2.
• Plug in a scanner. Our OBD2 scanner guide covers what to buy and what to look for.
• Drive it slowly as well as quickly. Low-speed gearbox behaviour is the thing testers picked on.
• On your Ps? Check our P-plate legal cars list for your state before you get attached.

Buy the i30 N Line if you want a new car, the digital dash and the lower fuel bills, and you’re happy that it’s a tidy hatch with sporty trim instead of a warm one. Go in knowing it’s unrated and has no spare.

And if it has to be a new Kia, the K4 GT-Line is the answer, as long as you can live with paying nearly $44,000 for a car that’s slower than the one it replaced.