La1-xCexMn1-yCoyO3 catalysts were prepared by the "glucose method". The structures and physicochemical properties for these catalysts were characterized using X-ray diffraction (XRD), nitrogen adsorption, scanning electron microscopy (SEM), Fourier transform infrared spectra (FT-IR), H-2-temperature-programmed reduction (H-2-TPR) and O-2-tempreature-programmed desorption (O-2-TPD). Results showed that cerium substitution at the A-site in LaMnO3 produced a CeO2 phase. The cobalt can be introduced into the B-site in La0.8Ce0.2MnO3 at any substitution ratio because of the similar ionic radii between cobalt and manganese. The catalytic activity for soot combustion in air was evaluated using a TG/DTA analyzer. Cerium substitution at A-site enhances the catalytic activity, while cobalt substitution at B-site inhibits the catalytic activity. The activation energy for soot combustion was calculated using the Horowitz method. The activation energy for non-catalytic soot combustion was 164.1 kJ mol(-1). The addition of catalysts decreased the activation energy by about 26-63 kJ mol(-1). Among the applied catalysts, Ce20Mn exhibited the lowest activation energy (101.1 kJ mol(-1)). (C) 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.