In this study, ZrO 2 -Al 2 O 3 composite ceramic coating toughened by ZrO 2 nanorods through cathode plasma electrolytic deposition (CPED) was prepared on Al-Si alloy substrate. The microstructure, heat insulation performance, and fracture toughness of the coatings were investigated with SEM, XRD, heat insulation tests, and tensile tests. The ZrO 2 nanorods prepared by the hydrothermal method consist of monoclinic m-ZrO 2 and cubic c-ZrO 2 . The ZrO 2 nanorods are staggered in the ceramic coating and partially filled with plasma discharge micropores. The ZrO 2 -Al 2 O 3 ceramic coating, after adding zirconia nanorods, forms a high-temperature stable mixture of Zr 3 Y 4 O 12 , Al 2 O 3 , and ZrO 2 phases. The duration of hydrothermal during the preparation of ZrO 2 nanorods correlates with the heat insulation temperature of the toughened ceramic coating. The fracture toughness of ceramic coating toughened by ZrO 2 nanorods varies with hydrothermal duration, which can be effectively improved.