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Kia Cerato: official sketches of new small sedan

KIA CERATO
By Tim Beissmann
FIND DEALS

Kia has released the first official sketches of the third-generation Kia Cerato ahead of the all-new small car’s launch in South Korea later this year.

Kia says the new Cerato has been completely redesigned and will be longer, lower, wider and more spacious than the second-generation model it replaces.

The all-new Cerato sedan will arrive in Australia either late in the first quarter or sometime in the second quarter of 2013. The five-door Cerato hatch will follow soon after, potentially in the third quarter of next year, with the new Cerato Koup to complete the line-up before the end of 2013.

Launching all three body styles within nine months of each other will ensure the entire range is refreshed in a timely fashion, avoiding the disjointed introduction the second-generation line-up that saw the sedan arrive in Australia at the beginning of 2009, the Koup in September 2009 and the hatch in October 2010.

Created under the guidance of design chief Peter Schreyer – the man responsible for turning Kia into a global style leader – the new Cerato represents the latest evolution of the design language already applied to the striking Kia Optima sedan, Rio city car and Sportage SUV.

The new small sedan features a prominent ‘tiger nose’ grille and swept-back headlights, creating a purposeful face. Pumped wheel arches, strong shoulder and character lines, a rising waistline and a shallow glasshouse add momentum to the profile, while sharp tail-lights give the rear an athletic appearance.

The new Cerato is a crucial model to Kia both globally and locally. It was the manufacturer’s top-selling vehicle globally in 2011 with 445,000 units delivered, and currently leads the way for Kia Australia in 2012 with 4150 sales from January to June – up more than 50 per cent compared with the same period in 2011.

The 2013 Kia Cerato sedan is set to be unveiled at the 2012 Los Angeles motor show in November.


 

  • Design_freak

    I love these designs

    • Norm

      Hello?  I can’t see out!?! 

      Oh god was that the cat!?!…Phew…just the garbage bin…Jesssus!! Sorry! Didn’t see you there directly in front of me.

      • Edward

        I dont get this comment at all…

  • Robin_Graves

    The new Kias look great for the price range they are in.  If they would release some sports models with more potent drivetrains they’d be a good buy.

    • Sumpguard

      They are a good buy already!

        My sportage is brilliant!!  The new Cerato will be too.

      • Robin_Graves

        Yeah the Sportage and Sorrento diesels drive very nice but the petrol powered sedans need a little more oomph.  Even if they released a Cerato/Ceed/i30 sports model with the 2.0lt R diesel and the turbo 2.0lt petrol.

    • bd

      Supposedly, the new pro cee’d will either get the 1.6T or 2.0T petrol powerplant, so likely will find one of those in the top trim of the new Cerato.

  • Kampfer

    It’ll be pretty much “mini Optima” look which is not a bad thing.

  • Golfschwein

    It looks very nice as a sketch. If it looks as good as Rio in real life, they’ll be onto a good thing.

    • Robin_Graves

      I think it will look more like a mini Optima which isnt a bad thing at all.  Whenever I see an Optima I always take a second look.

      • bd

        The greenhouse and rear looks more like a larger Rio sedan than the Optima.

        Too bad Kia didn’t use the front design of the cee’d since it looks better.

  • pixxxels

    This looks great, like a slightly less menacing 2013 cee’d. I remember seeing the old Cerato when it first came out and thinking it looked amazing… for a Kia. These days I struggle to point to a manufacturer with a better looking range. It really has been a pleasure to watch Hyundai/Kia progress over the last few years. 

  • carl

    WOW! looking good KIA

  • twincharger

    Theres no doubt that the Koreans are great innovators these days,

  • Gus

    The KIA logo looks a bit out of place in amongst this wonderful work of art.. they should think of making it more subtle. 

    • Norm

      Absolutely. 

      I always imagine that Peter Shreyer’s heart breaks a little when he has to stick that horribly plain logo on one of his classy designs.What would it take to freshen it up and make it look as contemporary as his designs?Jury is still out on the new grille treatment.

      • Perky

        have a look at the ‘Broken K’ design… that would be sweet.

  • Nasal Explorer

    Look, I’ll just throw in the gratuitous “Korean cars are crap” comment here seeing as nobody else has bothered yet.

  • Before we post, Who are you?

    Ford here, can we have our Mondeo sketches back?

    • bd

      Except - different greenhouse, headlights, grill, etc.

      • Before we post, who are you?

        Ford here again. I said sketches, not photocopies.

        • Sumpguard

          Ford here? Hmmm .Thought so.

    • Golfschwein

      Tell us where you see Mondeo.

      • Before we post, who are you?

        I saw one driving down Flinders Street today, not far from the station . It was a very nice shade of blue. I’m surprised you had to ask, Mondeo’s are rather popular.

        • Sumpguard

            Not up here either Golfschwein . I saw a couple recently but that was about it and they were fleet vehicles for ergon (Qld electricity supplier).
           

           

      • http://profile.yahoo.com/FFLU42DZJ4E23NZKHN3UXJU44Q Aazz

        I agree Golfschweiner… I don’t see Mondeo in the sketches either.
        The Cerato looks sweet in those sketches but adding 15/16″ steelies to the entry level model won’t look so sweet.

  • Peanutty

    Please make some performance models.

    • Nasal Explorer

      You know what? I’ve got this awful feeling that car manufacturers are veering toward an economy-only mindset, and that performance models of everyday cars are to be no more. I could be wrong, but that’s how it looks.

    • JHP

      apparently, they are developing performance model and roadster.
      performance model will be based on hyundai genesis coupe.

      • bd

        All indications are that the Kia GT has been greenlit; the GT will be Kia’s entry level luxury model so it will be at a higher pricepoint.

        KIa was supposed to reveal a smaller RWD coupe concept (smaller than the Genesis coupe) powered by NA and FI 4 cyl engines, but hasn’t as of yet.

        The new pro cee’d will get a major power boost and Kia is also mulling a roadster.

  • Mick Dunn

    Looking good yet again from Kia.  It has long bothered me why cheap cars had to look… cheap.  The difference in a couple of million a year in salary for a top line designer is all it really takes to make an awesome looking car.  The difference to actually tool and build a bland car and a good looking one is negligible plus the engineering required to make a good looking car handle well and feel refined is way higher and a good looking, poor driving car will almost always outsell a good driving but ugly car.

    I’m all for great handling cars but if you want them to sell then the smart money says hire a good designer and get that part out of the way first and then refine your engineering to get the rest of the package there with the profits.

    Big props to Kia and Peter Shreyer for putting cars like the Rio, Optima and Sportage on the road in an affordable bracket. 

  • andrew_diablo

    Really handsome car with VW CC like profile. If it comes with 2.0L Auto for sub 23K regions, it is a good buy ..

  • Ted

    What great cars Kia’s are, and Toyota Corolla better look out.  The days of jap cars being in charge are over, and the next Mazda 3 better have something in reserve.  I would without hestation by a Hyundai/Kia any wished this Kia was available sooner.

  • john

    What motors are they going to have . Need to improve greatly fuel economy wise on current model
    which is terrible.
    .

  • Edward

    Kia and Hyundai are like the unattractive girls from school that you saw years later and realised they became hot. Or maybe thats just me…

    Anyway, these days i can see myself owning a Kia. 5 years ago that would have been a joke.

  • ANF

    Looks great….imagine what the new koup will look like when it finally comes out and It will now have the 2.4 or 2.0L turbo thrown in..anyone still waiting for their GT-86 or BRZ lol