Kia Cerato: official sketches of new small sedan

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.