All-new Cerato (Forte) Styling & Design

Kiaclub Nieuwsrobot · 26 December, 2012

New ‘dynamic muscularity’ brings emotional appeal

The all-new ‘look’ of the third-generation Cerato (Forte) was created at Kia’s American Design Center in Irvine, California. The design team was directed by Peter Schreyer, Kia’s Chief Design Officer and headed by Tom Kearns, Chief Designer, Kia Motors America.

Sculpted to portray ‘dynamic muscularity’ and provoke an emotional response, the sleeker new Cerato has cab-forward styling, a lower coupe-like roofline, distinctive eye-catching concave door contours and a rising beltline with a chrome window molding extending into the C-pillar to project an aura of elegance.

Moving the A-pillar forwards and the C-pillar backwards allows the addition of front and rear quarter glass panels which enhance the car’s sense of spaciousness and improve visibility by eliminating blind spots – while also adding to the car’s premium image.

The Kia badge is moved from the grille to the panel in front of the shortened bonnet. At the rear, the trunk lid is shaped to reduce aerodynamic drag and the rear combination lamps smooth the airflow while also reinforcing the Cerato’s wide stance.

Compared with its second-generation predecessor, new Cerato is 30 mm longer (4560 mm), 15 mm lower (1445 mm) and 5 mm wider (1780 mm). The wheelbase has been extended by 50 mm (to 2700 mm), becoming the longest in the C1 segment and is now the same as Kia’s Sorento SUV. The wheelbase of the second-generation Cerato was 40 mm greater than the original model, so over time Kia’s compact car has become a significantly larger and much more accommodating model.

New Cerato’s front and rear overhangs have been reduced, by 15 mm and 5 mm respectively, to give the newcomer a truly sporty appearance. Despite the shorter rear overhang, trunk capacity is increased by 6 liters to 421 liters (SAE) – the largest in class.

New Cerato’s external size and proportions, together with careful attention to surface detailing and airflow-smoothing panels beneath the car, have cut the sedan’s aerodynamic drag to Cd 0.27 (down from 0.29) and lowered the car’s aerodynamic lift – which is Cl 0.11 compared with 0.16 for the second-generation model.

In Korea, the new Cerato sedan is manufactured in a range of 10 exterior colors. However, depending on local customers’ preferences the line-up of colors may vary in individual markets. Standard factory finishes for new Cerato include Clear White (solid), Snow White and Aurora Black (pearl), plus Bright Silver, Glittering Metal, Golden Beat, Temptation Red, Planet Blue, Abyss Blue and Milky Beige (metallic).