SPIED: Facelifted Kia Cerato Spotted Undisguised in Korea

Kuala Lumpur: The spy shots of facelifted Kia Forte K3 have been published on two Korean websites, Bobaedream and Motorgraph, totally undisguised. The compact car manufactured by Korean automaker, Kia Motors, was parked at an unknown in South Korea. In Malaysia, Kia Forte is badged as the Kia Cerato, hence, the design of the car in the spy shots could be an indication of what its Malaysian equivalent could feature in the near future.

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Overall, the design changes on the facelifted Forte K3 look quite subtle. The Tiger Nose grille looks somewhat larger and more distinguished now. Also, the signature grill now seems to be linked to the redesigned Boomerang-shaped headlamps, possibly inspired by the fourth-gen Kia Sportage. The front bumper also looks like it has been redesigned with air inlets at the corners. At the rear, some minor changes are also noticeable on the bumper and the rear lamp cluster design.

The powertrain features a 1.6-litre turbodiesel engine that is said to produce 132hp of power and 300 Nm of torque. The power is delivered to the front wheels through a seven-speed dual clutch transmission. The U.S variant of the prototype is said to feature the new 126hp/211Nm 1.4-litre turbocharged petrol engine, featured in the sixth-gen Hyundai Elantra. Whereas the Malaysian equivalent of Kia Forte K3, the Kia Cerato comes with two types of engines both paired to a six-speed automatic transmission. The engine options of Kia Cerato include a 128hp/157Nm 1.6-litre Gamma D-CVVT four-cylinder engine and a 158hp/194 Nm 2.0-litre Nu MPI engine.

Whether the facelifted Kia Cerato in Malaysia will feature updated engines? Let's wait and watch!

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