Loud and proud: the Kia Cerato Forte arrives
Kia’s brand new version of its small sedan promises greatness
By Justin Lee
LEADING KIA’S POSSIBLE renaissance in Singapore is the new Cerato Forte small sedan, which promises to be the brand’s biggest volume seller for some time.
The Korean brand has been hampered in the past two years with an aging lineup and lack of new models, the last being the Carens Multi Purpose Vehicle back in 2007. Sales figures have also been on the skids from a high of 5,518 cars sold in 2005 to just 1,991 last year.
The Cerato Forte is a direct replacement for the Cerato small sedan but unlike the car it supersedes there will not be a hatchback variant.
The ‘Forte’ label is the name used for the car in Korea but a representative from local distributor Cycle & Carriage Kia says that its use is meant to highlight the fact that it is an all-new model but from the same segment.
Designed by Kia’s new chief design officer Peter Schreyer, the Cerato Forte flaunts the brand’s new design language and to-be-signature front grille design known as the ‘Schreyer Line’.
Look at the photos to judge for yourself, but we think the new car is nothing short of a complete rejuvenation in terms of design. For example, it’s interesting to see how the front and rear headlamps are detailed are still a coherent part of the whole design, or how the shoulders are now more pronounced without being too heavy.
It’s available here with a choice of two four-cylinder engines (a 124bhp 1.6-litre and a 156bhp 2.0-litre) both equipped with variable valve timing and mated to either a five-speed manual or a four-speed automatic transmission.
On paper the Cerato Forte looks to have all the right ingredients for success in the hard-fought small sedan market. The 1.6-litre unit is one of the most powerful in its segment being bettered only by the 125bhp 1.6-litre powerplant found in the Honda Civic. Its maximum torque of 156Nm is also class-leading, beating the Japanese engine by 5Nm.
The 2.0-litre Cerato Forte also leads the pack for power when compared to rivals such as the 155bhp 2.0-litre Mitsubishi Lancer EX and 133bhp 2.0-litre Nissan Sylphy. Only its 194Nm of torque is outclassed by the Lancer EX’s 199Nm.
Size wise, it is 30mm longer, 40mm wider and 10mm lower than the previous Cerato.
At 4530mm long, 1775mm wide and 1460mm high, the Cerato Forte when compared to the Hyundai Avante is longer by 25mm and shorter in height by 30mm but shares the same width and has an identical wheelbase of 2650mm. Kia is a wholly owned subsidiary of Hyundai and the Cerato Forte shares platform with its Korean cousin.
The 1.6-litre Cerato Forte is available with a choice of two trim levels: the base EX version and range-topping SX.
The EX is priced with COE, from $41,000 for the manual and from $44,000 for the automatic gets fog lamps, 15-inch steel wheels, an integrated stereo with iPod connectivity, steering wheel mounted audio controls, manual air conditioning, dual-front airbags and tilt-adjustable steering wheel.
More opulent, the SX is priced from $44,000 for the manual and from $47,000 for the automatic, both prices including COE. The equipment list includes some eye-openers, especially at this end of the market. Things like a trip computer, six-CD changer, tilting and telescoping steering wheel, automatic climate control, parking assist and electronic stability control will make the Cerato Forte SX stand apart from its rivals, since features like these are usually found in cars priced $10,000 to $20,000 more.
The 2.0-litre Cerato Forte is priced, with COE, from $50,000 for the manual and $53,000 for the automatic is only available in SX trim. It gets all the equipment found on the 1.6-litre SX model but adds a sunroof, side and curtain airbags and cruise control.
Cycle & Carriage Kia have opened their order books for the car but for those of you who want to take a look at it in the flesh, it will only be displayed in showrooms after February 20.