news and photos have surfaced on the K3 (Forte/Cerato) in the last few days and should be available in North America in the 2nd quarter of 2013. Will be officially announced at the Paris Auto Show in late September.
Forte/K3:Kia’s compact sedan will be redesigned for the 2014 model year. A modified version of the Hyundai-Kia compact platform, used by the Hyundai Elantra and the European Kia Cee’d compact, will underpin the second-generation Forte.
The redesigned Forte sedan will be launched in January. The two-door Forte Koup and a five-door hatchback are scheduled to go on sale next summer. A source says Kia is aiming for at least 40 mpg on the highway with the Forte’s 1.8-liter four-cylinder base engine.
I took this shot from our tour bus at the Hwaseong plant when I visited it last week. They build the Forte at this location as well at the Optima, Cadenza, Sorento and Mohave.
satellite shot of where the Forte is built - Hwaseong. Largest of the three Korean plants covering over 803 acres and building area of 11,366,689 sq. ft. Established in April 1989.
Hey guys, I'm from Korea, and I was able to play around with a Forte/K3 for a little bit, but 1 thing I did notice is that the A pillar starts sloping really fast, so much so that I'm not used to having the ability to see the sunvisors when I'm driving. Also, the smart key keyless entry unlocks all the doors when unlocked from both doors, not just the passenger doors (as is common in cars now with smart keys).
I was talking about the one that has come out in Korea already. So, by the time it hits other countries, there should be tons of extra goodies for this, as everything will be the same (cosmetically).