Structure & Refinement

Stronger bodyshell brings many customer benefits

Though all-new on the outside, the Kia Cerato twins share their floorpan and several chassis components with the Hyundai Elantra. Beneath the skin, the hatchback and sedan Ceratos are identical from the nose back to the B-pillar. The front overhang (905 mm) and wheelbase (2610 mm) are common to both cars, but the rear overhang (825 mm) and overall length (4340 mm) of the hatchback are both 140 mm shorter than the four-door sedan model.

A front subframe provides the lower supports for the suspension, the transversely mounted engine and transmission, and the steering rack, while helping to isolate the passenger cabin from mechanical vibrations and road surface noise and harshness. This subframe also forms a bridge between the left and right forward chassis pressings, and ties them together to form part of the frontal impact structure. A bracing bar between the front suspension turrets also increases torsional rigidity and further enhances impact resistance.

A major transverse bulkhead at the front of the passenger cabin gives the structure the majority of its strength. A robust cross-member is built into the dashboard, the upper and lower B-Pillar joints are reinforced and each door incorporates a side-impact-resistant crash bar.

Both the front and rear bumpers are moulded in high-grade engineering plastic and are designed to withstand 8 kph (5 mph) impacts without permanent damage.

Reducing Noise Vibration and Harshness (NVH)
As modern cars become increasingly sophisticated, customers´ expectations for ever-decreasing levels of NVH have to be met or exceeded. In the new Cerato a number of structural and design elements reduce NVH. The Cerato´s aerodynamic design offers minimal air resistance and reduces wind noise at high speeds, while a unique under-floor structure, with four longitudinal ´blisters´ beneath the car, energises the airflow and reduces drag, noise and vibration from under the car.

The Cerato design was developed in Kia´s special giant Namyang wind tunnel in Korea. This tunnel features acoustic cladding and enables engineers to measure radiated noise both outside and inside the car. Sophisticated technology at the tunnel allows designers to alert the subject car´s exterior shape to minimize drag, while simultaneously monitoring the volume and type of noise generated by the car and minimizing them to enhance refinement.

The bodyshell was strengthened at key points around the A-Pillars, roof panel and side-sills, and insulation pads were fitted throughout to dampen road noise. A one-piece dash panel with a five-layer isolation pad is fitted to the dashboard bulkhead, made from new and advanced materials. This structure greatly lowers noise intrusion from the engine compartment. To block noise-paths within the bodyshell, the A, B and C-Pillars are filled with expanding foam.

Engine mountings are made from a combination of plastic and aluminum materials, instead of the traditional steel, to reduce vibration. The core structure of the steering wheel is made of magnesium, which has exceptional vibration absorption capabilities.

An engine cover blocks out noise from the engine and also creates a smarter look under the bonnet. At the other end of the car, a variable exhaust muffler changes exhaust gas paths according to gas pressure, providing more sound-deadening at low rpm and reduced back-pressure at high rpm, to enhance performance.

A large capacity, 7-litre resonator in the induction system, with a porous duct, eliminates air intake noise and is shaped to keep out engine bay heat, enhancing performance by reducing the temperature of incoming air.
Kia is confident that the measures taken on the Cerato to reduce NVH have been remarkably successful and that its new C-Segment twins will set new standards for their class.

Environmentally Sound
Although the Cerato is available in a choice of 11 exterior colours, under the skin all Ceratos are as green as possible. It is the latest model in a long line of Kia vehicles that demonstrate the corporation´s ongoing commitment to making cars that are as appealing to customers as they are easy on the environment. Wherever possible, recycled and recyclable materials are used in manufacturing the Cerato. All major plastic parts have been selected for ease of disassembly and stamped with material composition code to promote recycling.

The Cerato´s gasoline and diesel engines have a recyclable head cover and air cleaner housing. The electrically controlled common-rail diesel engine is a particularly clean-running powerplant that produces significantly lower emissions without skimping on performance. A catalytic converter is fitted as standard to ensure that the Cerato´s emissions meet Euro 4 or Euro 3 standards, depending on model and country. The refrigerant gas used in the air conditioning system is the non-CFC R134a, which poses no threat to the Earth´s ozone layer.

In order to raise the recyclable content of its cars still further, Kia continues to research and test new materials and composites, leading the drive at home and abroad to build greener cars for a greener tomorrow.

Please note that technical and equipment specifications, as well as options availability for the Cerato LX and EX five-door and four-door models may vary country by country. Please check with your local Kia Distributor for final details and prices.