How's the new Kia Forte taking shape?

The next generation Kia Forte K3 is coming soon. Always dubbed as the 2013 Forte, this means that the introduction won't be that far as the MY nomenclature switched year in June. Looking at the spyshots of the new Forte, we can be assured that it will adopt the new Kia design language, which combines the sleek rakish Hyundai silhouette with harder-edged detailing. 

The new Forte is expected to retain the current length of 4,530mm (similar to the new Elantra), and since it shares the Elantra platfrom, wheelbase is expected to grow to 2,700mm too. From the spyshot above, it is clear that the new Forte shares the same cab-forward stance at the new Elantra, depicted by the placement of A-pillar root.

The current generation of Forte is powered by a choice of 1.6L Gamma (124PS/156Nm) or 2.0L Theta II (156PS/194Nm), both mated to 6 speed automatic transmission. For the new model however, expect some overlap with the Hyundai Elantra powertrain, including the 1.8L version punching out 150PS and 178Nm of power and torque respectively.

Some of the important styling cues of the new Forte has been spied, including the shape of the headlamp, rear end fascia and some interior bits. These clearly show that the new Forte has moved away from the staid formal look (which MMN deemed is much better resolved than Proton Preve, which tries too hard to be Forte competitor) to a more svelte-looking creatures. The headlamp is more swept back, and features an intricate inner edge leading to the upper radiator grille. The said grille bears some resemblance with the K5 and K9 model in its width. The rear end is adorned with wrap-around tail light, jointed together by a chrome strip.

More photos after the jump.