.jpg?width=1100)
Production chronology2003–open
Sourced production or model lifecycle range used by the main catalog timeline.
Wikipedia lead ↗1 year
← Kia
Kia / Model record
KiaCerato
Production2003 – present
Recorded originSouth Korea
Classpassenger car
Background
The Kia Cerato is a compact car produced by the South Korean manufacturer Kia since 2003. In 2008, the Cerato nameplate was replaced by the Forte nameplate in the North American market and the K3 nameplate in South Korea. However, the "Cerato" name remains in use in markets such as Australasia, Middle East and Latin America. It is available in five-door hatchback, two-door coupe and four-door sedan variants. It is not available in Europe, where the similar sized Kia Ceed is offered.
Text adapted from “Kia Cerato” on Wikipedia ↗ · CC BY-SA 4.0 ↗ · retrieved 2026-07
Chronology ledger
Dates with their meaning intact
Netherlands RDW first-admission observations2004–2018
First-admission years observed in Dutch vehicle registrations; this is market evidence, not a worldwide production range.
Netherlands RDW ↗15 years
Swiss TAS/TARGA approval observations2004–2005
Swiss type-approval years; approval dates are not production chronology.
Swiss ASTRA TAS/TARGA ↗2 years