Still months out from an Australian launch, the facelifted Kia Cerato and Kia Koup promise significant upgrades.

DEFTLY disguised prototypes of the heavily revised and upgraded Kia Cerato (as well as its closely related Kia Cerato Koup sister) have broken cover Stateside, ahead of the cars’ global unveiling late this year in Los Angeles or very early in 2016 at the Detroit show.

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The aim is to imbue the South Korean small car range with a look more closely aligned to the all-new, fourth-gen Sportage medium SUV expected to surface at the LA Show in November.

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These prototypes were snapped in North America, probably undergoing hot-weather testing. We hope this means the inclusion of the current Koup’s lusty 150kW/265Nm 1.6-litre T-GDI direct-injection turbo four-pot petrol belter for the upmarket versions of the Cerato four-door sedan and five-door hatch models.

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Have spy pics of your own? We’d love to see them. Just email them to wheels@bauertrader.com.au

Click here to read the full range review of the Kia Cerato.