Why do modern Asian cars have such HUGE fronts?

[Gotmilk]

My family has always been into the old cars. Be that for financial reasons or not I can't be sure. Ford Cortina 1981, first mk2 VW Jumbo Gti, 1998 VW Polo Sedan. Ford Escort 1980's, 1999 Golf Chico 1.3l. Fiat Uno 199x

Ford Sierra (too older for me to remember the year). Yeah, my father has had a load of old cars in his day, mostly Ford and Volkswagen.

Now I just recently took a drive in a friends Kia Picanto 2005 model, the car is huge. To be honest, it's really big for a compact car - I was shocked that a 1.1l engine could be in such a large vehicle. But it was spacious on the inside and actually had boot room, hence why it's so big I guess. But the front was really large. His father drives a 2010 Suzuki Swift and it too has a huge front section. It's actually like driving a huge rubix cube.

Why so big? Is that the modern style in Asia? Looking at newer Fords and VW's they went with a more sleek style like the Ford Fiesta and Focus - New Polo etc.

It's like they stuck to the more norm car shape, like they only made the bodies of the old cars curvier and gave them a facelift. The Korean/Jap cars seem to be like a fatter front blending in to form the entire car.

If that makes sense.

Maybe this is a stupid topic, probably. I'm just curious eh I can't believe they would be so big.

[Matra et Alpine]

Having made the cars safer for those inside the agencies have been working this last years on better protection for pedestrians.

So the bumper lines, bonnet lines and heights are beign determined by the need to protect a person HIT by a car. Keeping people away from "hard points" in the car is crucial so engines, suspension tops etc wither need more space or "smart bonnets" whcih lift in accident to provide the space.

The designer then has to look at the aesthetics of his/her design