Kia Sonet will be entering the highly competitive compact SUV space where it will take on rivals such as Maruti Suzuki Vitara Brezza, Tata Nexon, Ford EcoSport and Mahindra XUV300. Sonet is also bound to impact sales of its sibling Venue. As of now, Brezza, Venue and Nexon are the top three players in the compact SUV space.
Ahead of launch, Sonet has generated quite a buzz. Dealers had started accepting unofficially from the start of this month. But from tonight, Kia India has started accepting official bookings. From midnight, you can book Sonet SUV by paying a booking amount of Rs 25,000. Bookings can be made at Kia India website.
Mr. Kookhyun Shim, Managing Director & Chief Executive Officer, Kia Motors India said, “The Sonet is Kia’s answer to customers in the compact SUV segment who want style and substance, quality and features, performance and technology, comfort and safety in one compelling package. The Sonet has been engineered and built with Indian inputs and is a global model for Kia from India. India is the first country in the world where the Sonet goes on sale, and with the commencement of pre-bookings, we are confident our smart urban compact SUV will be warmly received in the country.”
Sonet’s exteriors appear to be inspired from Venue and Seltos. Features that give Sonet its unique profile include trendy LED headlamps and LED DRLs, glossy black grille with chrome surround, skid plates at front and rear, prominent front bumper, blacked out pillars, 16-inch alloy wheels, edgy LED tail lamps, bumper reflectors and top mounted brake lights.
Kia Sonet will be available in two broad trims – GT Line and Tech Line. These are the same options as have been provided with Seltos. Sonet GT Line is the sportier of the two, as it comes with a range of cosmetic enhancements and a turbo-petrol motor. The red accents are the primary differentiator for GT Line, which can be seen on the front grille, air dam, brake callipers, door skirts, alloy wheel hub and rear skid plate.
On the inside, the red theme has been extended with the use of red ambient lighting and red stitching on seats, steering wheel, gear lever and door. In comparison, the Tech Line looks relatively sober with its use of silver garnish on both outside and inside.
Other key features of Sonet include a large 10.25 inch HD touchscreen infotainment system, Bose Premium 7-speaker system with Sound Mood lights, ventilated front seats, air purifier with virus protection, electric sunroof, colour instrument cluster, and wireless charging.
Sonet will also be equipped with state-of-the-art UVO connectivity suite. Safety features include 6-airbags, vehicle stability management (VSM), electronic stability control (ESC), ABS with EBD, parking assist, cornering lamp, and hill assist control (HAC).
Engine options for Sonet include a 1.2-litre petrol unit, capable of delivering 83 ps / 114 Nm. It is mated to a 5-speed manual transmission. The 1.5-litre diesel unit makes 100 ps / 240 Nm and is mated to a 6-speed transmission. The same diesel unit is tuned to offer 115 ps / 250 Nm with 6 AT. The third engine is the 1.0-litre turbo petrol unit that churns out 120 ps / 172 Nm. Transmission options include 6-speed manual, iMT (Intelligent Manual Transmission), and 7-speed DCT. This engine will be available with only the GT Line.
Kia is expected to launch Sonet at a competitive price point. As it shares the same platform as that of Venue, Sonet could be launched at a starting price of around Rs 7 lakh.
This post was last modified on August 20, 2020 8:05 am