Kia Sonet is retailed in three engine choices and it has the largest bootspace in its class alongside featuring many segment-first features
Kia Motors India launched the Sonet as its third product locally and it has attained prominence in a very short span of time. The compact SUV competes in a highly sought after segment against the likes of Maruti Suzuki Vitara Brezza, Hyundai Venue, Tata Nexon, Ford EcoSport, Mahindra XUV300, etc and it certainly has tricks up its sleeve to get ahead of the competitors.
Firstly, the five-seater is offered in three engine choices: a 1.2-litre naturally-aspirated petrol, a 1.5-litre diesel and a 1.0-litre three-cylinder turbo petrol. The bigger petrol unit is paired with a five-speed manual but the solo diesel gets a six-speed manual or a six-speed torque converter automatic transmission, which is a segment-first feature.
The six-speed AT is definitely driving in the audience as it gives an advantage in convenience as well as fuel economy. Thus, practically for customers wanting to roam around the city without having to dab the clutch often and needing good fuel efficiency will have the Sonet as the right choice and more crucially the first-mover advantage gives it a big helping hand.
Additionally, the 1.0-litre turbo gasoline mill can be had with an iMT as standard or a seven-speed dual-clutch auto as an option. The convenience factor is further enhanced here as the iMT definitely comes in handy in a number of applications and you definitely have to drive it to understand it. Besides the wide range of powertrains, the compact SUV offers better practicality compared to most of its rivals.
The South Korean auto major has indeed engineered the Sonet to have plenty of usable space inside the cabin courtesy of cubby holes, door pockets and a glovebox with rather shallow entry. As for the dimensions, the compact SUV is one of the wider models in its segment and is the tallest of them all, aiding in ample headroom for the occupants.
The boot space capacity of 392 litres makes it the largest in the class. Thus, the key practicality factors like the cabin space and trunk volume are well covered by the Kia Sonet with a very decent ground clearance of 205 mm. All of these clever practicality bits are enhanced by a packed equipment list across the range and it includes many segment-first and segment-best features.
It comprises of the class-leading 10.25-inch HD touchscreen infotainment system with navigation and live traffic alert, Apple CarPlay and Android Auto compatibility, alongside air purification system with virus protection, seven-speaker Bose audio system with sub-woofer, a 4.2-inch coloured instrument cluster, and multi-functional flat-bottom steering wheel with mounted controls.
It also boasts ventilated driver and passenger seats, automatic climate control system, LED mood lighting setup, wireless charger, multiple drive modes, traction modes, push-button start/stop, etc. The Sonet is also equipped with Kia’s UVO Connect technology, making it one of the advanced connectivity based SUVs in the segment with safety, security and convenience in mind.
As much as 57 in-car connectivity features are available courtesy of the UVO Connect, besides over-the-air updates, application-based interfaces, AI-based voice recognition, and so on. The Kia Sonet is currently priced at Rs. 6.71 lakh for the base petrol variant and it goes all the way up to Rs. 12.89 lakh (ex-showroom) for the range-topping model.
Retailed in HTE, HTK, HTK+, HTX, HTX+, and GTX+ trim levels, the Sonet reached the top of its segment’s standings within a few days of its market debut.
Its momentum is expected to continue into the coming months as the solid performer is all set to raise the stakes to a whole new level for others to catch up.
