The entry-level petrol variant of the Kia Sonet undercuts the base trim of the Maruti Suzuki Vitara Brezza by about Rs 60,000, while the Sonet HTE diesel costs around Rs 60,000 more than the same
The Maruti Suzuki Vitara Brezza dominated the sub-4m SUV segment for years, in terms of sales. However, the discontinuation of its frugal diesel engine earlier this year, as well as the rising competition has made life difficult for the Maruti SUV. This has resulted in the Vitara Brezza slipping behind in monthly sales.
Taking the Vitara Brezza’s place is the recently launched Kia Sonet, which has quickly gone on to become the highest-selling sub-4m SUV in the country. Here is a comparison between the two SUVs to see which one is better for you. This time around, it will not be the feature-loaded top-end trims, but the entry-level variants instead.
Below given is the detailed specifications comparison between the Maruti Suzuki Vitara Brezza LXi, and the Kia Sonet HTE, take a read to know more in detail about the two –
Dimensions
The Kia Sonet measures 3995 mm in length, 1790 mm in width and has a 2500 mm long wheelbase. The base HTE variant has a height of 1610 mm. In comparison, the Maruti Suzuki Vitara Brezza has a similar length of 3995 mm, width of 1790 mm, and 2500 mm wheelbase. However, the Maruti sub-4m SUV is 30 mm taller than the Sonet HTE.
| Car | Kia Sonet | Maruti Suzuki Vitara Brezza |
| Length | 3995 mm | 3995 mm |
| Width | 1790 mm | 1790 mm |
| Height | 1610 mm | 1640 mm |
| Wheelbase | 2500 mm | 2500 mm |
Powertrains
The entry-level Kia Sonet HTE variant can be had with either the 1.2-litre NA petrol engine rated at 83 PS/115 Nm, or the 1.5-litre oil burner which generates 100 PS power and 240 Nm torque. The transmission duties are handled by a 5-speed manual gearbox and a 6-speed MT respectively.
| Car | Kia Sonet HTE | Maruti Suzuki Vitara Brezza LXi |
| Engine | 1.2-litre, 4-cyl, NA petrol/ 1.5-litre, 4-cyl diesel |
1.5-litre, 4-cyl, NA petrol |
| Power | 83 PS/ 100 PS |
105 PS |
| Torque | 115 Nm/ 240 Nm |
138 Nm |
| Transmission | 5-speed MT/ 6-speed MT |
5-speed MT |
Powering the Maruti Vitara Brezza is Maruti Suzuki’s BS6-compliant 1.5-litre NA petrol powertrain, that generates 105 PS of maximum power at 6000 rpm and 138 Nm peak torque at 4400 rpm. The transmission duties on the LXi trim are handled by a 5-speed manual gearbox as standard.
Features
The Kia Sonet HTE trim comes equipped with 15-inch steel wheels with wheel covers, an all-black cabin with fabric seats, a 3.5-inch mono colour MID, front power windows, front and rear USB charging ports, electrically adjustable wing mirrors, manual AC, rear AC vents, front adjustable headrests and tilt adjust for the steering wheel.
In comparison, the entry-level Vitara Brezza gets halogen projector headlamps with LED DRLs, 16-inch steel wheels, LED tail lamps and turn indicators on the ORVMs. Inside the cabin, the Vitara Brezza LXi comes equipped with features like a 2-din music system with Bluetooth, power windows on all four doors, manual AC controls, tilt-adjust for the steering wheel, remote keyless entry and electrically adjustable ORVMs.
Safety
On the safety front, both the Kia Sonet HTE and the Maruti Suzuki Vitara Brezza LXi are equally packed. Both the entry-level sub-4m SUVs get dual frontal airbags, rear parking sensors, a high-speed alert system and front seat belt reminders. Additionally, the Sonet gets Emergency Stop Signal as well.
Price
Kia retails the Sonet at a starting price of Rs 6.71 lakh for the entry-level petrol trim, while the HTE diesel is currently priced at Rs 8.05 lakh. On the other hand, the entry-level LXI variant of the Maruti Suzuki Vitara Brezza has been priced at Rs 7.34 lakh (all prices, ex-showroom).
Comparison Verdict
The entry-level trims of both the Maruti Vitara Brezza and the Kia Sonet feel similar as far as equipment is concerned. However, the Sonet HTE is over Rs 60,000 cheaper than the Vitara Brezza LXi.
That being said, the Vitara Brezza has a larger and more powerful 1.5-litre petrol engine as compared to the Sonet’s 1.2-litre NA petrol unit. But it should also be noted that while the Vitara Brezza can only be had with the aforementioned engine, the entry-level Sonet also gets an optional 1.5-litre oil burner.