Kia Sonet has been well-received among Indian customers and it is offered in Tech Line and GT Line trims with three engine and five transmission options
Kia Motor India Limited introduced its much-awaited Sonet compact SUV in the domestic market on September 18 and it has been well received among customers. The sub-four-metre SUV created huge buzz ever since it made its public premiere as a near-production concept at the 2020 Auto Expo in February. Carrying the momentum created by Kia’s first product, the Seltos, the Sonet has been on a path to set the standards higher.
The bookings for the Sonet were on a rampage mood as it garnered a record 6,523 bookings on the very first day and the numbers continued to increase as the days progressed. In just 12 days of its market debut, the Sonet rose to the top of the sales charts as the most sold compact SUV in September 2020 – a feat never before achieved by any SUV when the long time leader Vitara Brezza has been around.
The Sonet competes against a host of five-seater SUVs such as Maruti Suzuki Vitara Brezza, Hyundai Venue, Tata Nexon, Mahindra XUV300, Ford EcoSport and Honda WR-V. It has now reached 50,000 reservations across the country and the milestone has been achieved in a span of just over a month since its market launch. One of the key reasons for the Sonet’s success has been its wide range of powertrain options.
It comes equipped with a 1.2-litre naturally-aspirated petrol, a 1.0-litre three-cylinder turbo petrol and a 1.5-litre four-cylinder diesel engine. The smaller petrol unit develops a maximum power output of 120 PS and 172 Nm, and is connected to either a six-speed iMT or a seven-speed dual clutch automatic transmission. The oil-burner develops 100 PS and 240 Nm when linked with a six-speed MT.
The optional six-speed torque converter automatic transmission enables a maximum power output of 115 PS and 250 Nm – similar to its bigger sibling Seltos. The naturally-aspirated petrol motor generates 84 PS and 115 Nm, and is hooked with only a five-speed manual transmission. Kia has previously mentioned that the GT Line trims have seen a large number of takers along with the AT variants.
The 1.0-litre and 1.2-litre petrol engines have accounted for 60 per cent of the total bookings, with the remaining for the 1.5-litre CRDi diesel. Some of the key features in the Kia Sonet are segment-first 10.25-inch touchscreen infotainment system with Apple CarPlay, Android Auto and UVO Connect with 57 in-car connectivity based features, automatic climate control, wireless charger, sunroof and so on.