Finally, the most anticipated sub-4m SUV Kia Sonet has launched at a starting price of Rs 6.71 lakh (ex-showroom). It is Kia's third product in the country after Seltos and Carnival MPV.
Kia Sonet is available in a total of 6 variants: HTE, HTK, HTK+, HTX, HTX+, and GTX+. Their prices are as follows:-
2020 Kia Sonet | 1.2 Petrol (MT) | 1.0 Turbo Petrol (iMT) | 1.0 Turbo Petrol (DCT) | 1.5 Diesel (MT) | 1.5 Diesel (AT) |
HTE | Rs 6.71 lakh | – | – | Rs 8.05 lakh | |
HTK | Rs 7.59 lakh | – | – | Rs 8.99 lakh | |
HTK+ | Rs 8.45 lakh | Rs 9.49 lakh | Rs 1.49 lakh | Rs 9.49 lakh | Rs 10.39 lakh |
HTX | – | Rs 9.99 lakh | – | Rs 9.99 lakh | |
HTX+ | – | Rs 11.65 lakh | – | Rs 11.65 lakh | |
GTX+ | – | Rs 11.99 lakh | – | Rs 11.99 lakh |
The prices for the GTX+ automatic options will be announced later.
Kia Sonet: Powertrain
As it is clear from the above table, the Kia Sonet is available with two petrol and one diesel engine, including 1.0-litre, 3-cylinder, Kappa T-GDI (turbo) petrol, 1.2-litre naturally aspirated petrol and 1.5-litre diesel engine. Let's have a look at their specifications:-
Engine | Petrol | Petrol | Diesel |
Displacement | 1.2 litre NA | 1.0 litre turbocharged | 1.5 litre |
| No of Cylinder | 4-cylinder | 3-cylinder | 4-cylinder |
Mx Power | 83PS | 120PS | 100PS/115PS |
Max Torque | 115Nm | 172Nm | 240Nm/250Nm |
Gearbox Options | 5-speed manual | 6-speed iMT, 7-speed DCT automatic | 6-speed manual/6-speed torque converter automatic |
| ARAI Mileage | 18.4kmpl | 18.2kmpl | 24.1kmpl (manual) / 19kmpl (automatic) |
The Kia Sonet shares its platform and engine options with Hyundai Venue. The 1.2-litre NA petrol engine is only available with 5-speed manual gearbox whereas the turbocharged petrol engine comes with two gearboxes options, a 7-speed dual-clutch automatic (DCT) and the new iMT (clutch pedal-less manual transmission).
On the other hand, the diesel engine is available in two different states of tunes. The 100PS/240Nm version of diesel motor gets only the 6-speed manual gearbox. However, if you opt for the diesel-automatic combination, it will offer you more power and torque (115PS/250Nm).
30+ Segment first features
Kia claims that Sonet has over 30 segment-first features. This mainly includes ventilated front seats, multiple driving and traction control modes, air purifier with perfume dispenser, Bose 7-speaker premium sound system, ambient lighting with music sync, wireless smartphone charger with cooling, 392 litres of boot space, 10.25-inch touchscreen infotainment (largest in the segment) with navigation, live traffic update and 57+ UVO connected-car features that include remote engine start/stop, remote cooling control for both manual/automatic versions, geo-fencing, etc.
Other prominent features include 16-inch dual-tone alloy wheels, LED headlamps with LED DRLs, LED tail lamps, sharkfin antenna, Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, automatic climate control, electric sunroof, cruise control, steering mounted audio controls, electrically adjustable and foldable ORVMs, auto-dimming IRVM, semi-digital instrument cluster, front and rear armrests, adjustable headrests, etc.
The sportier, GT Line trim also gets red accents on the front grille, bumpers, side skirts, alloy wheel hub and brake callipers.
Also Read: Kia Sonet 2020: First Drive Impression
Safety Features
On the safety front, the new Korean SUV gets up to six airbags, ABS with EBD, front (4 no) and rear parking sensors (2 nos), a rearview camera, electronic stability control and a tyre pressure monitoring system (TPMS).
Competition
In the sub-4m SUV space, the Kia Sonet rivals the Maruti Suzuki Vitara Brezza, Hyundai Venue, Tata Nexon, Ford EcoSport, Mahindra XUV300, and the upcoming Toyota Urban Cruiser.
Author's Take
The bookings of the Kia Sonet has reached over 25,000 units so far, which clearly shows that customers are excited about this new urban SUV.
Sonet has ventured into a segment where many options are already available. But with its features loaded package and extensive powertrain option, Kia Sonet has the potential to become the new segment leader.
