2020 Kia Sonet

[Carbon82]

Honestly, I have lost count of the number of SUV / crossover available in the Kia stable. A quick check on Kia (Korea) website, revealed the following:

• Telluride
• Mohave (Borrego)
• Sorento
• Sportage
• Seltos
• Niro
• Stonic
• Soul

That seems to be a lot of SUV / crossover for company with a total of 19 distinctive models in it lineup (some are not available here through). Now, Kia has just announced another new sub-compact SUV in India, and they plan to introduce it to other market at a later stage.

That's too much of SUV / crossover if you ask me, but it seems that NO auto manufacturers are immune to the "crossover virus", which started spreading since 5 - 10 years ago.

Kia Sonet

Kia Sonet is an all-new subcompact SUV to be produced at Kia's Anantpur facility for sale in India and also exported to international markets. Rivalling the likes of Hyundai Venue and Maruti Suzuki Vitara Brezza, Kia Sonet shares its engine and platform with the sister company Venue subcompact SUV and will be the second car in the country to feature clutchless transmission.

Upfront, the Kia Sonet gets the company’s signature ‘Tiger Nose’ with all-LED headlamps. The side profile looks quite impressive too and the car has a decent amount of lines and creases running across the body length, further escalating its sporty appeal. Now, coming to the interiors of the Kia Sonet, the SUV gets a 10.25-inch touchscreen infotainment system with as many as 55 UVO connected features as well. Moreover, you also get a digital instrument cluster and the same will come as standard on higher-spec variants. Apart from these, Kia Sonet comes with a three-spoke steering wheel with integrated buttons and scroll wheels.

Prime features on the Kia Sonet include an auto climate control system, Bose sound system, electric sunroof, front ventilated seats, ambient lighting and six airbags – front, side and curtain. The Sonet also gets the world’s first virus protection tech for better safety in times like the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic. Kia will also be offering a smartwatch with the Sonet for remote functions. The list doesn’t end here as the Kia Sonet will also come with a wireless charger with a cooling function. The Sonet will be offered in a dual trim concept including the GT-Line trim that gets sporty-looking highlights on the outside as well as inside.

The Kia Sonet will be launched with three engine options – two petrol and a diesel. These include a 1.2-litre four-cylinder petrol motor, a more powerful 1.0 T-GDi petrol mill and a 1.5-litre CRDi diesel unit. Transmission options on the Kia Sonet include five and six-speed manuals along with a seven-speed DCT, six-speed automatic, and more importantly, a new six-speed Smartstream intelligent manual transmission (iMT) that was seen on the Hyundai Venue iMT very recently. The biggest benefit of this transmission is that it offers clutchless shifting with the control of a manual shift lever. That said, the iMT on the Kia Sonet offers operation exactly like a manual gearbox with the need to shift gears but there is no clutch pedal.

The Kia Sonet will also be offered with a six-speed automatic gearbox option with the 1.5-litre diesel engine option. You also get multi-drive & traction modes and grip control for the automatic variants of the Sonet.

[jennifermaha]

so cool, my dream car 😍

[Spring]

This car looks like a sibling of Hyundai Venue. 

[RevStarZen]

3 hours ago, Spring said:

This car looks like a sibling of Hyundai Venue. 

Agreed-Kia’s answer to the Hyundai Venue!

[Jamesc]

I love crossovers.

I also crossover what.

Lesbian trapped in a man's body.

[yishunite]

Better looking than venue but inside plasticky look dont think that will age well

[Acegab]

51 minutes ago, mikk123 said:

wah....how come no one discussing this new launch? 

Cause kia products outside of the stinger/sorento/EV6 are kinda lame tbh

[yishunite]

I guess its bigger than Stonic? What's the difference between this and Seltos tho?

[yishunite]

Seltos also made in India...

[Blanket]

109k for this

More hp compared to current stonic, but less than the previous 1.0T petrol (114 vs 99 in new stonic, 118 in previous gen stonic)

slightly shorter (20mm)

Much taller (200mm)

slightly wider (30mm)

boot significantly bigger (abt 40L) more

made in india

I guess you’re paying for ventilated seats, rear aircon and bigger boot compared to the stonic 

Edited January 9, 2022 by Blanket

[Didu]

SGcarmart offers only one variant SX 1.5L CVT. From a pricing and size perspective, I suppose SEAT Arona or Yaris Cross can be a competitor.

[Brass]

On 1/3/2022 at 9:49 AM, Acegab said:

Cause kia products outside of the stinger/sorento/EV6 are kinda lame tbh

I think Cerato, Rio and Picanto isn't too bad in its range.

The Sportage is now lame tho.

[Algergohce]

Seems not much fanfare over this model. I collected the car last week. To be frank, the idea that it is made in India certainly weighted in my mind when looking at the model. However, if you go to the showroom and take a look at it, and test drive it, you will realise that it is actually pretty well made. No doubt many will shun it because of the manufacturing place and that it will probably not fare very well locally, I personally think it is as well made as any other KIA in the showroom. The car is actually meant for my wife, she liked it because of the small footprint, and high vantage point. As I was driving it around after collection, I can feel that it is a quiet and good drive in terms of comfort and NVH. Features, although lacking in active safety, made it up with ventilated seats, wireless charger, LED headlights etc.. The only let downs were the Apollo brand tyres and also rear drum brakes. For a small SUV/Crossover at this price, I think its a worthwhile buy for day to day use. 

[yishunite]

I dont think you can tell reliability from the showroom. It took Korea many years for their reliability to catch up with Japan. Europeans still havent managed it 🤣 India surely got its own learning curve

[BabyBlade]

On 1/9/2022 at 7:22 PM, Didu said:

SGcarmart offers only one variant SX 1.5L CVT. From a pricing and size perspective, I suppose SEAT Arona or Yaris Cross can be a competitor.

Not sgCarMart la. Is C&C. Hahaha.

[BabyBlade]

3 hours ago, Algergohce said:

Seems not much fanfare over this model. I collected the car last week. To be frank, the idea that it is made in India certainly weighted in my mind when looking at the model. However, if you go to the showroom and take a look at it, and test drive it, you will realise that it is actually pretty well made. No doubt many will shun it because of the manufacturing place and that it will probably not fare very well locally, I personally think it is as well made as any other KIA in the showroom. The car is actually meant for my wife, she liked it because of the small footprint, and high vantage point. As I was driving it around after collection, I can feel that it is a quiet and good drive in terms of comfort and NVH. Features, although lacking in active safety, made it up with ventilated seats, wireless charger, LED headlights etc.. The only let downs were the Apollo brand tyres and also rear drum brakes. For a small SUV/Crossover at this price, I think its a worthwhile buy for day to day use. 

I think the selling point of the Sonet is the Kia Connect Lite app right? Their target audience will be the younger crowd. Have you used the app, do you find it useful?

[13177]

I think i saw this Sonet on the road yesterday, didnt managed to see clearly what car model but saw it was a KIA small size SUV. The colour looks weird, that is why it catches my attention.

[Algergohce]

6 hours ago, BabyBlade said:

I think the selling point of the Sonet is the Kia Connect Lite app right? Their target audience will be the younger crowd. Have you used the app, do you find it useful?

@BabyBlade The app apparently is not ready yet and owners will be informed to go get it installed in Mar Apr period. So have not used it yet. Will post some comments after getting it. On paper, seems to be useful to have some sort of long distance remote control over the car..