2020 Kia Sonet - What To Expect From the Upcoming Maruti Vitara Brezza-rival

by Vivaan Khatri | 31/08/2020
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2020 Kia Sonet will enter the Indian market next month. The Sonet will challenge the segment-leading Maruti Brezza. Let's see what the new Kia Sonet have to offer to the customers.

Earlier this month, Kia Motor India unveiled the Sonet in its production form, thereby completing the journey from a concept to a production-ready model in a matter of just six months. The Sonet is a global model that will first launch in India. The new sub-compact-SUV is slated to launch in September and will go on to rival the likes of Maruti Vitara Brezza. Ahead of its launch, details of the Kia Sonet have already been widely published across the web. IndiaAuto has compiled all these details to give you a rough idea of what one can expect from the new model.

Kia Sonet First Look and Walk-around 

 

Kia Sonet Dimensions

Last year, Kia Motors gained massive success with its first launch, the Kia Seltos. The Seltos' successful launch has set a good example for the following launches from the South Korean carmaker. One of the key lessons from the Seltos is to follow Hyundai’s tried-and-succeeded formula. While Kia Seltos bears a strong resemblance with the Hyundai Creta, the Kia Sonet is based on the Hyundai Venue.

kia sonet front three quarters red exterior

The Sonet borrows the platform of the Hyundai Venue, which can be translated into similar dimensions. For example, both the Sonet and Venue measures at 3,995 mm in length and the wheelbase of the two sub-four-meter SUVs stand at 2,500 mm. However, the Sonet is slightly wider and taller than the Venue. The base-variant Kia Sonet runs on a set of 15-inch steel wheels shod by 196/65 tyres while the top-spec variant comes with 16-inch wheels wrapped in 215/60 tyres. The boot of the Kia Sonet can offer a space of 392 litres.

Kia Seltos Dimensions

Length

3995 mm

Width

1790 mm

Height

1647 mm

Wheelbase

2500 mm

Tyre size

196/65 R15

215/60 R16

Boot space

392 litres

Fuel tank

45 litres

Kia Sonet Specifications

Just like its cousin, Kia Sonet will be available with two choices of petrol engines. These include naturally aspirated 1.2-litre engine and a 1.0-litre turbo-petrol engine with direct injection. The bigger engine makes 83 PS and 115 Nm while the smaller turbocharged unit belts out 120 Bhp of top power and 172 Nm of maximum torque. The former engine is only available on the low and mid-range variants, HTE, HTK and HTK+.

kia-sonet-rear-red-exterior

Kia Sonet will be offered with a wide range of powertrain options

For the 1.2-litre engine, Kia offers the same 5-speed manual gearbox used on the Hyundai Venue. However, things will be mixed up when it comes to the turbocharged engine. The turbo-petrol gets a 7-speed dual-clutch automatic and a 6-speed iMT. The iMT gearbox is just currently introduced to the Hyundai Venue. This new transmission option is basically the manual gearbox in disguise, which offers the convenience of a clutchless drive.

As for the diesel range, Kia will derive power from the 1.5-litre diesel engine. The same engine is used on the Hyundai Venue, Creta Verna and Elantra as well as Kia Seltos. The power outputs will vary, depending on the choice of transmission. The diesel-manual gearbox offers outputs of 100 Bhp and 240 Nm. When paired with the 6-speed automatic gearbox, this engine can generate top power of 115 PS and a maximum torque of 250 Nm. The diesel-automatic combo will help the Sonet have a clear advantage over the Venue. 

Kia Sonet Exterior Design 

At the world premiere event, Kia has fully revealed the exterior of the upcoming Sonet. Compared to the concept version showcased at the Auto Expo 2020, the production version of the Sonet looks mostly similar with some small reductions to make the design more practical.

Kia Sonet vs Hyundai Venue Design, Features & Specifications Hindi Comparison

Upon the front, Kia Sonet continues to foster the signature Tiger Nose grille with chrome accents on the lower edge, slim LED headlights with signature DRLs. On the GT Lines, there will be some red inserts on the grille and the lower mesh air dams to highlight the sporty appeal. While the front ends are designed with many playful elements, the side profile is crafted with a more minimal approach. Kia Sonet’s side profile gets a black treatment around the raked C pillar. The GT Line gets a lower plastic cladding. To the rear end, Kia Sonet features sleek LED taillights connected via a reflector strip, chrome-garnished skid plate and faux twin exhaust pipes.

Even though the Kia Sonet shares many mechanic components with the Hyundai Venue, the exterior of this car is wildly different from its cousin. Fortunately, the changes are for the better. Kia has successfully pulled out an excellent design for the Kia Seltos.

Kia Sonet Features

On the base variant, Kia comes with features like dual airbags, ABS, rear parking sensors, 15-inch steel wheels, AC vents for the rear, front power window, and electric adjust wing mirrors. For the mid-range variants, Kia Sonet gets some additional features like 16-inch wheels, height-adjustable driver seat, rear power window, remote locking and 2-DIN audio system.

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On the higher variants, there will more feature to be added to the list. There will be automatic headlights, automatic climate control, power foldable wing mirrors along with 8-inch touchscreen with Apple Carplay and Android Auto. Especially, on the dual-clutch variants, the Kia Sonet is available with some additional safety features like ESC, hill start assist, and traction control.

kia sonet interior dashboard

Kia Sonet is expected to come with various upmarket features 

Top-spec Kia Sonet is equipped with upmarket features, for example, tyre pressure monitor, leatherette upholstery, ambient lights, alloy wheels, ventilated front seats, air purifier, wireless charger Bose sound system and larger 10.25-inch touchscreen with UVO connectivity system.

Kia Sonet Variants

It is confirmed that Kia Sonet will be available in two main lines – the Tech line and GT Lines. There will be six trims, namely, HTE, HTK, HTK+, HTX and HTX+ and GTX+. The first five variants are listed under the Tech line while the GL line will exclusively comprise of the GTX+ variant. Kia Sonet will enter the sub-four-meter SUV segment and compete against the likes of the Tata Nexon, Mahindra XUV300, Ford EcoSport and Maruti Brezza.

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Kia Sonet - All Variants and Features REVEALED Ahead of Launch

Kia Sonet FAQ:

1. What is the expected price of Kia Sonet?

According to some reports, Kia might want to price the Sonet aggressively at the starting price of around Rs 8 lakh (ex-showroom). The price can go up to Rs 13 lakh (ex-showroom) for the top-spec trim.

2. Does Kia Sonet have a sunroof?

Currently, most cars in the sub-four-meter SUV segment are available with a sunroof. According to the leaked variant-wise features details, Kia Sonet will offer electric sunroof for the HTX and HXT+.

3. When Kia Sonet will launch?

Kia Sonet is slated to launch on August 7. Official booking for the Kia Sonet will be opened soon. At the moment, some dealerships have started receiving unofficial bookings for the upcoming Sonet.

4. Should you wait for Sonet or buy other SUVs?

With the attractive pricing and a fully-loaded feature list, Kia Sonet is expected to be a new attractive option in the market. Considering the previous success of Kia with the Kia Seltos, Kia Sonet definitely worth the wait. To have a better idea of how this SUV might fair against other rivals in the segment, check out the detailed comparison.

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