Kia Motors today revealed the much-awaited Kia Sonet SUV to the world in a digital presentation. Manufactured at Kia’s production facility at Andhra Pradesh, India, the Sonet is the Korean carmaker’s first compact SUV and the brand’s latest made-in-India global product after the Seltos.
The Kia Sonet comes with best in class features and incorporates Kia’s DNA of emotive styling that creates a strong road presence. Displaying a dynamic stance in a confident, compact body, the Sonet showcases a range of styling attributes to make it stand apart on roads around the world. This includes a fresh interpretation of Kia’s signature ‘tiger-nose’ grille, flanked by ‘heart beat’ LED DRLs (daytime running lights), shaped like the electric pulse of a heart, with a stylish front skid plate beneath.
Coming to interiors, the Sonet SUV is design is driver-centric, with a well laid-out, user-friendly infotainment and cluster interface, and high quality materials along with a spacious cabin give it a premium feel. The SUV comes with a 10.25-inch HD touchscreen with infotainment and navigation system. The system offers Kia’s intuitive UVO ‘connected car’ technology.
Sonet is the only vehicle in its category to offer audio performance from BOSE, with a premium seven-speaker system with sub-woofer. Other mood enhancers include the LED Sound Mood Lighting, introducing a level of personalization unique to this segment, as well as a wireless smartphone charger with cooling function.
Also, being a driver-focussed car, a 4.2-inch instrument cluster presents important information when driving in vivid colors, such as turn-by-turn navigation instructions, Tyre Pressure Monitoring System (TPMS) and drive modes and traction mode selection.
The Sonet will be offered with multiple powertrain options to suit virtually all requirements in this segment. A choice of two petrol engines – a 1.2-liter four-cylinder and powerful 1.0 T-GDi (turbocharged gasoline direct injection) – and a fuel efficient 1.5-liter CRDi Diesel engine are available with a choice of five gearbox options. This includes five- and six-speed manuals, a seven-speed DCT and a six-speed automatic, and Kia’s new six-speed intelligent manual transmission (iMT). Additionally, automatic variants of the Sonet offer Multi-Drive and Traction Modes for added convenience, driver-confidence and safety.
Kia Sonet will be offered in a dual trim concept. This includes the sporty GT-Line trim with racy appeal inside and out for enthusiasts. GT-Line models offer an extra dash of sportiness to the Sonet and highlight its dynamic presence on the road.
Like we mentioned earlier, the Sonet is loaded with multiple segment-first features that offer comfort, convenience, safety, and optimum driving pleasure.
Largest and best-in-class 10.25-inch (26.03 cm) HD touchscreen with navigation and live traffic
Smart Pure Air Purifier with virus protection
BOSE Premium seven-speaker audio with sub-woofer
Ventilated driver and front-passenger seats
LED Sound Mood Lighting
Remote engine start for automatic and manual transmission via UVO Connect and Smart Key
Over-the-air (OTA) map updates
Multi-drive & traction modes and grip control for automatic models
Wireless smartphone charger with cooling function
In terms of the safety, the Sonet has a lot to offer that include six airbags, ABS (anti-lock braking system) with EBD (electronic brake force distribution), ESC (Electronic Stability Control), HAC (Hill-start Assist Control), VSM (Vehicle Stability Management) and BA (brake assist), Front and rear parking sensors, Tyre pressure monitoring system (TPMS, Auto headlamps, and an ISOFIX child-seat anchoring point.
The Kia Sonet will be launching during the festive season in India and the expected price is in the range of INR 7 Lakhs to INR 12 Lakhs. The car will rival the likes of Hyundai Venue, Maruti Brezza, Tata Nexon, and the upcoming Toyota Urban Cruiser.
