[Aditya]

Mod Note: Our Kia Sonet Drive Report has been taken live at this link. Please continue the discussion over on the new thread. Thanks!

Kia Motors showcased the Sonet sub-4 m SUV concept at the 2020 Auto Expo in February this year. Now, the company has given us a preview of the production version of the car in Mumbai. The vehicle is expected to be launched in India close to the festive season.



Last year, Kia entered the Indian market with a bang. Its first product, the Seltos, was good-looking, modern, well-equipped and well-priced. It was an instant hit with customers and managed to dislodge the ageing Creta from the top spot in its segment! Earlier this year, the company introduced the Carnival. At its price, there was nothing that offered so much luxury. It was also very good-looking for an MPV.

Notice how Kia is avoiding stale segments (sedans or budget hatchbacks) and specifically targeting those which either have high profits and / or potential for high volumes. Now, Kia is preparing to jump into the sub-4 m SUV segment, which has some strong players like the Maruti Vitara Brezza, Hyundai Venue, Tata Nexon and Ford EcoSport among others. Just like the Seltos <-> Creta, the Sonet & Venue are almost identical under the skin.

The Sonet is equipped with many first-in-segment features including a 10.25-inch AVNT infotainment system, diesel automatic variant, Smart Key remote engine start (both in AT and MT), driver and front passenger ventilated seats and an air purifier with virus protection. The Seltos sure taught Kia that features sell in India! It also gets a Bose 7-speaker system with a subwoofer, wireless mobile charging with cooling function, Over-The-Air (OTA) map updates and UVO connected technology (telematics) with 57 features including UVO - Voice Assist. Other features include a 6-speed clutchless Intelligent Manual Transmission (iMT) and Multi-Drive Traction Modes + Grip Control in the automatic versions.

Coming to safety features, the Sonet is equipped with six airbags, ABS with EBD, ESC, HAC, VSM, Brake Assist, front & rear parking sensors, tyre pressure monitoring system and ISOFIX child seat anchors.

Full details of the engines and transmissions that will be on offer have not been disclosed. We expect it to be more or less similar to the Venue's offerings.

Stylish front end is aggressive with a wide, glossy black tiger nose grille and a deep air dam. Chrome has been used around the foglamps only:


Rear end features too many cuts and creases for my liking, but GTO thinks its full of character. There's a dual-tone bumper with a diffuser and fake exhaust vents as well:


Shut lines are not the tightest we have seen, but they are uniform. Build quality is good, while paint quality is impressive. Full chrome door handles are excessive - we'd prefer body colour:


"Crown Jewel" LED headlamps with integrated "Heartbeat" LED DRLs look sharp:


DRLs double up as turn indicators:


Glossy black "Tiger Nose" grille with red highlights and a GT Line badge. The mesh features three-dimensional geometry, which Kia claims is inspired by India’s step wells. Its border has funky detailing. We like...


Projector foglamps with thick chrome borders have glossy black "fins":


Front bumper has prominent sculpting. It features 4 parking sensors and a large air dam with a honeycomb mesh grille. There is a faux skid plate and wind deflector at the bottom. GT Line gets a red highlight on the air dam:


There is some plastic underbody protection at the front; doesn't stretch too far back though:


Bonnet features a wide and largely flat central dome, while the prominent creases on the side give it some muscle. Prominent Kia badge sits right at the front. A rare car brand that wears its name on the logo / badge. Notice how the headlamps jut out:


Flared wheel arches give the car a meaty, muscular appearance. Roof rails and plastic cladding on the sides provided for that rugged "SUV" appearance. GT Line trim gets red inserts on the plastic side cladding:


This particular car has a diesel engine and an automatic gearbox:


Glossy black ORVMs with integrated blinkers:


Chrome door handles, RHS unit gets a request sensor and keyhole (passenger side has neither):


Funky 16" alloy wheels shod with 215/60 MRF Wanderer tyres. Sweet red brake calipers at the front on the GT Line variant. Even the badges on the wheels get a red border (which we don't like):


Drum brakes on the rear wheels. Consider the attention to detail. The way that the car is parked, the "Kia" & "MRF" branding are upright, and identical to the front wheel's positioning in the previous picture:


Partial plastic cladding in the front wheel well...


...and very little cladding in the rear wheel well! We sure hope Kia isn't already learning Indian cost-cutting tricks:


Window line rises sharply on the C-Pillar. Chrome strip at the base of the windows. Notice how small the the rear quarter glass is:


C-Pillar is very thick. It wears a glossy black insert where it meets the rear windshield. Don't miss the "fins" on this black panel:


Glossy black roof with a very welcome sunroof:


Roof is ribbed for better structural rigidity. Sharkfin antenna sits at the rear. Silver + black roof rails have been provided:


Tailgate is curvy and features an integrated spoiler at the top, which houses the HMSL. Lower down is a unique reflector strip that runs across the width of the tailgate, connecting the two tail-lamp clusters. A glossy black insert is placed below it. People complained that the Venue's derrière was boring. Well, no one will be saying that about the Sonet:


"Heartbeat" LED tail-lamps have a split design and look snazzy! The cluster includes turn-indicators and reversing lights. No rear foglamps provided:


Superbly integrated reversing camera on the shiny black insert:


Red GT Line badging. There is no badge on the boot showing the variant or engine:


Electromagnetic boot release is located just above the number plate. This is rather low and one has to bend down to reach it:


Rear bumper stretches all the way up to the tail-lamps. It also gets some glossy black love. Check out the two parking sensors and slim reflectors. The bumper gets a silver insert and this variant being from the GT Line trim level, has a red insert as well. What look like openings for the exhaust pipes are actually sealed (à la Mercedes). Below is the diffuser with glossy black fins:


Actual tail-pipe is hiding below:

[Aditya]

Just like other crossovers, ingress & egress are easier than in hatchbacks or low sedans. GT Line gets all-black interiors with silver & piano black inserts. LED Sound Mood Lamps (ambient lighting) have been provided as well. As expected for this segment, the plastics on the dashboard are all hard. However, the quality of plastics is among the best in the segment:


GT Line gets a 3-spoke, meaty flat-bottom steering wheel with red stitching, piano black + silver inserts and thumb contours. It looks very premium. Buttons for operating the entertainment and telephone are located on the left spoke, while those for the MID and cruise control are placed on the right spoke. The toggle switches are finished in silver. Steering has rake adjustment only:


Black engine start button with a thick silver ring around it and switches for disabling the parking sensors and traction control are located on the right. They get a glossy black surround. Loads of shiny black panels for the Sonet, on the inside & out!


Funky instrument cluster has an analogue tachometer on the left + analogue temperature / fuel gauges on the right. A digital speedometer with a 4.2" MID are in the middle. Among the information displayed on the MID is turn-by-turn navigation, tyre pressure monitoring system, average and instant fuel consumption, distance-to-empty counter, a single trip meter & outside temperature:


All-black doorpad has hard plastics. Armrest area gets softer, fake leather cladding with red contrast stitching. Door handle is finished in silver. Don't miss the tweeter & speaker with Bose badge. Door pockets can hold a 1L bottle and other knick knacks:


Power window console is identical to the Seltos'. Only the driver's window gets one-touch up / down and anti-pinch functionality:


Black seats with red contrast stitching of the GT Line, draped in leatherette upholstery. The seats come with a cooling function which is such a boon in hot India! Driver's seat is adjustable for height:


Spacious footwell with well-positioned pedals, and a useful dead pedal too. GT Line pedals are finished in sporty aluminium with black rubber grips:


IRVM houses 3 buttons - SOS will place an emergency call to Kia customer care, the button with the tow truck will call Kia Roadside Assistance and the third button will launch UVO (telematics). Auto-dimming functionality has been provided:


Center fascia tilts towards the driver (noticeable even in this image). It features a floating touchscreen head-unit with a piano black finish. The climate control area gets a piano black surround too. A thick silver border runs around the gear lever; check out the detailing on it:


10.25-inch HD Touchscreen AVNT head-unit with UVO connected technology. User-friendly interface. 57 features including UVO - Voice Assist. It supports Android Auto and Apple CarPlay. The air quality index is displayed:


The Sonet gets a cabin air purifier with virus protection and a perfume dispenser. The air purifier's fan speed can be adjusted from here. The rear display (above the rear air-con vents) can be turned on / off:


Smart air-con vents are a design highlight. This is one of the rare cars which has its climate control switches and display in line with the air-con vents. Buttons to operate the cooled seats, the rear camera, driving modes and grip control are located below. Do note that the driver as well as front passenger get cooled seats (your spouse will be pleased):


Below the climate control panel is a wireless smartphone charger with cooling vent:


2 USB ports and a 12V power outlet are located at the base of the center fascia. The USB port on the right can only be used for charging, while the one in the middle is for connecting your smartphone to the head-unit:


Cabin air purifier and perfume dispenser are under the center armrest. This is a first-in-segment feature and can be activated through the ICE head-unit. The kind of features coming to the 10-lakh rupee segment, seriously!


Plain-Jane glovebox is medium-sized. It has no compartments, illumination or a cooling vent:


Roof bezel consists of two lights, sunroof controls and a sunglass holder. It also houses the Bluetooth mic:


Sunvisors are economy-grade in design, yet they don’t feel flimsy (like in Marutis). Passenger side sunvisor gets a mirror, but no cover or illumination. Driver side unit has a ticket holder only:


Sonet comes with 6 airbags including front + side + curtain airbags:


The size of the sunroof is just adequate for the cabin:


Rear speakers are housed on the doorpads. Another Bose badge to show off to your passengers. Armrest has a soft leather surface and red contrast stitching. Door pockets are smaller than the ones in front. See how the window line rises:


Rear seat with black faux leather upholstery & red stitching. It is more suitable for 2 adults and a child, rather than 3 adults. While the seatbase is largely flat, the seatbacks have some contours to hold you in place. Two adjustable headrests as well as ISOFIX child seat anchors on both sides have been provided. Side occupants get three-point seatbelts, while the middle passenger gets a lap belt. A center armrest with cupholders is given:


Adequate legroom. Floor hump is wide and slopes down towards the rear. Besides, the center console eats into the 5th occupant's legroom as well. The middle passenger will have to place his feet on either side of the floor hump:


Both front seatbacks have usable pockets for storing the oddities. Unlike other Hyundai / Kia cars which are equipped with ventilated seats, the Sonet's front seats don't have a hard plastic surface on the seatbacks. This is a big, big plus as the hard seatbacks can make things uncomfortable for rear passengers:


Rear air-con vents get individual flow direction controllers. A USB port and cubby hole are located below:


Small screen displays the AQI inside the car:


Boot is good enough to accommodate luggage for those weekend family trips. The opening is fairly wide, but the loading lip is high. Boot light is provided on the left, while the 7th speaker (subwoofer) is placed on the right. The boot comes with a useful parcel tray as well. The lower part of the tailgate has a cladding:


Folding the seatback down gives you much more cargo capacity. However, the Sonet doesn't come with an adjustable boot floor and you cannot get a flat floor:


Sadly, the spare wheel is a 15" steel unit shod with a 195/65 section tyre. Thinner spare means you have to drive with restricted speeds when using it. Tools are housed in a soft bag, which sits inside the wheel:

[Aditya]

The Sonet will get a 1.0L turbocharged petrol, a 1.2L naturally-aspirated petrol and a 1.5L turbocharged diesel engine. Kia has also revealed is that it will offer a 7-speed DCT, a 6-speed clutchless Intelligent Manual Transmission (iMT) and 5 and 6-speed manual transmissions. There will also be a diesel automatic variant with a 6-speed torque converter (which was the car used for this photoshoot). This will be the first-time that a proper AT gearbox will be mated to a diesel engine in the sub-4 m SUV segment. The Tata Nexon and Mahindra XUV300 diesels got AMT gearboxes. Heck, other than the Amaze CVT & now the Sonet, there is a serious dearth of good Diesel ATs in the compact car segment.



A closer look at the engine cover:


Diesel motor fills the engine bay well:


Absolutely no insulation under the bonnet (Venue doesn't have it either):


While some underbody protection has been provided, it does not stretch back a long way. Still, the critical components appear to be protected:


Good deal of insulation on the firewall:


Turbocharger sits behind the engine, just ahead of the firewall:


Stylish gear lever is a mix of black & silver, with nice red stitching. It is identical to the Seltos'. No shift lock release provided. If this Diesel AT is smooth, it will be a USP (like the Honda Amaze):


Product Note shared by Kia:

[Aditya]

Thread moved out from the Assembly Line.

[JithinR]

Woah! Didn't know Team BHP was at the event.

Well none of the usual YouTube channels come close in attention to details but here goes..

https://youtu.be/2cbkPb7A4Rk

https://youtu.be/IU7OPMltKdE

https://youtu.be/sNhlvk-hScA

https://youtu.be/cezaGixsZlM

https://youtu.be/dAJXhIu-s4w

https://youtu.be/ZNK-AOWTDQ0

https://youtu.be/Nshi8tm7CEk

[turbo]

On one hand, I really appreciate Kia for giving us the option of a Torque Converter Automatic transmission with a Diesel engine, but on the other, I do think it is kind of pointless, because the pricing for this puts in a spot where one would'nt (or shouldn't, for that matter) extend a little and get the Creta/Seltos, both of which are vastly superior in every way.

[Venkatesh]

Sonet Bookings open soon TVC

https://youtu.be/Pit6q6t7ruo

[aarnav_b]

This car is an improvement to the Venue in every aspect, except the central console, which in my opinion is a little cluttered in the way all the air con buttons have been laid out.
It would be interesting to see the interiors of the mid and low variants. The diesel auto is gonna be a huge advantage and Hyundai should've introduced this in the recent update to the Venue.

[guyfrmblr]

Great coverage of the car Aditya!

I liked the overall design of the car. If I had known that Sonet was going to be offered with 1.5L diesel, 6 speed TC AT (even if offered in a lower state of tune), I would have gone for the top-end Sonet instead of the mid-variant Seltos. The major advantage for me would have been the compact size. I find my Seltos a bit too big with respect to driving and parking inside cities. Sonet would have been perfect for me and I would have saved some cash too

[Reinhard]

Great coverage & attention to detail on little items @Aditya. Thanks for sharing this. Already a lot of information to process from just "A Close Look" thread. Will there be an official review thread separately? Almost everything except the engine-tranny driving experience is already covered!

Feature loading is remarkable. There is hardly anything missing in this car! This can't fail. Its a mathematical certainty that Sonet is going to have smashing sales at least for the first few quarters. Tough times for the others in the segment - Venue included.

[SchumiFan]

Kia is spoiling Indian consumers with their variety in terms of engine and transmission. For once there is a capable car with a proper transmission mated to a diesel engine. Such a rarity for our country with manufacturers who think we don't deserve what the rest of the world has.

With it having the advantage of all the tax exemptions because of the size of the car and engine, I expect a competitive pricing. Should be a good alternative to its bigger cousin and frankly a car for all the needs of an average Indian car buyer.

Take a bow, Kia!

Great set of pics and info about the upcoming car. Team-BHP delivering excellence like clockwork.

[francisvellara]

Great thread, that too merely hours after the reveal. Like JithinR said, none of the other reviewers have gone into this level of detail.

Slightly off topic, but how does the remote engine start work on the MT? Are you required to leave the car in neutral for it to work?

[GTO]

Originally Posted by turbo

On one hand, I really appreciate Kia for giving us the option of a Torque Converter Automatic transmission with a Diesel engine, but on the other, I do think it is kind of pointless

Let the option stay for people like us who love our Diesel ATs! It will be more efficient & reliable than the Petrol DCT.

Plus, don't forget that a Diesel AT doesn't cost all that more than a Petrol AT, when the petrol is a turbo-petrol and the AT is a DCT.

Seltos GTX Plus Petrol DCT : 20.43 lakhs (Mumbai OTR, source = Carwale)
Seltos GTX Plus Diesel AT : 20.65 lakhs

[Lowflyer23]

Kia has again hit the ball out of the park.
It's truly a mini seltos and looks absolutely smashing in that shade though I agree that the chrome handles are a bit too much.

It will truly give the segment sales leaders a hard time. Only thing Kia now needs is increased outreach in smaller cities and reduced delivery periods. I know someone who cancelled their seltos booking and bought a Harrier XM ( which appears barebones in terms of features ) simply because the waiting period was too long.

[07CR]

It has almost everything the Seltos has! I feel this car will cannibalize the Seltos sales, and will affect Venue the most!

Cons for me-

The centre looks extremely cluttered and ugly.
The car lacks presence. Even Venue seems to have better presence from the front. In terms of presence, this is nowhere near Ecosport or Nexon.