[GT_C89]

So I finally got my car yesterday!

Will post more updates as I drive it and get time to, but here is how the sales experience went down:

1) The sales guy was great, ran me through everything patiently despite having other customers waiting to pick up their own cars and answered all my questions.
2) I was presented with a Kia "Welcoming Kit" which has a Dashboard Anti-slip mat, a Kia Pen and a Kia keychain
3) I was also given a box of chocolates from the dealer, as well as a discount card for Vijaya silks (obviously some sort of tie-up and marketing ploy)
4) Was given the manual in a nice leather-bound kit (I mention it because I read that a lot of you didn't get it - I suggest you speak to your sales guys and ask for it if you want it)
5) The only accessories I wanted were the Mud Flaps, Floor Mats and the Boot Mat. The only available one were the Floor Mats which they installed very satisfactorily. Seems that several people are out of stock when it comes to accessories.

Slight concern and I wanted to check with owners of the Diesel AT, whenever I'm at a full stop and I release the brake to creep, there seems to be a grinding sound at times. I called the SE and he said he feels its because of new brake pads, but he will check with the service center. Is this the case?

[Turbolove]

Originally Posted by GT_C89

Slight concern and I wanted to check with owners of the Diesel AT, whenever I'm at a full stop and I release the brake to creep, there seems to be a grinding sound at times. I called the SE and he said he feels its because of new brake pads, but he will check with the service center. Is this the case?

Been driving the Diesel AT for almost a month here. I haven't had any grinding sound at all.

[GT_C89]

Originally Posted by Turbolove

Been driving the Diesel AT for almost a month here. I haven't had any grinding sound at all.

That scares me. I need to go get the license plate in any case so I'm going to get them to look it over then. Strangely didn't notice it while taking delivery.

[sambhav.jain]

Originally Posted by Googleman

Congrats, have a safe driving experience.

I guess your's is the GT line top end if I am not wrong? You guys are really lucky. Literally paying a high price for staying in Bangalore my HTX+ costed me 14.8 on road.

Why would you but a tyre pressure gauge? the vehicle is already equipped with one.

Thanks a lot!! You too!! Yes mine is a GTX Plus. Road tax in Karnataka is really through the roof The government should really regularise it. But we know that won't happen

For two reasons:-

1. To use on other vehicles in the house.

2. As you can see in the below picture. The car needs to be driven for a km or around that for it to show the tyre pressure readings. With the guage I can check the tyre pressure before starting my journey and can adjust it accordingly.

[Venkatesh]

Kia dealership in Vadodara turned a regular car delivery into an Avengers themed one, on the occasion of little boy’s birthday. This event was hosted by Gopinathji Kia.

https://youtu.be/g4XThskKAmc

https://gaadiwaadi.com/kia-sonet-del...d-event-video/

[Shreyas_H]

Originally Posted by Venkatesh

Kia dealership in Vadodara turned a regular car delivery into an Avengers themed one, on the occasion of little boy’s birthday. This event was hosted by Gopinathji Kia.

Quite cringeworthy, to be honest!
Leave aside the fact that Superman is not a part of the Avengers

Very surprised to see no masks and no social distancing here!
And of course, our people love to have kids standing and poking their heads out of sunroofs with no regards to safety.


I guess when Kia HQ sees this they may ask the dealer to pull down the video.

[TS Rawat]

It’s been about a two weeks since I've had the SONET. Here are my initial views on it.

1). The test drive given by the dealer was too short (about 1 km). My decision to purchase was based on the brochure and BHP reviews. I wish if the dealers can give the vehicle for a complete day so that it can be tried for most of its specs and features. My requirement was for a diesel engine with torque converter, and <4m if possible.

2). Slight engine noise is audible inside the cabin, albeit nothing as compared to the Thar, or Jeep Compass or the Tata Harrier. I've yet to check the noise levels over 2500 revs. The cabin is nice, but does not give that Seltos type luxury feeling.

3). Closing the door and sitting on the driver’s seat gives a safe feeling but not way the Tata Harrier does. I’d say it’s similar to Nexon. I understand Seltos got a 3 star rating in the recent crash test. It may be because Kia does not provide all safety features in its lower variants like Tata. But then that’s how the Japanese and Koreans work.

4). The way it effortlessly pulls up on steep slopes is impressive. On a steep slope (about 25-30 degs), I could feel the hill assist releasing the brakes after 2-3 seconds, but the torque converter did not allow any roll back. This was the main reason for me to buy the SONET. The reserve power of the engine continuously keeps tempting me to hit the accelerator. I hope I can keep my cool.

5). The mileage in city has been 15-16 kms/L on normal mode, and in the outskirts around 20-21 kms/L on eco mode. When starting the engine in the morning, and when engaging the manual gears it switches automatically to normal mode. Can’t drive on sports or eco mode in manual.

6). The FM Radio is crisp and the speaker system sounds clear even at higher volumes. However, it’s still isn’t the best out there. The loudness of the horn is a let down. Every time the car is locked/unlocked the annoyingly loud horn activates. I must say Kia has been very rude on this. I hope I can get the lock/unlock system disconnected from the horn during the first service.

7). I still have to get used to the touch screen. However, one thing is clear, route map etc must be set before starting to drive. I found the touch screen drawing much of my attention while selecting something from the menu. This can be distracting and dangerous.

8). It appears that the UVO system works only when within internet range. Most of the times, it’ll be useless in the mountains. I wish Kia and all other auto manufacturers give the buyers a choice for these features. The reason I had to go for GTX+ was because it’s the only D/AT variant with ESC/VSM/Traction control. I only wish if it came with a 360 degs camera system and cornering lights.

9). SONET did not come with factory fitted mud flaps or mats. Therefore to say that it is India specific would be somewhat incorrect. As mud flaps were not available with the dealer, the mud splash found on the side body after the very first drive to home killed the joy of a new car. Kia displays many accessories on its website, but what is available with the Dealer is disappointing.

Overall, I can say that so far I'm satisfied with the purchase.

[TS Rawat]

Originally Posted by Dinesh_Malhotra

Hello everyone,
[*]Sunroof didn't have tilt function

It has a three-way switch. Towards front/Rear for open/shut and push for tilt.

[EightSix]

Originally Posted by Venkatesh

Kia dealership in Vadodara turned a regular car delivery into an Avengers themed one, on the occasion of little boy’s birthday. This event was hosted by Gopinathji Kia.

Originally Posted by Shreyas_H

Quite cringeworthy, to be honest!
Leave aside the fact that Superman is not a part of the Avengers
Very surprised to see no masks and no social distancing here!
And of course, our people love to have kids standing and poking their heads out of sunroofs with no regards to safety.

True that Superman is not an avenger, and the editing/shooting and music is cringeworthy, but I like the concept and appreciate the effort that Kia motors made to do this. Not only does this attract attention to the dealership and give it free publicity, but it also gives adds a humanly touch to the customer experience that Kia Motors as a brand provides.

If I were to buy a car, I would strictly consider the experience I am getting at the dealership, regardless of the product. After all, I will be spending huge bucks on it.

The dealership surroundings were a controlled environment, and the kid must have been too excited about the new car, so poking his head out can be considered okay.

[vinitadikonda]

Originally Posted by TS Rawat

6). The FM Radio is crisp and the speaker system sounds clear even at higher volumes. However, it’s still isn’t the best out there. The loudness of the horn is a let down. Every time the car is locked/unlocked the annoyingly loud horn activates. I must say Kia has been very rude on this. I hope I can get the lock/unlock system disconnected from the horn during the first service.

Press and hold the lock and unlock button together on your remote until you see the lights flashing. It horn during lock/unlock gets muted.

[Venkatesh]

Kia Sonet delivery taken by a Human Robot in Kerala

Incheon Kia, authorized company dealer based in Kerala, has delivered brand new Sonet to their customer in a rather unique manner. In fact, this is first of its kind delivery of Sonet, where a human robot is taking delivery of Kia Sonet

Called Sayabot, this robot took delivery of Sonet on behalf of Mr Jayakrishnan, CEO of Asimov Robotics, based in Kochi, Kerala. The idea behind a robot taking delivery of a brand new car is to showcase the use of human robots inside a car dealership, especially during the ongoing pandemic. The robots can help in sales and marketing as well as checking temperature, dispensing sanitizer, etc.

https://youtu.be/zjgSOUMn29Q

https://www.rushlane.com/kia-sonet-r...-12382080.html

[vishal.jayakuma]

Did anyone have any luck finding GTX+ Diesel automatic variants in Chennai? The dealership service that I had booked with, claims that Kia has had a shortage of delivering cars to South India because, during the festive season, the majority of the shipment had gone to North India. I had initially requested for White dual-tone and expected to take delivery this week. Now, there is no end in sight. I even tried changing the booking to Black colour because he said he might have stock, and now even that isn't happening. My plans for December are at a standstill because of this.

[avira_tk]

Originally Posted by vishal.jayakuma

Did anyone have any luck finding GTX+ Diesel automatic variants in Chennai? The dealership service that I had booked with, claims that Kia has had a shortage of delivering cars to South India because, during the festive season, the majority of the shipment had gone to North India. I had initially requested for White dual-tone and expected to take delivery this week. Now, there is no end in sight. I even tried changing the booking to Black colour because he said he might have stock, and now even that isn't happening. My plans for December are at a standstill because of this.

The dealership(bangalore) said 6 weeks for the variant when I booked on 13th November. I know they'll not commit to a date, so went ahead with loan formalities. There is also the problem with inventory of petrol models with dealers. I have not sold my car because I expected a delay, I think they'll deliver only by January.

[bhansali_hardik]

Originally Posted by vishal.jayakuma

Did anyone have any luck finding GTX+ Diesel automatic variants in Chennai? The dealership service that I had booked with, claims that Kia has had a shortage of delivering cars to South India because, during the festive season, the majority of the shipment had gone to North India. I had initially requested for White dual-tone and expected to take delivery this week. Now, there is no end in sight. I even tried changing the booking to Black colour because he said he might have stock, and now even that isn't happening. My plans for December are at a standstill because of this.

I had a chat with my dealer last week for one of my friend, he was affirmative about black gtx+ diesel delivery within 4-6 weeks and other colors he was not sure and would not commit. Looks like the diesel AT is in a good demand!

[vishal.jayakuma]

Originally Posted by bhansali_hardik

I had a chat with my dealer last week for one of my friend, he was affirmative about black gtx+ diesel delivery within 4-6 weeks and other colors he was not sure and would not commit. Looks like the diesel AT is in a good demand!

In Chennai, all except one dealer forecasted 9-10 weeks waiting period. The other guy confirmed that he can deliver by Jan second week.