[KaranP]

I think there's an understanding between Hyundai and Kia to prevent too much cannibalisation of the Venue.

Anyone looking to buy a petrol DCT will buy the Venue as it works out around 1.5 to 2L cheaper (although for a less loaded SX+). Also, turbo petrol manual is exclusive to the Venue as well.

People wanting the Diesel auto will have no other choice but to buy the Sonet.

Though I own the Venue SX+ DCT and do believe that the Sonet should be a slightly better product, I'm not spending 2L more for the top end DCT.

If all trim levels would have overlapped with the Venue, and benchmarked at similar prices, I doubt the Venue would sell.

[1.2TSI7DSG]

Originally Posted by Shrey_1520

Since IMT is without a clutch, it would be difficult to move the car from a steep slope.

iMT isn't without a clutch... It is with a self actuating clutch much like the AMT. The deletion is the gear selector and shifter module.

Not justifying the deletion though.

[Merc4Life]

Originally Posted by Shrey_1520

I was reading through the Kia Sonet Brochure and found it surprising that the IMT variant does not have Hill Assist or Hill Hold control. HAC is available only in DCT and the AT. Since IMT is without a clutch, it would be difficult to move the car from a steep slope. Using the parking break and accelerator combination on a fly over with B2B traffic is tedious.

I test drove the iMT extensively. I haven't read through the brochure and don't know if it has hill hold assist or not, but I parked it on a steep slope, took my leg off the brake and the car did not move back one bit. Was really impressed with the ease in which the car behaved with the iMT.

[ashis89]

Originally Posted by giri1.8

With almost 16L on road, Sonet top end might be the first Kia to have huge discounts during the festive season.

Going off-topic here, the Carnival is running good discounts already, in the range 80k+ if I remember the newspaper ads correctly. I saw full page ads of the Carnival in TOI on 3-4 days in the past couple of weeks.

That said, even I was surprised and thought the Sonet GTX+ automatic variants were priced optimistically. But I was corrected by a BHPian friend who pointed out that the top end Sonet is priced 20k or 60k more expensive than fully loaded AMT driven XUV300 or Nexon, respectively (ex-showroom prices). IMO, that a fair premium (even considering on-road prices) to pay for a proper torque convertor or DCT gearbox alone, ignoring other features in Sonet!

[CrAzY dRiVeR]

Originally Posted by Merc4Life

I test drove the iMT extensively. I haven't read through the brochure and don't know if it has hill hold assist or not, but I parked it on a steep slope, took my leg off the brake and the car did not move back one bit. Was really impressed with the ease in which the car behaved with the iMT.

It does have hill hold.

8:35 mark in the below video clearly shows the working of the Hill hold assist in the iMT -

https://youtu.be/MUi-oAFC-sE

Originally Posted by giri1.8

With almost 16L on road, Sonet top end might be the first Kia to have huge discounts during the festive season.

As per earlier news reports - the most popular variants for bookings are Diesel Automatic HTK+, Diesel Automatic GTX+ and Petrol Turbo DCT GTX+.

[littlebrother]

I've been using a Hyundai Venue SX+ DCT for more than a year and close to 27k kms, without any update from the service centre and I'm yet to face any issues with DCT gear box yet. I personally feel, the reliability regarding the DCT has been hyped up by many due to what DSG has done to India. Particularly the dq200 found in polo, vento and rapids. I find the Hyundai DCT to be more smoother and less jerk free when it downshifts from D3-D2, but DSG to be more enthusiastic friendly. However the DCT here is no slouch and does reward well with turbo GDi of Hyundai.


With the pricing, venue SX+ in comparison to Sonet GTX+ misses out on LED lamps, additional air bags, leatherette ventilated seats, bigger touch screen and bose tuning with mood lighting and integrated air purifier with perfume dispenser and some tachy look dials. I'm skeptical towards the additional boot space claim and ground clearance but yes Venue has sufficient clearance and rides and handles better in my personal opinion. Sonet has the styling factor and everything what Venue does, they have refined it better to touch and feel. The Venue has cooled glovebox and cornering lamps in addition. The updated Venue gets paddle shifters and steering wheel from Creta, and may be a year later when it goes for a minor face lift, you'll be see these ventilated seats and traction control settings as seen in the international Venue since launch. Sonet will be in the limelight until next Venue update comes and vice versa a year later when the Sonet updates. This pattern will keep going on just like how it's seen with Creta and Seltos, the newer product will have more foot fall for a while. But there will be always some crowd vouching for each brand, one for its deisgn(Subjective) other for its service network.

Spending 15 lakhs plus on a sub 4m compact SUV is an overkill to me since I even found Venue to be overprice at 13 lakhs when I was taking it. I would have gone for a bigger sedan like Honda City spending a little more but then we already have City in our garage and I'm some one young and more so an individual traveller in the car now and for some more time to come so wanted to try out a SUV with a turbo motor and DCT gearbox as our indian market sedans are being threatened by the crossovers/SUVs.
P.S- I do miss the dynamics and driving feel of a sedan, but the turbo petrol and DCT combo manages to balance me out.

[wilful]

Suddenly rivals like the top trim Ecosport Petrol AT starts looking quite an attractive buy. At nearly 2 lacs less, it misses out on stuff like ventilated seats, Bose system, LED headlamps and other such features but gets all the big ones right like 6 airbags, traction control, a TQ automatic, etc and a decent enough build quality, service etc. Of course it looks a big long in the tooth despite the periodic refreshes. And the Venue & XUV300 top trims will get some more attention from prospective buyers methinks.

[84.monsoon]

Originally Posted by GTO

Not just the gearbox, but even the engine. Before, the price difference between a naturally-aspirated petrol & a turbo-diesel was usually Rs 100,000.

However, with petrol engines getting turbo-charging & direct-injection, there really isn't (and shouldn't be) any difference in cost. See the same with the Seltos / Creta 1.4L turbo-petrol vs 1.5L turbo-diesel engines.

The big difference is that, in the case of Seltos is they are giving a proper 4 cylinder 1.4 Turbo with DCT with similar volume, power and torque ratings as the Diesel. In the case of Sonet, they are giving an inferior 3 cylinder turbo petrol with much smaller capacity and much lower torque than the Diesel. So there is no justification to match the turbo diesel and turbo petrol prices.

[arindambasu13]

[quote] Suddenly rivals like the top trim Ecosport Petrol AT starts looking quite an attractive buy. At nearly 2 lacs less, it misses out on stuff like ventilated seats, Bose system, LED headlamps and other such features but gets all the big ones right like 6 airbags, traction control, a TQ automatic, etc and a decent enough build quality, service etc. [quote]

The diesel manual top end Ecosport (the S version) will have close to INR 2.5 lakhs difference in on road prices in Bangalore, as compared to the diesel auto Sonet GTX version. This is after factoring in the inevitable discounts on the Ecosport S (and before any discounts on the Sonet GTX). I highly doubt there would be any substantial discounts on the Sonet this year, given the rousing reception the Kia brand has already got in India. I see no reason for Kia to provide discounts till such time that they continue to get strong bookings for the Sonet.

Looks wise, the Ecosport still looks pretty handsome and well proportioned for a C-SUV. Of course, the big trump card for the Sonet would be the TC gearbox while Ford stubbornly refuses to provide an auto tranny on the Ecosport.

[NFS2024]

Originally Posted by CrAzY dRiVeR

It does have hill hold.

Originally Posted by Merc4Life

I test drove the iMT extensively. I haven't read through the brochure and don't know if it has hill hold assist or not, but I parked it on a steep slope, took my leg off the brake and the car did not move back one bit. Was really impressed with the ease in which the car behaved with the iMT.

As far as I know, the lower variants of the Sonet iMT does not have HAC.

It is only the GTX+ variant that has ESC, HAC and VSM. Correct me if am wrong.

[Bibendum90949]

Originally Posted by NFS2024

As far as I know, the lower variants of the Sonet iMT does not have HAC.It is only the GTX+ variant that has ESC, HAC and VSM. Correct me if am wrong.

HAC is available in HTK+ too. This is from the Sonet brochure.

[NFS2024]

Originally Posted by Bibendum90949

HAC is available in HTK+ too.

I dont think so. It is clearly mentioned as 7DCT version only. I have seen the brochure and the HAC is not mentioned for any other variant.

[Shrey_1520]

Originally Posted by Merc4Life

parked it on a steep slope, took my leg off the brake and the car did not move back one bit

Thanks, that's good to know. Which variant was it? GTX+ is equipped with HAC but not others.

[Merc4Life]

Originally Posted by Shrey_1520

Thanks, that's good to know. Which variant was it? GTX+ is equipped with HAC but not others.

That's right. It was the GTX+

[Shrey_1520]

Originally Posted by 1.2TSI7DSG

iMT isn't without a clutch... It is with a self actuating clutch much like the AMT.

I was referring to physical presence of a clutch here which can be used to avoid the roll back on a slope. I have driven Alto K10 AMT several times I need to use the handbrake every time.

Again this was just a thought reading the features of Sonet and based on driving AMT vehicles. I have not driven iMT myself yet.