[sumobom4]

Has anyone here successfully gotten the dealer to throw in the Fast Tag for free with or without any amount? I am asking coz my Dad got that from his VW dealer when he bought his Vento Highline in 2019.

I am assuming not since there are so many bookings, but I wanted to ask in this safe space rather than at the dealer. LOL!

[Dinesh_Malhotra]

Originally Posted by naj

Hello ,

Now the initial impressions :
1)The ride is very stiff & becomes slightly bone jarring at times . Every bump can be felt. Driving on freeways is fun but Pune roads make it uncomfortable on broken patches + bumps.The front hits quite hard on potholes and broken patches. This is way more than Nexon . Will be fun to drive from North to South Israel though.

Thanks-

I am scared to death about the stiff suspension of KIA SONET. My delivery is scheduled for January end (fingers crossed). Are you considering replacing your tires to Michelins Primacy 4 ST and further reducing tire pressure to 30-32?

Can we get the suspension tuned from outside?

Can we replace the existing setup with a car that has a good suspension setup?

Should I open a new thread to discuss this big problem that every Sonet owner dreads?

[Dinesh_Malhotra]

Hello everyone,

I think it's about time that we discussed specifically the horrid suspension setup that Kia Sonet is blessed with and the solutions that one can try to manage the same.

I have myself booked the GTX+ Diesel AT version which is due for delivery by January (2021) end and I dread the embarrassment and discomfort I might have to face after paying such a huge sum for such a damn good-looking car!

To give you some background, I had tested Nexon for a full day and had done 4 test drives of Sonet before confirming my booking for the same. The situation was such that though I liked the superb ride quality that Nexon offered, I did not have the guts to go through the short-term and long-term issues that it's known for (eg: a laggy infotainment system that is slow as a snail in a car that costs around 15 lakhs).

During my multiple test drives with Sonet, I could feel the underlying condition of the road to my feet and decided that I will manage.

But, the thuds!!!

It ruins the whole driving experience.
Let's discuss what can be done to manage this!

1. Reducing tire pressure?
2. Changing tires to Michelins or any other soft compound ones?
3. Tuning the suspension setup to one's liking? (is that even possible?)
4. Replacing the suspension setup with some other cars'?

Let's help each other.

[chetancm7]

Originally Posted by vinitadikonda

Here are the crazy wait times of the Sonet, shared by Car Kia in Hyderabad.

My Sales Executive informed me that this waiting period is applicable to those who are going to book the Sonet from this month, whereas for customers who have booked prior to Dec'20, the old waiting period would be applicable. But even then there are many those who have booked in Sept and still haven't received their vehicle.

[naj]

Originally Posted by Dinesh_Malhotra

I am scared to death about the stiff suspension of KIA SONET. My delivery is scheduled for January end (fingers crossed). Are you considering replacing your tires to Michelins Primacy 4 ST and further reducing tire pressure to 30-32?

Can we get the suspension tuned from outside?

Can we replace the existing setup with a car that has a good suspension setup?

Should I open a new thread to discuss this big problem that every Sonet owner dreads?

Hello Dinesh,
Right now I am not considering any upgrades as will be staying abroad for some time .
Reducing tire pr is one good option initially . Suspension tune up or changing the setup is risky IMHO unless the tuner is qualified and experienced enough considering lack of standard kits .

Please suggest to wait and experience the drive yourself as the ride observation can be a subjective thing compared to the cars I have owned abroad during the last couple of decades. This could be a norm for India specific cars as I also found Nexon to be little stiff ( lesser than Sonet) but everyone loves how it rides.
Thanks-

[tazmaan]

Originally Posted by Dinesh_Malhotra

Hello everyone,




Let's help each other.

The only thing you can do is vary tire pressure to your liking and/or change tires to softer compound of same size (Not sure which brand may be Michelin)

Any other change in the suspension or its components will void the Warranty which is not advisable on a brand new car.

Don't over think focus on the strong points of the car and enjoy the joys of a new car.

I believe over a period of time you will get used to the ride quality.

Congratulation on your new car.

[Dinesh_Malhotra]

Originally Posted by naj

Hello Dinesh,
Right now I am not considering any upgrades as will be staying abroad for some time .
Reducing tire pr is one good option initially . Suspension tune up or changing the setup is risky IMHO unless the tuner is qualified and experienced enough considering lack of standard kits .

Please suggest to wait and experience the drive yourself as the ride observation can be a subjective thing compared to the cars I have owned abroad during the last couple of decades. This could be a norm for India specific cars as I also found Nexon to be little stiff ( lesser than Sonet) but everyone loves how it rides.
Thanks-

Hey,

I have driven the Sonet a good number of times to realise that the THUD factor is the part of this car ownership considering Indian road conditions.

Nexon, though stiff on low speeds, gobbles up really big craters at speed. Not that I want the sonet to behave like the nexon but, I wish for it to at the least behave normal.

[tharian]

Originally Posted by Dinesh_Malhotra

To give you some background, I had tested NEXON for a full day and had done 4 test drives of SONET before confirming my booking for the same. The situation was such that though I liked the superb ride quality that NEXON offered, I did not have the guts to go through the short-term and long-term issues that it's known for (eg: a laggy infotainment system that is slow as a snail in a car that costs around 15 lakhs).


During my multiple test drives with SONET, I could feel the underlying condition of the road to my feet and decided that I will manage.

If both the Nexon and the Sonet have such niggles, why restrict to just these two. You have many more options in the segment as well as price bracket.

When you already know what you are getting into and you are not happy with somethings in it, don't go for it or you will regret later.

Also, did you drive more than one Sonet to confirm the hard suspension? It can be an issue with the test drive car as well.

[Red Liner]

Hmmm. Laggy infotainment system versus rubbish suspension quality. Kia’s research teams will be rubbing their hands in glee. This is how you win over your Indian customers.

[noopster]

I test drove the Sonet recently and found the suspension to be fine. It's on the stiffer side, sure, but nowhere as bad as you are claiming. Could have been a problem with your TD car.

Am curious- if you hate it so much, why did you book the car at all? I guess it's not too late to cancel your booking.

[Dinesh_Malhotra]

Originally Posted by Red Liner

Hmmm. Laggy infotainment system versus rubbish suspension quality. Kia's research teams will be rubbing their hands in glee. This is how you win over your Indian customers.

That was one of the examples. Also, let's keep this to discussing the issue in hand. We have discussed enough about Sonet vs Nexon.

Originally Posted by noopster

I test drove the Sonet recently and found the suspension to be fine. It's on the stiffer side, sure, but nowhere as bad as you are claiming. Could have been a problem with your TD car.

Am curious- if you hate it so much, why did you book the car at all? I guess it's not too late to cancel your booking.

As I mentioned earlier, I am seeking solutions that can help manage this issue not just for me but many who are petrified thinking of this.

Cancelling the booking is not an option for me. Not now.

[Abhi5868]

The way you've described the suspension, no amount of tuning will compensate. Also it'll come at the price of handling dynamics altered than it's supposed to be. On the other hand infotainment system can be changed to your liking, it's just a matter of priorities.

One thing I'll personally vouch for is that the reliability these Koreans linger around is overrated. They're blessed with just as many gremlins as any other manufacturer.

[Turbohead]

Please seriously consider driving another Sonet before the car goes for registration etc, after which you simply cannot cancel the booking.

If you still find the ride quality bad even after driving another Sonet, trust me, you'll hate the car every time you take it out on the road. 15-16 lakhs is not a small amount for a car.

Also, peace of mind is not exactly a trait for Hyundai/Kia. It's more of a perception. https://www.team-bhp.com/forum/india...esponse-5.html (Hyundai India - The occasional serious quality lapse and apathetic manufacturer response!)

Tires and air pressure will only will not drastically improve the ride quality.

[Shreyans_Jain]

There are only so many compromises you can hide behind bling. The fancy touchscreen will wow you for 15 days and that’s that. Ride quality is something you’ll live with on a daily basis for as long as you own the car. The only thing you can do with the Sonet is reduce the tire pressure a bit. It will make things a little better, key word being little. The thuds will remain and you’ll have to learn to live with it.

Personally, there is no way I’ll buy a Sonet over a Nexon. Nexon is about as sorted and proven a product as can be. It is the new Hyundai and Kia cars which are actually facing all kinds of issues: some minor niggles and some major stuff, none of which the companies are willing to acknowledge.

[Cyborg]

Originally Posted by Dinesh_Malhotra

During my multiple test drives with SONET, I could feel the underlying condition of the road to my feet and decided that I will manage.

But, the THUDS!!!

It ruins the whole driving experience.

Dinesh, call the sales person and book a morning test drive. Ensure it’s the first one of the day and the vehicle has been unused for the night (cold tyres). Go straight to the Petrol pump, check the tyre pressures/fill them with the correct pressure (recommended), drive it again with an open mind and preferably along the same route as before.

Evaluate the ride quality again as the showroom people cannot be trusted or believed even if they say the pressure is correct.

If there is a considerable positive difference in the ride quality, you have your culprit and the problem is solved. If it’s the same as before nothing lost, your earlier observation is confirmed.

If the ride quality is as bad as you feel, none of the alternatives you mention will make a world of a difference and a couple of months down the line after spending so much, you will be really disappointed. Keeping this in mind, I would strongly advice you to cancel the booking and go for another vehicle which ticks the ride quality box for you.

Cheers and all the best with whatever you choose.