[bblost]

Dinesh,

Your experience reminded me of my Test Drive for the Tata Sumo.
I love that car.

It looks so perfect and solid. So when I wanted to buy a car in 2013, against the advice everyone gave me. I went for a test drive.

I loved it even more. The way it took the bad roads and had minimal sway. The sheer amount of space that I absolutely did not need but liked.

Anyways. I have one test that I do.

I take the vehicle in incremental levels of speed and slam on the brakes.
I braked at 40, it was ok.
At 60, I started praying
At 80 I knew as much as I loved this car, I would not buy it.

Could I replace a lot of parts and tires and make it better. Of course.
But is it worth it. No.

My suggestion to you is that sometimes a car especially a test drive vehicle can have a lot of issues. So get to some other dealer and check it out.

Keep a small air pressure digital gauge with you. Verify if the pressure is exactly what it should be on cold tires.

Drive it.

If you don't like it, cancel the booking and buy something you are comfortable driving.

Sometimes our body just rejects a vehicle for no reason. I have learnt to accept my gut feeling and this helps me out a lot in life.

[Rajeevraj]

I went through a lot of the posts in the official review thread that talks about the suspension. I think the clear consensus is that it a a stiff suspension, but at the same time, at least from the posts I read, it did not seem to be a deal breaker for anyone to the extent it is troubling you.

From your posts, it is clear that you are finding this a major bother. If you have not already done so, would recommend trying to drive a different TD car or maybe even a friend or acquaintance car to make sure the extent of the issue you felt is not due to an issue with the TD car itself.

As someone already mentioned above, things like suspension are core engineering factors of a vehicle and the experience of the same is also subjective depending on the person and expectations. Apart from trying the basic things like tyre pressure adjustments, I don't see any easy solution, that too on a new car. If none of the suggested approaches solve your problem, you need to take the step of cancelling the booking and looking for something more suitable.

You can live with the presence or absence of any nice to have features, but it will be hard to live with something that is related to the core driving dynamics if it is not to your liking.

[Rahul Bhalgat]

Hi Dinesh,

Change to high profile tyres as suggested by Turbohead. And to avoid thud, slow down over the bumps to the extent needed.

[Abhi5868]

Originally Posted by Dinesh_Malhotra

Can't we discuss this in a broad sense keeping in mind that there are many unregistered users of team-bhp who can learn from here?

See buddy, Suspension setup is a very complex component of a vehicle. If it's messed up from the factory itself, everything you do will come at a cost.

1) Comfort oriented tyres come at the cost of handling, changing the tyre pressure would provide some margin but both these would bring it down only from nightmarish to unsatisfactory.
2) Tune your suspension and you'd be at god's mercy in terms of warranty.

I see that you're intention is to help all the Sonet owners, but We're trying to help you. Two years down the lane a feeling of dissatisfaction shouldn't come upon you, especially when you're looking at the hottest segment market has to offer today.

[Raghu M]

I am a little surprised here. You have discovered something that could literally take away your pleasure of driving and still want to find a solution to it. You have not bought it yet, the delivery is not done. Look for other options, the segment is swarmed with better cars on offer. If I were you, I would walk away if I feel the suspension was so horrible. I would not even think of a solution, why bother on something that you have not even owned?

[Col Mehta]

Originally Posted by himanshu1058

Sharing my experience even though a short one, will try to share the complete ownership experience once it clocks 10,000 kilometers:

Stay Safe,
Himanshu.

Congratulations on your new car and wish you many happy and safe miles with it .

Two questions for you:

How is the steering wheel feedback in terms of its weight? We took TD of both petrol and diesel and found diesel's to be heavier of the two, which put us off. Petrol was much easier to drive in tight spaces as well as during parking. Did you get a chance to TD both petrol and diesel and compare the two on this front?

How is the driveability of the diesel AT? Do you feel the power band is too narrow and the engine runs out of breath quite early?

Thank you.

[Coyote]

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 .

Kia recommends the tyre pressure set at 33 for normal / regular loads and at 35 for heavy loads. The showroom I bought the Sonet from and serviced at insists on setting it to 35 for all cars, including test drive ones. I had them reduce mine to 33 when I got my number plates fit, and the ride difference was very welcome. I suggest you try 33 psi if not already done.

Even then, the Nexon's suspension beats the Sonet's, hands-down, in my personal opinion.

[ani_meher]

Why can't you cancel the booking if you particularly have a problem with suspension? Forget finding solutions, find alternative!

In my experience, tall cars generally have hard suspension to avoid boat like swaying. XUV300 has great suspension, you may want to test ride it.

[OSH]

Originally Posted by Dinesh_Malhotra

But, the THUDS!!!

Did you test drive the Sonet like a hatchback or like a SUV ?

If it was the latter, you should see if a change in driving style solves the problem. The Sonet is not a car which will like to go into potholes in the same way a full size SUV will i.e. without slowing down considerably.

[Durango Dude]

Would like to know what you're driving now?! I felt the same with the City as I had down graded from my boat Elantra, it had a cossetting low speed ride but used to roll like a boat if cornered a little enthusiastically. Just a matter of time I got used to the firm suspension of the City and started liking the handling that comes with it. Moreover when I took delivery of the City the tyres were inflated to 40 psi you could sense my embarrassment. It was all Crash, Thud, Bam till I got the tyres to 32 psi. I think the same would have been done to the TD vehicle.

[naj]

Originally Posted by Coyote

Kia recommends the tyre pressure set at 33 for normal / regular loads and at 35 for heavy loads. The showroom I bought the Sonet from and serviced at insists on setting it to 35 for all cars, including test drive ones. I had them reduce mine to 33 when I got my number plates fit, and the ride difference was very welcome. I suggest you try 33 psi if not already done.

Even then, the Nexon's suspension beats the Sonet's, hands-down, in my personal opinion.

Hello ,
Agree , the ride difference is apparent when driving early mornings/late night when the temp drops . Tried it and ride is a little calmer. Becomes harsh as the day temp rises. Bringing it to 33 will help .
Thanks,

[Kosfactor]

I have not come across any Sedan/Hatch/crossover in recent times with what can be called a poor or deal breaker suspension. None. Sure you could nit pick , complain, but they ride just fine.

A top seller crossover that our TeamBHP official review has described as 'Well-tuned suspension offers a good balance between ride & handling. 205 mm GC too'
.

That's not the stuff of nightmares. I'm sure the car would do just fine as is.

[Dinesh_Malhotra]

Hello everyone,

I am thankful for your humble opinion concerning life and the car. I also promise to communicate better next time so that all points of view are considered and the topic doesn't get lost in between.

Discussing ahead, I humbly wish to mention something which might come across as a little opposing (I apologize in advance):

When there are many ongoing discussions that are happening daily in dedicated Facebook groups that are genuine, why are we not accepting this as a problem that is affecting many?

Why are we reiterating again and again that if the car has passed with flying colors in the official review here (which I really respect and it played a pivotal role in me booking this car) and the suspension part is in fact hailed, it cannot be an issue for others?

I have test driven this car at least 4 times till now in 2 different versions from 2 different dealerships before coming here to seek help. I absolutely love this car against the competition (I have made peace with less space at the back and no safety ratings) and find this suspension issue to be the only big worry considering my health as I suffer from sciatica and the amount of time and money I will be investing as a customer on it. it's something that is affecting many and I have felt myself.

I genuinely asked for a solution to this problem so that many to-be-owners or existing owners of Sonet, who actually like it for everything else, can find some solution and be at peace. I thought maybe we will together find a way here and I am sure if any group can, it's us!

Why am I not going for the other cars is something I will explain in the forthcoming ownership thread whenever it comes.

BTW I am considering the following to mitigate this issue if it does affect my car:
- Change tires to Michelin Primacy 4 ST on day one
- Keep tire pressure at 32/33
- Drive it like a hatch (and not like I drove the Nexon)

[AYP]

Originally Posted by Dinesh_Malhotra

When there are many ongoing discussions that are happening daily in dedicated Facebook groups that are genuine, why are we not accepting this as a problem that is affecting many?
Why are we reiterating again and again that if the car has passed with flying colors in the official review here (which I really respect and it played a pivotal role in me booking this car) and the suspension part is in fact hailed, it cannot be an issue for others?

No one said that it can't be an issue for others. Everyone has stated their own opinion on the suspension of the Sonet and have asked you to drive a different car.

Alternately, because members have understood from your post about the serious issue that you have with the suspension, you have been suggested different cars by many of them, something which you aren't a big fan of. And since car buying is a personal choice, that is fair on your part.

Originally Posted by Dinesh_Malhotra

I have test driven this car at least 4 times till now in 2 different versions from 2 different dealerships before coming here to seek help. I absolutely love this car against the competition (I have made peace with less space at the back and no safety ratings) and find this suspension issue to be the only big worry considering my health as I suffer from sciatica and the amount of money I will be paying as a customer for it. Also, it's verified by many others.

Man, you have given many of us even more reasons to suggest you alternates. It is ok to compromise on ride quality, but to compromise on your health, given your specific condition?

I'd reiterate though, car buying is a personal choice, that is fair on your part.

Originally Posted by Dinesh_Malhotra

I genuinely asked for a solution to this problem so that many to-be-owners or existing owners of Sonet, who actually like it for everything else, can find some solution and be at peace. I thought maybe we will together find a way here and I am sure if any group can, it's us!

I think the most genuine solution to your issue has been provided by BHPian BBlost-

Originally Posted by bblost

Could I replace a lot of parts and tires and make it better. Of course.
But is it worth it. No.

The thing is no matter what you do, you can only do so much about the core of a car. From your post, it seems like you would like a magic wand to be spun and your issues to get sort out. The members have only suggested that such a wand doesn't exist. Also, the Sonet is a fairly new launch and isn't a very established car internationally and neither is it a VW with people all over the world tinkering around with it. Hence the solutions to your problem will be quite limited.

Many members have suggested alternate solutions but this won't have a day and night effect on the ride quality. BHPian Turbohead has put it nicely-

Originally Posted by Turbohead

1) Exchange the 16" wheels for the 15" ones in the lower models. This will get you more sidewall cushioning. Choose the softest riding tire in that size. Experiment with the air pressure too.
2) After doing point 1, if you still find it difficult, you may want to get a softer suspension system. I don't think such options exist in the marketw as of today. If done, will compromise handilng and will increase body roll.
3) Try doing back strengthening exercises. Will help you to avoid back pain if your having desk job too.
4) Try adding additional cushion to the seats. You might have to reupholster the seats too. Strictly avoid it for cars having side airbags on the seats.

I hope this helps.

With that being said, I do hope that someone can come up with a better solution for the sake of all Sonet owners. But even then, practically speaking it might take a long time and a decent amount of money to 'rectify' such an issue as such a comprehensive issue shall for all practical purpose, involve tinkering with the suspension, shocks etc.

Originally Posted by Dinesh_Malhotra

Why am I not going for the other cars is something I will explain in the forthcoming ownership thread whenever it comes.

This again is your personal choice, but given the medical condition which you have stated, this will definitely help others in understanding your requirements and priorities better.

To conclude, you can either-

1. Book some other car

2. Go ahead with smaller modifications as suggested by many and still live with the problematic ride quality.

3. Wait for a more comprehensive solution involving complex work which may take a lot of time and money. Not to forget risk, time and patience. In fact you may have to take the leap of faith which others might be able to follow.

Best of luck!

[landcruiser123]

Dinesh,
I understand your point of view, but please understand that your health is of primary importance, especially when you're taking big decisions buying a home/car. What is the point of spending big $$$ on a car if it'll lead to deteriorating your health which may in turn affect your ability to drive (& enjoy) your car? It clearly seems to me that you've done multiple test drives and are worried about the suspension tune. Suspension geometry and tune is designed by engineers who know what they are doing. Uncertified replacement parts or significantly changing the variables like tire pressure can lead to excess wear and potentially dangerous situations while driving.

Can you replace parts to get excellent ride quality? Maybe in a few years when aftermarket accessories are ready. Anything is possible with a lot of time & money - if you spend 10 times the value of the car, you can easily get a ride that is better than the Merc S-Class. Many members have put forward more practical solutions which would help your situation considering your medical condition.

If you still must get the Sonet, talk to your physician and let him recommend accessories for added body support & cushioning. Make sure that these accessories don't interfere with other systems in the car like side airbags etc which can potentially lead to dangerous situations.

Good luck.

Originally Posted by Dinesh_Malhotra

I have test driven this car at least 4 times till now in 2 different versions from 2 different dealerships before coming here to seek help. I absolutely love this car against the competition (I have made peace with less space at the back and no safety ratings) and find this suspension issue to be the only big worry considering my health as I suffer from sciatica and the amount of time and money I will be investing as a customer on it. it's something that is affecting many and I have felt myself