By Kia officially confirmed that the production version of Sonet Compact SUV will make its global debut in India on August 7. The concept model was unveiled at the 2020 Auto Expo and according to the company, it is a near-production version as the overall design theme will be very similar. The Sonet is the third model from Kia in India as they have already tasted success with the Seltos and the Carnival as both have shaken their respective segments.
The sales of Sonet is likely to begin by the middle of September and like the Seltos, India will be the first market to get this model. Kia is planning to sell this model in global markets as the Sonet is based on the highly successful Hyundai Venue. Like the Seltos and Creta siblings, apart from the mechanicals both models will have there own unique identity. The Sonet was expected to be the first model to come with iMT transmission, which doesn’t include clutch pedal but it will come with a regular manual stick.
But Hyundai is offering this gearbox in Venue and it is expected to reach dealership later this month. The bold design theme of Sonet will make it stand out from other models and the SUV styling like black plastic cladding along with chunky wheel arches along with high driving position will really appeal to Indian customers. Like the Seltos, the interior of Sonet will be modern and quality of materials is expected to be inline with Venue.
The Sonet will be packed with lots of features to lure buyers from competitors like ventilated seats, sunroof and it comes with connected car tech too. Kia Sonet is likely to come with three engine options. The 1.2 L petrol, 1.0 L turbo petrol and a 1.5 diesel engine while the gearbox options include a 6-speed manual, 7-speed DCT and an iMT. Kia is expected to price the Sonet aggressively and it will compete against Hyundai Venue, Mahindra XUV 300 and Maruti Suzuki Vitara Brezza.
