That Kia is working on a compact SUV for India had been a bit of an open secret right up until the Kia Sonet made its world premiere at Auto Expo 2020. Entering one of the most lucrative spaces in the market has been high up on Kia’s priority list, and it’s well known by now that Kia’s sub-4m SUV will share its underpinnings with its cousin, the Hyundai Venue. But Kia has pulled out all the stops to make sure the Sonet can go one-up on the Hyundai.
One look at the Sonet and you’ll immediately know that Kia has made quite an effort to distinguish it from the Venue in terms of appearance. The Kia Sonet doesn’t have the upright proportions of the Hyundai; instead, it looks chunkier and more hunkered down. Kia’s signature 'Tiger Nose' grille meshes well with the LED headlights, and the sculpted bonnet adds more visual muscle. Another interesting styling detail is how the paintjob wraps up and around the C-pillar, giving the Sonet a mini-Land Rover Discovery Sport feel. Even at the back, the Sonet’s width is accentuated by large tail-lights linked by an LED light bar.
Yes, the flush-fitting door handles, small ORVMs and massive 18-inch wheels shod in 255-section tyres won’t be seen on the production model, but the concept previews 90 percent of the model you will see in showrooms later this year. All in all, the Kia Sonet appears decidedly muscular and not related to the Venue in any way.
But it’s not just the styling – Kia will, unsurprisingly, load the Sonet to the brim with features. Part of the Sonet’s feature list will be a largest-in-class 10.25-inch touchscreen infotainment system (borrowed from the Seltos), the UVO Connect connected car tech and a premium sound system from Bose, to name a few.
Even more interesting are the powertrain options on offer. While the Kia Sonet will get the same engine options as the Venue, it will come with the option of a 6-speed manual gearbox and an intelligent manual transmission (iMT). An iMT features auto-rev matching, and is designed to make driving a manual car easier for newer drivers because you don’t need to use the clutch while shifting gears.
What’s more, the Kia Sonet diesel will also come with the option of a 6-speed automatic transmission. Now, Kia understands adding a 6-speed automatic (which will be expensive as it is imported) will mean the price of the Sonet diesel-AT could well be on par with the entry-level version of the Seltos, but the company wants to offer the choice to customers who are willing to pay. Aiding Kia is the fact that its relatively small dealer network allows it to offer its models in multiple variants and configurations, something that is a logistic and inventory nightmare for Hyundai, which has a significantly larger network.
In its first full year of sales, Kia aims to sell over 70,000 units of the Sonet, and even sees great potential in the compact SUV for the export market.
Do you think the Kia Sonet has the potential to race to the top of compact SUV sales charts? Let us know in the comments.
Also see:
Kia confirms all-new midsize MPV to follow Sonet
Kia Sonet compact SUV concept image gallery
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