With the unlock phase starting in India, industries are starting to come to their normal phase. Automotive Sector, in particular, took a great hit due to the pandemic. Now with everything coming slowly back to normal, car launches have resumed. we may very soon see a new car launch by Kia namely “The Sonet”.
The Kia Sonet was first unveiled in Auto Expo 2020. It caught the attention of enthusiasts and customers there and people are eagerly waiting for the launch of the car. The compact-SUV segment is not easy to get into with the likes of Hyundai Venue, Maruti Suzuki Vitara Brezza and others leading the pack. Kia, however, has gained considerable popularity with Kia Seltos against the Hyundai Creta and the same is expected here too. For those new here, Kia is the sister brand of Hyundai.
The Kia Sonet has created hype much before its launch. The car has been getting a lot of reveals on what the actual production will be looking like. It was revealed in the Auto Expo this year and the design was liked by the people. The sub-compact SUV is also becoming very trendy overall and many manufacturers want to get into this segment. Volkswagen and Skoda have also announced that they will be bringing out their products in the market. These products will also be India specific.
Let’s dive into the details
According to our sources HT Auto, Manohar Bhat- Head Marketing and Sales confirmed that the launch of the car remains on track despite Covid-19. They intend to go forward with the launch date of their car this festive season. He also added that Kia’s Vendors, Suppliers and everyone else was on track to unveil the car during the August-October period.
Talking about the vehicle’s design and features, Bhat said that the Kia Sonet would bring never-before-seen features to the compact SUV segment. Among these is a clutchless gearbox. “Sonet has a clutchless manual gearbox which is new for the segment. Basically, it will have a manual gear but won’t have a clutch at all. So, it will have the fun of engaging gears without the tedium of having to press the clutch – best of both worlds,” Bhat added.
Post the pandemic, first-time car buyers are on the rise and Kia does not want to miss the opportunity. With compact-SUVs selling like hot cakes in India, Kia wants to bring its own contender to compete against the market-leaders. Mr Bhat also went ahead to say that their car will be drastically different than the competition and will also offer clutchless manual transmission-a segment first. He also added that the new transmission will be a best of both worlds.
Pricing
Rumours regarding the pricing of Kia Sonet has been surfacing. The new car is believed to be starting at Rs.8 lakh. With such an expensive price tag, beating the competition in the market will be a tough job. If the car is priced expensive, Indian first-time car buyers will prefer to go with the Hyundai Venue with its cheaper priced base-variant. Kia has to compulsorily price the Sonet aggressively otherwise the car won’t be able to entice a lot of customers.
Engine and Performance
Like the Kia Seltos which shares Hyundai Creta engines, Kia Sonet too will share the engines with the Hyundai Venue. As a result, three engine options will be available on the Kia Sonet.
1.0-litre Kappa Turbo Petrol engine
1.2-litre Kappa Petrol engine
1.4-litre U2-CRDi Diesel engine (A five/six-speed manual gearbox and a seven-speed DCT will be on option.)
1.2-litre Kappa petrol
1.0-litre Kappa Turbo petrol
Max Power 99bhp 82bhp 118bhp
Max Torque 215Nm 114Nm 172Nm
The Kia Sonet is built on the same platform as the new Hyundai Venue’s platform. Kia has also used 70% high-strength steel which makes it stiffer and stronger according to our sources. A big, bulky tiger grille adds a bold element to the front profile. LED headlamps with DRLs will also be provided. The front bumper with chrome accents and vents look rugged and adds muscularity to the looks of the car. Body cladding, scuff plates and horizontal LED light bar across the boot is believed to make an appearance
Interior Highlights of Kia Sonet
Inside the car is a large touchscreen infotainment system which allows phone connectivity, interior climate control. It has a steering-mounted control system among other features. Features that are exclusive to the top model of the car include ventilated seats, cruise control, sunroof and a wireless phone charger.
