Previewed by a concept with the same handle at the 2020 Delhi Auto Expo in February, the Sonet isn’t a poetic form, nor the spiritual successor of the Saab sports car with a V4 engine. Kia Motors delivered a small crossover which is actually subcompact, not compact as the South Korean automaker states in the press release.
Mainly developed and designed locally and set to be produced in India as well, the Sonet is nothing more than the sibling of the Hyundai Venue. In other words, you’re looking at a cheap and cheerful crossover utility vehicle that shouldn’t feel too cheap from the driver’s perspective as long as you opt for the higher trim levels.
"After the success of the Seltos and Carnival, we are confident that Kia will revolutionize yet another market segment in India with the Sonet by addressing the unmet needs and aspirations of customers,” said Kookhyun Shim, head honcho of Kia Motors India. The press release also contains best-in-class promises and accolades, but don’t forget that India’s automotive segment has a long way to go.
“Heart Beat” daytime running lights flank a so-called reinterpretation of the tiger-nose grille, and there’s also a skid plate up front that looks more like a visual prop rather than an off-road accessory. Kia doesn’t mention all-wheel-drive availability at all, but knowing the Venue, this fellow here will come exclusively with FWD.
Having covered the rather generic exterior design, the interior is typical Kia as well. Only the cream of the crop is treated to the 10.25-inch HD touchscreen infotainment system with live traffic and satellite navigation, BOSE supplies the premium seven-speaker audio system with a thumpin’ subwoofer, and the front seats can be upgraded with ventilation. What comes as a bit of a surprise for an Indian crossover is that over-the-air updates are on the menu, but only for map data.
Under the hood, the lineup kicks off with a 1.2-liter Smartstream four-cylinder engine and a 1.0-liter turbo three-cylinder mill. A 1.5-liter CRDi turbo diesel is also offered, but the most surprising thing about the Sonet is that Kia has treated it to five (!!!) transmission options. These are a five- and six-speed stick shift, a six-speed Smartstream intelligent manual transmission, a six-speed automatic with a torque converter, as well as a seven-speed DCT.
After a 1:43 scale model of a Ferrari 250 GTO sparked Mircea's interest for cars when he was a kid, an early internship at Top Gear sealed his career path. He's most interested in muscle cars and American trucks, but he takes a passing interest in quirky kei cars as well. Full profile
Would you like AUTOEVOLUTION to send you notifications?
Google News