Kia Motors has finally listed the much-awaited Sonet on its website ahead of its official launch on August 7. The South Korean automaker recently released a video teasing the rear profile of the subcompact SUV. It is likely to hit the showrooms by September 2020, while bookings will commence post-August 15 in the country. The SUV is likely to be priced in the range of Rs 7 lakhs - Rs 12 lakhs (ex-showroom). Once launched, Kia Sonet will be competing against the likes of Maruti Vitara Brezza, Hyundai Venue, Ford Ecosport, and Tata Nexon in its segment.
Since the Sonet was showcased as a Concept at the Auto Expo earlier this year, we have a fair idea of what it looks like. Upfront, the SUV features Kia’s signature tiger-nose grille and LED headlamps. The recent teaser video released shows the production-ready version of the Sonet which is not that different from the Concept. A few minor changes have been observed. At the rear end, the SUV gets wraparound tail-lamps along with a stop-lamp unit. The tail lights are connected to each other by a thin reflector strip instead of the LED light bar as seen in the Concept. The Kia logo is placed right below the thin reflector strip. Apart from this, there is also a rear windscreen that is integrated into the boot area, thus creating a massive glasshouse. Other design highlights as seen in the teaser video are roof rails, a rear wiper, roof-mounted lip spoiler, and a rear-set antenna.
As for the interior features, Kia Sonet is likely to get a 10.25-inch touchscreen infotainment system similar to the one present in Kia Seltos integrated with the Apple CarPlay & Android Auto. Apart from this, it is also likely to get a UVO Connect system, a Bose sound system, and a panoramic sunroof.
Under the hood, Kia Sonet will get both petrol and diesel engine options. The SUV will draw power from a 1.2-litre petrol engine mated to a manual gearbox as standard. There is also a 1.0-litre turbocharged petrol unit that will be offered with a manual gearbox as standard and a dual-clutch automatic gearbox as optional. The diesel fuel model will be powered by a 1.5-litre engine that will come mated to a manual gearbox as standard along with a torque-converter automatic transmission as an option.