All-new Kia Sonet launched, has class-first 6-speed AT

MANILA: The all-new Kia Sonet subcompact crossover made its world debut from New Delhi in India and comes with several class-leading features including a six-speed automatic transmission and a GT trim.

 “Kia Motors continues to be recognised globally through products which offer exquisite design and world-class quality, along with ‘The Power to Surprise’. Everything about the all-new Sonet is uniquely Kia and is sure to delight both drivers and passengers. With its aggressive and modern design language, fun-to-drive dynamics, and Kia’s latest high-tech features, the Sonet puts an exclamation point on our ambition to make Kia the brand of choice, especially among millennial and Gen Z consumers. The Sonet fills a need in the growing SUV market, in India and further afield, and will attract a wider number of consumers to the Kia brand,” said Ho Sung Song, President and CEO at Kia Motors Corporation.

This made-in-India global product sports a new version of the brand’s signature ‘tiger-nose’ grille, which is flanked by ‘heart beat’ LED DRLs (daytime running lights) that are shaped like the electric pulse of a heart. The rear also comes with ‘heart beat’ LED tail lamps.

In the cabin is a best-in-class 10.25-inch HD touchscreen with navigation and live traffic, a smart pure air purifier with virus protection, Bose Premium seven-speaker audio with sub-woofer, LED sound mood lighting, wireless smartphone charger with cooling function, and a 4.2-inch instrument cluster with turn-by-turn navigation instructions, a tire pressure monitoring system and drive mode and traction mode selection.

Under the hood are three engine options: a Smartstream 1.2L four-cylinder and powerful 1.0 T-GDi (turbocharged direct injection) gasoline engine, and an 1.5-liter CRDi diesel engine. These are mated to either a five- and six-speed manual, a seven-speed DCT (dual clutch transmission), a six-speed automatic, or Kia’s new six-speed Smartstream intelligent manual transmission (iMT).

For the first time in this segment, the Sonet also offers its 1.5-liter diesel engine with the six-speed automatic transmission.

It will be offered in eight monotone and three dual-tone exterior color options and, for the first time in this segment, it will also come in Kia’s sporty GT-Line with contrast red stitching on the steering wheel, seats and door armrest, and a D-cut steering wheel.

Safety features include six airbags, ABS (anti-lock braking system) with EBD (electronic brake force distribution), ESC (Electronic Stability Control), HAC (Hill-start Assist Control), VSM (Vehicle Stability Management) and BA (brake assist), and front and rear parking sensors.

“We are extremely excited to introduce the Sonet, which is made in India for the world. 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. The Kia Sonet is designed and developed to deliver a best-in-class experience in quality, design, technology, features and drivability to attract a wide spectrum of customers across segments. The Sonet will be produced at our state-of-the-art Anantapur plant to Kia’s exacting global standards, and we are sure it will be received with enthusiasm by new customers and existing fans of the brand alike,” said Kookhyun Shim, MD and CEO at Kia Motors India.

Photos from Kia

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