Kia Motors has revealed its sub-compact SUV Sonet in a world premiere on Friday.
The car will be offered with 3 engine options of 1.2-litre petrol, 1.0-litre turbo petrol, and the 1.5-litre turbo diesel. These engines can either be used with a 5-speed manual transmission or the 6-speed DCT or the all-new 6-speed iMT gearbox.
The SUV also comes with the recent iMT technology where the 6-speed iMT gearbox will allow a clutch-less shifting.
The SUV is inspired by a baby elephant. Its bold design combines the automaker’s signature design traits, including the prominent ‘tiger nose’ grille, with a three-dimensional ‘stepwell’ geometric grille mesh for a strong visual impression. Its aggressive stance also shows its rugged appeal.
Other characteristics of the SUV consists of 10.25-inch AVNT, smart key remote engine start (both in AT and MT transmission), front row driver, and passenger ventilated seats with an India first smart pure air purifier with virus protection.
“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 recent 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,” said Ho Sung Song, President, and CEO, Kia Motors Corporation.
Earlier, the South Korean automaker sold two models in India- Seltos and Carnival. But Sonet is the second ‘Made in India’ product from Kia, after the introduction of the Seltos SUV in August 2019.
“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 consumers. 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, Kia Motors India.
Some of the safety features in the new SUV consist of six airbags, ABS with EBD, ESC, HAC, VSM and brake assist, projector fog lamps, and Isofix child anchor.
Sonet is the first SUV in the segment to be provided in the sporty GT Line trim for extra sportiness, the automaker said.
