Kia Sonet 2020-2023

Best Compact SUV in India?

Kia’s first product in India — the Seltos — has been a runaway success. Multiple engine and gearbox options, a host of variants, and a very long feature list all contributed to its success, along with great styling and premium interiors. With the Sonet, Kia has taken the same formula and shrunk it down a size, delivering on the same promises at a more accessible price point. And the formula has certainly worked, as the Sonet is now amongst the highest selling cars for Kia in India. Having said that, it is one of the pricier cars in the segment, and almost all major rivals have received thorough updates since the Sonet’s launch in India. Can it still be the pick of the segment? Read on to find out.

Kia Sonet Pros and Cons 

Kia Sonet Exterior Design 

The Sonet has the same underpinnings as the Hyundai Venue, but Kia has gone miles out of their way to make the Sonet a significantly different car. It gets a longer rear overhang and a shorter front overhang than the Venue, and where the Venue looks classy, the Sonet looks butch and muscular. Its macho looks are youthful and modern, and it wears all the signature Kia elements with pride. The butterfly grille, the heartbeat pulse shaped LED DRLs (which double up as turn indicators), and the upright face is reminiscent of other cars from the brand. The front bumper, while being over sculpted, doesn’t look gaudy. Roof rails and body cladding along the sides add to the rugged appearance, and the C-pillars — which are placed tilting rearwards instead of forward — give the rear glass a wraparound-like look with the use of piano black panels. The tail lamps also get heartbeat pulse shaped inserts, which morphs into a connecting reflector element. Large bumper cladding also gives the Sonet a tough look, but the chrome insert in the cladding that imitates exhaust tips looks over-the-top. 

Kia has done a great job distinguishing variants by appearance as well. The ‘Tech-Line’ models get plentiful use of brushed aluminium and chrome, something which many Indian buyers will appreciate, ‘GT-Line’ has a handful of red accents to give it a sporty appearance, and the X-Line gets blacked out details with an exclusive Matte Graphite paint shade and a different set of alloy wheels. 

Kia Sonet Interiors 

The Sonet has the exact opposite of what you’d call a minimalistic interior, and Kia has executed this design language beautifully. Tall AC vents with intricately designed wraparound inserts, large housing for the 10.25 inch touchscreen infotainment, an array of mechanical switches under the infotainment screen, and the sculpted dashboard are all very characterful. The interior has a dark theme, and depending on the trim, the upholstery and some other details change in the cabin, just like on the outside. The design is very youthful, and perhaps won’t appeal to someone who is looking for a classier cabin, but it is great in its own way. The quality of materials used is great on most of the surfaces you’ll see or touch, and it’s all very solidly put together. The cabin gets a range of features too, like an air purification system, ventilated seats, sunroof, and much more. One complaint here is that the housing of the infotainment system and instrument cluster sits rather high up the dash, and intrudes the driver’s view.

Kia Sonet Comfort 

The ventilated front seats of the Kia Sonet offer great support and bolstering, and the cushioning is soft too, which should translate to great comfort even for longer journeys. The rear seats also have soft cushioning, but the bolstering isn’t as supportive. Under-thigh support is at a premium, and while knee room and legroom is acceptable, three abreast will not be comfortable. Kia has carved out some space in the door claddings to open up some shoulder room, but even that is not enough to offer good space for three adults. 

The suspension does a great job of dealing with bad roads, and it stays stable through most of the potholes and undulations. Bumps are rounded off well, and you won’t hear much of the thuds in the cabin either, thanks to great NVH insulation levels. 

Kia Sonet Performance and handling

The Kia Sonet gets three different engine options, mated to four different transmissions. At the bottom of the range is a rather humble 1.2-litre naturally aspirated petrol engine. This engine is mated to a 5-speed manual gearbox, and the performance on offer from this entry level combination is rather sedate, as you’d expect from the output figures. 

Higher variants offer two options — a 1.0-litre turbo petrol, and a 1.5-litre turbo diesel. Both engines get iMT, or intelligent manual transmissions, which is basically a clutchless manual gearbox. Operating this gearbox is very easy, thanks to the absence of a clutch lever, and the shifts are very smooth. The engine matches the revs depending on which gear you shift to, and there is no jerkiness in the process at all. Coming to a complete halt even in second gear will not result in stalling, and the Sonet can get going in second gear too. The diesel gearbox also gets the option of a 6-speed torque converter automatic gearbox, which is very smooth. The gearbox shifts seamlessly, and offers a very rich and refined experience. The turbo petrol is also offered with a dual-clutch automatic gearbox which is fast to shift, but it isn’t as refined as the diesel’s torque converter.

The diesel engine comes in two states of tune, thanks to the inclusion of two separate turbos. The iMT variants get a simpler turbo, resulting in a 15 bhp and 10 Nm drop in peak power which the variable geometry turbo delivers on the automatic gearbox equipped variants. The turbo petrol and the automatic diesel variants both deliver similar levels of performance. The engines are eager, and will get going whenever you want them too. Tractability is also good, allowing it to stay in higher gears on lower revs. Sonet also impresses on the handling front, and while there is some amount of body roll, it will put a smile on your face when you chuck it into a corner.

Kia Sonet Key specifications 

*The diesel engine gets different turbos in automatic and manual, hence delivering different power, torque, and fuel efficiency figures.

Kia Sonet Safety Features

The Kia Sonet exudes a feeling of toughness, right from the way the thud sounds when you close the door, to the rigidity of all panels inside and out. It offers a comprehensive suite of safety features too, including four airbags as standard and up to six airbags in top variants, ABS, EBD, ISOFIX child seat anchors, Electronic Stability Control (ESC), Hill Assist Control (HAC), and Vehicle Stability Management (VSM). It also gets other features like a tyre pressure monitoring system, but is yet to receive a crash test score from GNCAP.

Kia Sonet Technology and Infotainment

Atop the boldly designed interior of the Sonet is a large 10.25 inch touchscreen infotainment display, which we have seen in many Hyundai group models now. It is crisp, sharp, and offers a ton of functionality, including wireless Android Auto and Apple CarPlay, built-in navigation, connected car features with OTA updates for maps, and more. The system is paired to a 7-speaker Bose sound system, which delivers great audio quality. The part-digital instrument cluster on the other hand gets a tiny 4.2 inch screen, but it displays information very well using  great graphics. Analogue dials for the tachometer and a separate digital readout for the speedometer complete the very functional cluster. The Sonet packs a ton of other tech features too, like an air purification system with virus and bacteria protection, a wireless phone charger, USB ports, and LED mood lighting.

Is the Kia Sonet for you?

It's been a while since the Sonet launched in India, and since then, most of its rivals — like the Tata Nexon, Hyundai Venue, and the Maruti Suzuki Brezza — have received thorough updates. With the competition gearing up, the Kia Sonet does have a challenge on its hands, but it is very well equipped to take it on. Despite the updated rivals, the Sonet is still one of the most feature-rich cars in the segment, leaving no desirable feature off the cards. It has great build quality, a comfortable yet dynamic suspension, and a good curation of engine options that cater to a wide range of buyers. Yes, it is not one of the more affordable compact SUVs in the segment, but the Kia Sonet still offers great value for money.