Kia Motors Unveils New Sonet SUV in India Priced at Rs 7 Lakhs

The new Kia Sonet will be manufactured at Anantapur in Andhra Pradesh, owned by its subsidiary Kia Motors India.

The new Kia Sonet.

(Photo: The Quint)

South Korean automotive major Kia Motors Corporation will be shipping out its India-made new compact sports utility vehicle (SUV) Sonet to its global markets. The car will be priced between Rs 7-12 lakhs.

The new Kia Sonet will be manufactured in the company’s Indian plant at Anantapur in Andhra Pradesh owned by its subsidiary Kia Motors India.

Speaking at the virtual world premiere of Sonet, Ho Sung Song, President and CEO, Kia Motors Corporation said the new model Sonet is Made in India for global markets.

Song said about $2 billion has gone into its Indian plant which will play a crucial role in its global markets. He added that currently, Kia Motors India ships out Seltos SUV to about 70 countries.

According to Karim Habib, Senior Vice President and Head of Kia Design Centre at Kia Motors Corporation, the design of Sonet was inspired by baby elephant. The car’s front grill was inspired from a stepwell in India.

Engine Specifications:

• The new model Sonet comes in petrol and diesel engine versions and wide range of powertrain options.
• The model comes with two petrol engine versions – 1.2-litre four-cylinder and 1.0 T-GDi – and 1.5-liter CRDi diesel engine.
• The Sonet comes with five transmission options: five- and six-speed manuals, an intuitive seven-speed DCT, six-speed automatic, and Kia's new six-speed intelligent manual transmission.
• Additionally, automatic variants of the Sonet offer multi-drive and traction modes for added convenience, driver-confidence and safety.
• The 1.5-litre diesel engine is offered with a six-speed manual, and a six-speed automatic transmission.

Features:

• 10.25-inch (26.03 cm) HD touchscreen with navigation and live traffic
• Smart Pure Air Purifier with virus protection
• BOSE Premium seven-speaker audio with sub-woofer
• Ventilated driver and front-passenger seats
• LED Sound Mood Lighting
• Remote engine start for automatic and manual transmission via UVO Connect and Smart Key
• Over-the-air (OTA) map updates
• Multi-drive & traction modes and grip control for automatic models
• Wireless smartphone charger with cooling function