Kia Sonet facelift unveiled, bookings open on December 20

Pune: Kia, the South Korean car giant, on Thursday unveiled the much-awaited Sonet facelift in India with bookings slated to commence from December 20. Prices will be announced in January.

The new compact sportier, muscular Sonet, in seven variants, comes with several cosmetic updates, including more than 25 safety features, including segment-best ADAS with 10 autonomous features and robust 15 hi-safety features.

“With minimal maintenance costs and notably higher resale value, our ambition is to secure the leading position in the compact SUV segment with the introduction of the new Sonet,” said Tae-Jin Park, MD and CEO, of Kia India.

The mid-lifecycle facelift Kia SUV gets a redesigned front grille and LED headlamps, a reworked front bumper with new LED fog lamps, and vertical tail lamps connected by an LED light bar at the rear.

The SUV also comes equipped with a new digital instrument cluster, a 10.25-inch touchscreen infotainment system, and a new air-conditioning module. It also has features like a voice-controlled window function, ventilated front seats, a rear door sunshade, an air purifier, over 50 connected car features, and 6 airbags.

The most significant addition to the package is the Level 1 ADAS. This includes safety features like Forward Collision Warning, Forward Collision Avoidance Assist, Lane Keep Assist, Lane Following Assist, Lane Departure Warning, High Beam Assist, Driver Attention Warning, and Leading Vehicle Departure Alert.

Mechanically, the updated Sonet is identical to the outgoing version. It carries forward the existing 1.2-litre petrol mated with a 5-speed manual, 1.0-litre turbo-petrol which comes with either a 6-speed iMT or 7-speed DCT and a 1.5-litre diesel engine that is offered with a 6-speed manual, 6-speed iMT and 6-speed automatic.

The Kia Sonet facelift will compete with the Tata Nexon, Hyundai Venue, Maruti Suzuki Brezza, Nissan Magnite, Renault Kiger, and other compact SUVs.