Kia Plans to Sell 70,000 Sonet SUVs in 1st Year of Retail
The much-awaited Kia Sonet compact SUV will finally be launched in India in the second half of 2020, before Diwali. The SUV is rumoured to go on sale in August this year; however, launch could be delayed by a month due to COVID-19 pandemic. Unveiled at the 2020 Auto Expo, the Kia Sonet compact SUV will be the brand’s entry-level model in India.
The Kia Sonet will be produced at the company’s Anantapur plant in Andhra Pradesh. A media report claims that Kia aims to sell at least 70,000 units of the Sonet in its first year of retail. The sub-4 meter SUV will be based on the Hyundai’s front-wheel-drive moncoque platform that also underpins the Venue compact SUV. The compact SUV will take on the likes of the Maruti Vitara Brezza, Tata Nexon, Ford EcoSport, Mahindra XUV300 and the Hyundai Venue. Also See – 10 Things You Should Know about Kia Sonet
The Kia Sonet SUV will be offered with 3 engine options – a 118bhp, 1.0-litre, 3-cylinder turbocharged petrol, a 82bhp, 1.2-litre, 4-cylinder naturally-aspirated petrol and a 99bhp, 1.5-litre, 4-cylinder diesel. The company will offer automatic gearbox options with the turbocharged petrol and diesel engine options.
The Kia Sonet will be equipped with several segment-leading features including 10.25-inch touchscreen infotainment system with smartphone connectivity, UVO Connect, wireless charging, Bose-sourced premium sound system, automatic climate control, multi-functional steering wheel, cruise control, etc. The upcoming Kia Sonet SUV is likely to be priced in the range of Rs 7 lakh – Rs 11 lakh.
Kia is also developing an all-new mid-sized MPV, which will rival the Maruti Suzuki Ertiga and the Mahindra Marazzo. The new MPV will be based on the Kia Seltos platform. The new MPV is likely to be offered with the 1.5L petrol and 1.5L diesel engines. It is expected to be launched in the second half of 2021.
Source – AutoCarIndia
