Kia Motors has recently launched the Sonet sub-4 meter SUV at an introductory price of Rs 6.71 lakh. The prices of the comnpact SUV could be increased in the near future. The new Kia Sonet is available in multiple engine and gearbox combinations; however, the turbo petrol version misses out on important manual gearbox option.
Its Korean cousin, the Hyundai Venue 1.0L turbo version comes fitted with a 6-speed manual gearbox option. Adding to this gearbox, Hyundai also offers an iMT (Intelligent Manual Transmission) and 7-speed DCT (Dual-Clutch Transmission). The Kia Sonet offers the DCT and iMT gearboxes with the 1.0-litre petrol engine. Also See – Kia Sonet Review
If reports are to be believed, the new Kia Sonet will soon get a 6-speed manual gearbox on the 1.0-litre turbocharged petrol. This powertrain is capable of producing 118bhp of power and 172Nm of torque. Talking about the iMT, the Intelligent Manual Transmission is a very new technology. This gearbox offers the convenience of an automatic with an auto clutch with driver has to change gears manually.
The sub-4 meter SUV has received an overwhelming response from buyers as the bookings have crossed 25,000 mark. The company recorded 1K bookings for the new SUV per day. Dealers said that the new Kia Sonet commands a waiting period of up to 6 months, depending upon the variant you opt.
The Kia Sonet is available in two body lines – Tech Line and HT Line. In terms of proportions, the new SUV is 3,995mm long, 1,790mm wide and 1,647mm tall and has a wheelbase of 2,500Nm. The SUV is also available with 1.5-litre diesel and 1.2-litre naturally-aspirated petrol engine options. The diesel engine offers two states of tunes – 99bhp/240Nm with 6MT and 113bhp/250Nm with 7DCT. The new model directly rivals the Hyundai Venue, Tata Nexon, Ford EcoSport, Maruti Vitara Brezza and the Toyota Urban Cruiser.
