The Kia Sonet compact SUV is soon to be launched in India, while production and supply has already begun. This here is a quick walkthrough on the highlights of this new Compact SUV in town.

Exterior: 

The new Kia Sonet, though being based on the Hyundai Venue, doesnt look anything like it. The Sonet has its own unique design with the Tiger Noise grille at the front with knurled Chrome finish and an aggressive bumper design. The new Sonet features full LED Headlamps with Heartbeat LED DRLs. The Tail lamps too receive this Heartbeat LED elements. The top trim levels will receive

funky looking 16” Crystal cut alloy wheels whereas the entry level variants receive 15 inch Steel rims. The Sonet is claimed to provide segment best ground clearance of 211mm.

Interior:

The new Kia Sonet interior features a funky design layout with improved quality. The GT line features an all black cabin while the Tech line variants get a dual tone theme. Space is expected to be similar to the Hyundai Venue while also providing ample number of features.

The top trim levels will receive an Electric sunroof, Auto headlamps, Auto wipers, Cruise control, Auto climate control, a digital instrument cluster and leather upholstery. Theres also an 10.4” touchscreen infotainment system with Android auto, Apple Car-play & Navigation on the top spec variants. This touchscreen is available with 7 Bose speakers including subwoofer and Sound mood lighting. Connected car features & telematics control unit is available through Kia’s UVO connect app featuring Remote engine Start/Stop.

Practicality:

The Kia Sonet offers segment best 392L boot space complementing all the storage options in the cabin. All variants get flat folding rear seats despite not offering split folding option.

Safety:

The new Kia Sonet will be providing Dual airbags with ABS and EBD as standard across all variants. The top variants will also receive Side & curtain airbags, Vehicle stability management, Electronic Stability control, Hill hold control, Tyre pressure monitor and smart key access system.

Powertrains:

The new Kia Sonet will carry forward the same BS6 compliant engines from the Hyundai Venue. The entry level HTE, HTK and HTK+ variants will receive the 1.2l 4 cyl petrol engine producing 83PS power through a 5 speed Manual gearbox while the higher HTK+, HTX, HTX+ and GTX+ variants get the 1L 3 cyl turbo petrol engine producing 120PS power through either a 6 speed iMT gearbox or 7 speed DCT gearbox. The 1.5L 4 cyl turbo diesel engine will be available in two state of tunes. The 6 speed manual gearbox equipped variants will get 100PS Max Power whereas the 6 speed torque converter Automatic equipped HTK+ & GTX+ variants will get higher 115PS Max Power.

Launch & price:

This Kia Sonet will go on sale in the coming weeks and compete against the likes of the Hyundai Venue, Tata Nexon, Mahindra XUV300, Ford Ecosport and Maruti Suzuki Vitara Brezza. Prices are expected to start from Rs 8L on road for the base petrol variant and go upto Rs 14.5L for the top spec automatic variants. Stay tuned for further updates on the Kia Sonet compact SUV.

Kia Sonet Key Features :

HTE - Smartstream G1.2 5MT, D1.5 6MT :

• Dual Airbags, ABS with EBD, Rear Parking Sensors, Front Disc Brakes, Emergency Stop Signal
• Kia Signature Tiger Nose Grille, Heartbeat Tail Lamps, Halogen Headlamps
• Muscular Front and Rear Skid Plates, R15-38.1 cm (15") Steel Wheels, Wheel Cover,
• Rear Center Garnish - Reflector Connected Type, Pole Type Antenna
• Black Interior, Premium Fabric Seat, Premium Roof Lining, Silver Finish AC Vents Garnish
• Electric Power Steering, Manual Air Conditioner, Tilt Steering, Front Door Power Windows
• Front and Rear USB Charging Port, Electric Adjust Outside Mirror, Center Locking, Rear AC Vents, Front Adjustable
• Headrest, Eco Coating
• 8.89 cm (3.5") Mono Color Instrument Cluster

HTK (In addition to HTE) - Smartstream G1.2 5MT, D1.5 6MT :

• R16-40.62 cm (16") Metallic Silver Styled Wheels
• Black Interior, Semi Leatherette Seats with White Stitching
• Driver Seat Height Adjust, Keyless Entry, Rear Door Power Windows, Follow me Home Headlamps
• Sunglass Holder, Passenger Seat Back Small Size Upper & Full Size Lower Pocket
• 9.65 cm (3.8") 2 DIN Audio, 4 Speakers, Steering Mounted Audio Controls, Bluetooth, UVO Lite 

HTK+ (In addition to HTK) - Smartstream G1.2 5MT, G1.0 Turbo GDi 6iMT/7DCT, D1.5 6MT/6AT :

• Projector Fog Lamps, Auto Headlamps, Muscular Front and Rear Silver Skid Plates, Floating Type Roof Rails, Shark Fin Antenna, Outside Mirror LED Turn Signal, Radiator Grille Chrome with Diamond Knurling Pattern, Leatherette Wrapped Gear Knob (AT & DCT Only)
• Fully Automatic Air Conditioner, Electric Folding Outside Mirrors, Driver One Touch Auto Up/ Down Window with Anti Pinch Function, Rear Defogger,Rear Parcel Shelf
• 20.32 cm (8.0") Touchscreen with ARKAMYS Tuning, Android Auto and Apple Carplay, Wireless Phone Projection (Only with 20.32 cm Touchscreen),2 Tweeters, Rear View Camera with Guidelines,Driving Rear View Monitor
• ESC, HAC, VSM, Brake Assist, Multi-drive Modes & Traction Control (Only in 7DCT)

HTX (In addition to HTK) - Smartstream G1.0 Turbo GDi 6iMT, D1.5 6MT :

• Projector Fog Lamps, Auto Headlamps, ISO Fix Child Anchor
• Crown Jewel LED Headlamps, Heartbeat LED DRL with Integrated Indicators, Heartbeat LED Tail Lamps
• Electric Sunroof, Muscular Front Silver Skid Plates, Rear Bumper with Dual Muffler Design, Diffuser Fin Rear Skid Plates, Floating Type Roof Rails, Shark Fin Antenna, Outside Mirror LED Turn Signal, Radiator Grille Chrome with Diamond Knurling Pattern, Chrome Outside Door Handles, Side Door Silver Garnish
• Beige & Black Interior, Semi Leatherette Seats with Silver Stitching, Leatherette Wrapped D-cut Steering Wheel with Sonet Logo, Leatherette Wrapped Gear Knob, Smart Key with Push Button Start, Fully Automatic Air Conditioner, Cruise Control
• Remote Engine Start on Smart Key, Electric Folding Outside Mirrors, Driver One Touch Auto Up/ Down with Anti Pinch Function, Rear Defogger, Rear Parcel Shelf, Rear Seat Center Armrest, Rear Passengers Adjustable Headrest
• 20.32 cm (8.0") Touchscreen with ARKAMYS Tuning, Android Auto and Apple Carplay, Wireless Phone Projection (Only with 20.32 cm Touchscreen)
• 2 Tweeters, Rear View Camera

HTX + (In addition to HTK) - Smartstream G1.0 Turbo GDi 6iMT, D1.5 6MT :

• Highline Tyre Pressure Monitor
• R16-40.62 cm (16") Crystal Cut Alloys with Silver Wheel Caps
• Beige & Black Interior, Leatherette Seats with Silver Stitching, LED Sound Mood Lights, Leatherette Wrapped Door Trims
• Rear Wiper and Washer, Full Size Driver Seat Back Pocket
• 26.03 cm (10.25") HD Touchscreen Navigation, UVO Connected Car with OTA Map Updates
• BOSE Premium 7-speaker System, Ventilated Driver & Passenger Seats
• Smart Pure Air Purifier with Virus Protection, Advanced 10.67 cm (4.2") Color Instrument Cluster
• AI Voice Recognition with "Hello Kia" Wake-up Command, Smartwatch Connectivity, Auto Antiglare (ECM) Inside Rear View Mirror with UVO Controls
• Two Tone Roof Color (Optional)

GTX+ - Smartstream G1.0 Turbo GDi 6iMT / 7DCT, D1.5 6MT / 6AT :

• Six Airbags, ABS with EBD, ESC, HAC, VSM, Brake Assist, Front & Rear Parking Sensors, Projector Fog Lamps
• Highline Tyre Pressure Monitor, Auto Headlamps, ISO Fix Child Anchor, Front Disc Brakes, Emergency Stop Signal
• Crown Jewel LED Headlamps, Heartbeat LED DRL with Integrated Indicators, Heartbeat LED Tail Lamps
• Electric Sunroof, R16-40.62 cm (16") Crystal Cut Alloys with Sporty Red Wheel Cap, Red Brake Caliper (Front)
• Kia Signature Tiger Nose Grille - Black High Glossy with GT Line Logo and Red Accents, Front Bumper with Sporty Red Accent, Rear Bumper with Dual Muffler Design and Red Accent
• Turbo Shaped Masculine Front Skid Plates, Diffuser Fin Rear Skid Plates, Belt Line Chrome, Floating Type Roof Rails, Shark Fin Antenna, Outside Mirror LED Turn Signal
• Radiator Grille Chrome with Diamond Knurling Pattern, Chrome Outside Door Handle, Side Door Red Garnish, Rear Center Garnish - Reflector Connected Type
• Black Interior, Leatherette Sports Seats with Red Stitching, LED Sound Mood Lights, Leatherette Wrapped D-cut Steering Wheel with GT Line Logo, Sporty Alloy Pedals
• Leatherette Wrapped Door Trims, Leatherette Wrapped Gear Knob, Premium Roof Lining, High Gloss Black Finish AC Vents Garnish
• Smart Key with Push Button Start, Fully Automatic Air Conditioner, Cruise Control, Remote Engine Start with Smart Key, Electric Folding and Adjust Outside Mirrors
• Electric Power Steering, Driver Seat Height Adjust, Tilt Steering, All Door Power Windows, Driver Window One Touch Auto up/ down with Anti Pinch Function, Front and Rear USB Charging Port
• Center Locking, Rear AC Vents, Follow Me Home Headlamps, Sunglass Holder, Rear Wiper and Washer, Rear Defogger
• Rear Parcel Shelf, Front & Rear Adjustable Headrest, Rear Seat Center Armrest, Upper Small Size and Lower Full Size Passenger Seat Back Pocket, Full Size Driver Seat Back Pocket, Eco Coating
• 26.03 cm (10.25") HD Touchscreen Navigation, UVO Connected Car with OTA Map Updates, BOSE Premium 7-speaker System, Driving Rear View Monitor, Smartwatch Connectivity, Auto Antiglare (ECM) Rear View Mirror with UVO Controls
• Ventilated Driver and Passenger Seat (Front), Smart Pure Air Purifier with Virus Protection, Advanced 10.67 cm (4.2") Color Instrument Cluster,Smartphone Wireless Charger, Multi-drive Modes & Traction Control (Automatic Only), AI Voice Recognition with "Hello Kia? Wake-up Command , Rear View Camera with Guidelines
• Steering Mounted Audio Controls, Bluetooth, UVO Lite
• Two Tone Roof Color (Optional)

Kia Sonet Petrol, Price (ex-showroom) :

Kia Sonet 1.2L Petrol HTE (5MT) - Rs 6.71 Lakh
Kia Sonet 1.2L Petrol HTK (5MT) - Rs 7.59 Lakh
Kia Sonet 1.2L Petrol HTK+ (5MT) - Rs 8.45 Lakh
Kia Sonet 1.0L Turbo Petrol HTK+ (6iMT) - Rs 9.49 Lakh
Kia Sonet 1.0LTurbo Petrol HTK+ (7DCT) - Rs 10.49 Lakh
Kia Sonet 1.0L Turbo Petrol HTX (6iMT) - Rs 9.99 Lakh
Kia Sonet 1.0L Turbo Petrol HTX+ (6iMT) - Rs 11.65 Lakh
Kia Sonet 1.0L Turbo Petrol GTX+ (6iMT) - Rs 11.99 Lakh

Kia Sonet Diesel, Price (ex-showroom) :

Kia Sonet 1.5L Diesel WGT HTE (6MT) - Rs 8.05 Lakh
Kia Sonet 1.5L Diesel WGT HTK (6MT) - Rs 8.99 Lakh
Kia Sonet 1.5L Diesel WGT HTK+ (6MT) - Rs 9.49 Lakh
Kia Sonet 1.5L Diesel WGT HTX (6MT) - Rs 9.99 Lakh
Kia Sonet 1.5L Diesel WGT HTX+ (6MT) - Rs 11.65 Lakh
Kia Sonet 1.5L Diesel WGT GTX+ (6MT) - Rs 11.99 Lakh
Kia Sonet 1.5L Diesel VGT HTK+ (6AT) - Rs 10.39 Lakh.

The New Kia Sonet SUV will rival likes the Ford Ecosport, Tata Nexon, Mahindra XUV300 , Maruti Suzuki Vitara Brezza, Hyundai Venue , Honda WR-V and Upcoming Toyota Urban Cruiser.

Hyundai India will be launching the new i20 premium hatchback by the end of this year. The i20 has been one among their best selling products and still is one among the most feature loaded hatchbacks in its category. This here is a quick walkthrough on the highlights of the new generation Hyundai i20.

Exterior: 

       The new Hyundai i20, sports a completely different design language. On the front fascia, it features a new and larger hexagonal cascading grille with a more swooping bonnet and angular headlamps. The headlamps will feature LED lighting on the top spec trims along with inverted L shaped

DRLs. Projector fog lamps are also expected to be offered. The new i20 will be longer and wider than the current model. The sides have sharp, dynamic creases lending the car a more dynamic profile. The window line features Chrome detailing which flows from the A pillar to the top of the C pillar whereas the snazzy Z-shaped LED Tail lamps are connected by a red reflector bar. The new i20 will also receive unique looking 16” alloy wheels on the top spec variants.

Interior:

       The new Hyundai i20's interior will feature a fresh and clean layout with a wraparound layered design. The interior is expected to sport a flowing cockpit theme while being loaded with features.

 Here's an extensive list of features on the new i20:

• 10.25” touchscreen system

• Blue link connectivity

• Fully digital instrument cluster

• Automatic climate control

• Air purifier system

• Ambient lighting

• Leather upholstery

• Ventilated seats

• Split folding rear seats

• Electric sunroof

• Auto LED headlamps

• Cruise control

The new i20 will also offer more safety features:

• Pretensioner seatbelts

• 6 airbags

• ABS with EBD

• ESP with traction control

• Hill hold control

• ISOFIX child seat mounts

• Smart key access

• Geofencing & tracking

Powertrains:

       The new i20 is expected to be available with two petrol engine options and one diesel engine. The standard 1.2L 4 cyl Kappa petrol engine will produce 83PS Power through either a 5 Speed manual transmission or a CVT. The 1.0L 3 cyl turbo petrol powertrain is expected to be carried over from the Aura Turbo producing a maximum output of 100PS through either a 6 speed manual gearbox, or the new IMT or a 7 speed DCT. The 1.5L turbo diesel engine from the Venue is also expected to be on offer producing 100PS Power through a 6 speed manual transmission.

Launch & price:

       The all-new i20 is likely to be launched during the festive month of October this year and will go up against the new Tata Altroz, Maruti Suzuki Baleno, the new facelifted Honda Jazz and Toyota’s Glanza. Prices are expected to be around Rs20000 to Rs50000 higher than the current gen model which it will replace.

While the compact SUV segment is all flowery and blooming in India, we thought to look into something that the most people don’t consider priority. Not that it is completely ignored, just that the quest for power is often sacrificed in the pursuit for economy, more mileage, space and gadgetry.

Thankfully for enthusiasts, cars still exist that aren’t completely dumbed down. Compact SUV’s that cater to the mileage requirements while ensuring that power and ‘oomph’ factor aren’t sent out of that BS6 exhaust.

To help fellow enthusiasts, we decided to list some of the Compact SUV’s out that are considered powerful in

our books.

1. Ford Ecosport:

The first one on our list is Ford’s popular SUV- the Ecosport! A car whose specifications do a lot of talking in terms of both- features and performance. Both Diesel and Petrol engines are 1.5 Litre units. The three cylinder naturally aspirated 1.5L Dragon Petrol unit produces a great amount of power. 122 PS and 149 NM of torque to be precise whereas Ford’s popular 1.5L Diesel generates 100 PS of Power and 215 NM of torque. Ford’s fun to drive element found on most of its cars, excellent steering feedback, strong build quality, comfort and peppy driving dynamics makes the Ecosport a desirable Compact SUV.

2. Mahindra XUV 300:

Based on the Ssangyong Tivoli Platform, the Mahindra XUV 300 isn’t very far behind as both engines – diesel and petrol units of the car are power packed. The 1.5 Litre Diesel unit churns out 120 BHP and 300 NM of torque whereas the 1.2 Litre Petrol Turbo unit delivers a generous 110 BHP with 200 NM of Torque. You also get multi- mode steering, ample amount of leg room, good driving dynamics, white interiors and a lot more! A more powerful 1.2 GDi engine of the XUV 300 was displayed at the 2020 Auto that is expected to be launched around mid 2020. Power is expected to hover around 130 bhp and 230 NM of torque.

3. Tata Nexon :

Tata’s well known Nexon Compact SUV offers two engine options- one for Diesel and one for Petrol. The 1.2 Litre Turbo Petrol three cylinder engine produces 120 PS and 170 NM of torque whereas the 1.5 Litre diesel engine produces 110 PS of power and 260 NM of torque. Both engines offer a decent amount of punch that adds a fun element to the overall driving experience. The ride though is a bit on the firm side to reduce body roll due to Nexon’s high ground clearance.

4. Hyundai Venue:

Hyundai Venue is pretty sorted with a 1 Litre Turbo Charged Petrol Engine that produces 118 BHP Power and 175 NM Torque. A 1000cc engine may sound like a small one but the turbo charger compensates for the drop in capacity. Optional with the petrol is a DCT Automatic transmission which is quite quick. But, we would mention that is isn’t as quick as what you would expect from a proper performance DSG gearbox. Hyundai has improved Steering Feedback on the Venue but it could still be better and add to a better driving experience. All in all, it is a great package with lots of practical elements.

5. Kia Sonet :

The new Kia Sonet will carry forward the same BS6 compliant engines from the Hyundai Venue. The entry level HTE, HTK and HTK+ variants will receive the 1.2l 4 cyl petrol engine producing 83PS power through a 5 speed Manual gearbox while the higher HTK+, HTX, HTX+ and GTX+ variants get the 1L 3 cyl turbo petrol engine producing 120PS power through either a 6 speed iMT gearbox or 7 speed DCT gearbox. The 1.5L 4 cyl turbo diesel engine will be available in two state of tunes. The 6 speed manual gearbox equipped variants will get 100PS Max Power whereas the 6 speed torque converter Automatic equipped HTK+ & GTX+ variants will get higher 115PS Max Power.

You’ve got anything more to add to the list of cars above? Do let us know.