Kia Sonet Facelift – Road Test Review, Gets Smarter & Safer
Kia Motors have had a golden run in India so far. Their very 1st car model was the Seltos which is the 2nd best seller in its segment. Their 2nd model the Sonet also was a runaway success that is still one of the biggest sellers in its class. Now recently the Korean car maker updated the Sonet for its latest avatar with loads of cosmetic, comfort and safety features. We head to a cold and foggy city of Bhopal where we drive the SUV for this first hand review.
Food for Thought
Kia Motors unveiled the Sonet in its Concept form at the 2020 Delhi Auto Expo. The Compact SUV shares its platform with the Hyundai Venue. The engine and transmission options are also shared by both. The Sonet is the most affordable Kia in India for now. The SUV also gets the Diesel Manual transmission option back on the lineup. Level 1 ADAS feature also is included on the safety feature list for the New Sonet.
Exteriors
On the outside the first thing you notice is the sheer size of the Sonet, though being a sub-4 meter the SUV has loads of road presence and looks larger that it actually is  thanks to the styling of its body panels. The SUV stands at 3,995 mm in length and has an overall width of 1,790mm. The overall height is of 1,642mm with the wheelbase that of 2500mm. Coming to the exterior styling details, the face gets the trademark Kia Tiger nose grille which is now redesigned and finished in matt black. The flushed slim design all LED headlamps now get a new design and DRLs that extend into the grille while on the other sides it extends into the all new bumper with a unique extension.
The front bumper now comes with character lines defining its design along with neatly integrated new slim fog lamps and a large air dam. You also get front parking sensors with a front camera placed in the grille which works for the 360 degree view and also for the ADAS tech that are a real boon during tight parking situations.
The side profile on the Sonet remains the same is highlighted with blacked out roof rails, body colored door handles, fibre cladding around the fenders and running board. The highlight design element on the side profile is the unique insert placed just besides the rear windshield that mates the sides to the tail gate finished in piano black. The Sonet drives on new design 16 inches diamond cut alloys.
The rear profile on the Sonet like the front end is in its own league. The styling here includes Trademark Kia LED Taillamps now in new design placed vertically and glow which also connect giving that trendy look and these are neatly flushed in the body and have a rather uniquely design. The rear windshield is placed at an angle thus extending the boot capacity. The rear bumper is also all new with stop reflectors placed on either edges. You also get a body coloured spoiler, electric sun roof and the shark fin antenna on the package.
Interiors
Stepping inside the New Sonet you are welcomed with an all black premium looking cabin area. The dash board styling remains the same but with small tweaks,  vertical styled Ac vents like on the Seltos and also the identical  10.25 inch infotainment touch-screen similar to that of the Seltos is loaded with all the needed apps and connectivity features . You get Apple Carplay and Android Auto connectivity, FM radio, Bluetooth phone connectivity loaded on the AVN unit. The instrument cluster is now all digital LCD Display which is crisp and easy to read. The key highlight here is the unique Kia UVO connectivity feature with more than 70 plus connectivity features loaded here. The New Sonet also gets wireless charger on its feature list. The leather wrapped steering wheel again is the same as the one seen on the Seltos, this three spoke unit gets aluminum inserts along with glossy black inserts for the MFD buttons that come in premium looking finish. This steering gets manual adjust only for height. You also get paddle shifters for the DCT automatic transmission.
The climate control comes with  inbuilt air purifier cum freshener like seen on the Seltos and also India’s 1st virus and bacteria protection filter. The audio system is powered by Bose 7-speaker premium unit with a subwoofer playing out some super premium audio quality. You also get mood and sound lighting on the package for which Kia cars have always been known for.
The New Sonet comes with front ventilated seats which are wrapped in leather upholstery and now the drivers seat gets electric adjust for reach, back angle while the height adjust is manual. The seat profile remains the same with the Front seats offering very good comfort level with good under thigh support and lumber support. The driver also gets a good view of the road ahead. Rear seats come with two adjustable headrests and a foldable armrest.
The rear passengers also get dedicated air con vents with air quality index display and dual USB port with a small compartment to place the smartphone while charge and a sun curtain on the side windows. We loved the backrest support and padding that offered best in class comfort level. Seating here is comfortable for two passengers with the third passenger being a tight squeeze with excellent head room.  The Sonet gets a boot capacity of 392 litres with good wide loading area adding to the convenience.
Engine – Transmission – Drive
On the New Kia Sonet you have three engine options to choose from which include the 1.0Litre 3-cylinder turbo petrol with 120Ps and 172 Nm, 1.2L petrol  with 83PS and 115 Nm and the 1.5L Diesel with 250 PS and 115Nm on the auto and 100PS/240Nm on the diesel manual. Transmission options include the 5-speed manual on the 1.2L Petrol, 6-speed iMT and 7-DCT on the 1.0 GDI petrol, 6-speed manual and 6-speed CVT automatic on the diesel engines.
We first drove the top of the line 1.0L Turbo Petrol DCT variant of the SUV which also is one of the most powerful option in its class with its cousin the Hyundai Venue. The engine is highly refined; you do not hear any engine noise inside the cabin. The DCT automatic transmission gets the normal drive modes along with tiptronic shift and paddle shifters too. The New Sonet Turbo Petrol DCT is sheer joy to drive with the car having excellent drive dynamics. The steering feels lively to grip and is well weighted offering a good balanced feedback. Power delivery is good and linearly spread. The Sonet handles rather well and feels planted at all speeds. What impressed us is the excellent ride quality and its ability to glide over bad roads and pot holes with super ease. We took it into the Wheat farms outside Bhopal where the roads didn’t exist but the New Sonet glided over the fields in sheer finesse and style.
The New Sonet gets disc brakes in the front and drum at the rear, braking is pretty decent but we would have liked a bit more sting to the braking. Overall the Sonet excel’s in all the drive departments flawlessly and easily.
ADAS & Safety
Well the biggest addition on to the New Sonet is the ADAS safety feature which is a Level 1 and comes with forward collision warning, forward collision avoidance assist, lane keeping assist, lane departure warning, driver attention warning, lane following assist, high beam assist and leading vehicle departure alert. Apart from this you also get 6-airbags, all wheel disc brakes, ABS with EBD, 360 degree camera etc on the equipment list. The ADAS here works in tandem with the cameras while the Level 2 ADAS system uses cameras and Radar for the same.
Competition Check
New Kia Sonet goes up against the likes of the Hyundai Venue, Tata Nexon, Maruti Suzuki Brezza, Mahindra XUV 3OO.
Verdict
The Kia Sonet has always been an excellent package in terms of looks, comfort and styling. Now with this timely update It ticks the right boxes even more in every department. The inclusion of ADAS safety also adds to the safety quotient big time. The New Sonet is available in three engine and five transmission options including the iMT and DCT that we love. With the New Sonet Kia is gunning for the top slot in the segment and the competition be better ready to face it. This can easily become the best in class Compact SUV which should be considered for sure on your list if you are shopping in this segment.
