Kia Sonet Global Small SUV Teased Ahead Of August 7 Premiere

Kia has begun teasing its new Sonet small SUV that will make its world debut in India on August 7.

A follow-up to the Kia Sonet Concept unveiled at the 2020 Delhi Auto Expo, the small SUV is teased in a first official rendering. As expected, the sketch reveals the Kia Sonet will borrow heavily from the concept vehicle, which is in fact nothing more than a pre-production prototype.

Expect the production model to look virtually identical with the concept, with the possible exception of the pop-out door handles and slim side mirrors. The subcompact SUV combines Kia’s signature design traits, such as the prominent ‘tiger nose’ grille, with a three-dimensional ‘stepwell’ geometric grille mesh for a strong visual impression.

Kia Sonet production model teaser sketch

“With the new Kia Sonet, we had the ambition to give this compact SUV a strong and muscular character found only in much larger vehicles. With this in mind, we have designed what we believe is a great SUV with a uniquely sporty attitude, a confident stance and a dynamic silhouette,” said Karim Habib, Senior Vice President and Head of Kia Design Center at Kia Motors Corporation.

“We also gave the new Kia Sonet an uncompromising attention to detail and a selection of colors and materials that could have only be inspired by the great cultural heritage that our designers found all over India,” the chief designer added. The Sonet will be Kia’s second ‘made in India’ car, following the introduction of the Seltos. It won’t be restricted to India, however, as the automaker says it will “appeal to consumers worldwide”.

Kia Sonet Concept

The global premiere of the Kia Sonet will take place on August 7, followed by its market debut in India during the upcoming festive season. The new model will target a younger generation of “tech-savvy, aspirational and socially connected” customers. It will do that by offering features like a 10.25-inch touchscreen infotainment system, Kia’s UVO in-car connectivity tech, a premium Bose sound system and a sunroof.

Much like the Nissan Magnite, the Kia Sonet will compete in India’s sub-4 meter (157.5 in) category of vehicles that see lower taxation as long as they feature engines no larger than 1.2 liters (petrol) or 1.5 liters (diesel). Speaking of engines, reports from India claim the Sonet will offer a 1.2-liter petrol with a manual gearbox, a 1.0-liter turbo petrol with the iMT clutchless manual and dual-clutch transmissions, and a 1.5-liter diesel with manual and automatic transmissions.