Kia, India’s leading mass premium carmaker, has introduced the new avatar of its second best-selling innovation, The New Sonet, first in India. The more muscular and sportier Sonet has been designed keeping in mind modern couples and professionals who are tech-savvy and are looking for a one-stop mobility solution. It packs ADAS with 10 autonomous features, including Front Collision Avoidance Assist (FCA), Leading Vehicle Departure Alert (LVDA), and Lane Following Assist (LFA) to name a few. Combined with Robust 15 Hi-Safety features, the Sonet now boasts of more than 25 safety features. The new Sonet also becomes the only Compact SUV to offer 15 standard safety features in its segment. In addition, it hosts 10 best-in-segment features, including Dual Screen Connected Panel Design, Rear Door Sunshade Curtain, All Door Power Window one touch Auto up/down, and Smartpure Air purifier with Virus and Bacteria protection to name a few.
After introducing industry-first standard 6 airbags in Carens and segment-first in Seltos, Kia is redefining safety norms once again. The inclusion of 6-airbags as a standard feature in the new Sonet solidifies Kia as the youngest brand to provide all its products with 6 or 8 airbags in India.
In addition to this, Kia is launching an innovative reward-based driving initiative, the ‘Kia Inspiring Drive Program’ or K.I.D, driven by technology. Accessible through the ‘Kia Connect’ app, this program evaluates Kia owners’ driving behaviour, such as seatbelt usage, sudden braking, adherence to speed limits, and more, assigning them an Ecoscore that can be redeemed for rewards. The Programme is being introduced initially for Kia Sonet owners.
Focussing on customer-centricity, Kia India also re-introduced Manual Transmission to all the variants with Diesel powertrain. With this reintroduction, Sonet now comes with:
· 5MT in HTE, HTK and HTK+ variants with Smartstream G1.2 engine
· 6MT in all Diesel variants
· 6iMT in both Petrol and Diesel variants
· 7DCT in Petrol variants, and
· 6AT in Diesel Variants
On New Sonet’s second world premiere in India, Tae-Jin Park, Managing Director and CEO, Kia India, commented, “Sonet holds a special place in our successful India journey following Seltos. Having premiered in India with groundbreaking features and design, it has transcended borders and is now exported to over 100 countries, where we are proud to have garnered 3.68 lakh customers who truly enjoy the Sonet driving experience. With the new Sonet, our objective is to seamlessly integrate its premium features with a value-driven ownership experience, characterized by minimal maintenance costs and notably higher resale value. This unique combination is poised to resonate with a wider audience of modern consumers. Our ambition is to secure the leading position in the Compact SUV segment with the introduction of the new Sonet.”