The Sonet is now 3 years old, having been launched in 2020 in India. Time for a refresh, and
Kia recently introduced the 2024 model with some styling changes, but a host of new
features. Kia is also one of the manufacturers who has made 6 airbags standard across the
model range and the new Sonet echoes this.
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Let us start with some of the changes made. The front look has been tweaked and now
features a prominent tiger nose grille. Lighting is an all LED affair, and you get what the
company calls ‘Crown Jewel’ headlamps, star map DRLs, Rear connected tail lamps with a
light bar and a new bumper design. Of course, the R16 alloys have also been updated in
design and you also get a brand-new colour – Pewter Olive, something that’s also present in
the revised Seltos. Incientally, manual transmission has made a comeback to all diesel
variants.
On the interior front, you get a dual screen connected panel for the infotainment as well as
the instrumentation, rear manual window curtains, all one-touch power windows and a new
air purifier with virus and bacteria protection. LED ambient lighting remains, as does the
Bose sound system. Of course, to add zing, new upholstery options are also present,
The most promising addition is of course ADAS. 10 new features have debuted, like Front
Collision Avoidance Assist (FCA), Leading Vehicle Departure Alert (LVDA), and Lane
Following Assist (LFA) to name a few. 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.
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Tae-Jin Park, Managing Director and CEO, Kia India, commented, " Having premiered in
India with ground breaking 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. Prices have not yet been announced, but we expect it to cost similar to the current version.