Kia Seltos, Sonet Diesel Get iMT in India; Prices Hiked by up to Rs 50,000

Kia has updated the engine and gearbox options for the Sonet and the Seltos SUVs to comply with the upcoming BS6 Phase II or Real Driving Emission (RDE) norms, which means that the engines are now compatible with E20 fuel. Both the Seltos and Sonet now come with the diesel-iMT powertrain. This has led to a price increase of up to Rs 50,000 for both the Seltos and Sonet, which now have starting prices of Rs 10.89 lakh and Rs 7.79 lakh, respectively. Additionally, the Seltos will receive the new 1.5-litre turbocharged petrol engine in place of the previous 1.4-litre turbo unit. 

Also Read: Kia Seltos, Carens, Sonet Waiting Period Goes Up to 7 Months in India

Kia Seltos: Updates and Revised Prices

The 1.4-litre turbo gasoline engine was removed from the Seltos line-up by Kia. There are currently two engine choices for the SUV: a 114bhp  producing 1.5-litre NA petrol engine and a 1.5-litre turbo diesel engine, which generates 115bhp. The diesel version is presently available with a 6-speed iMT and 6-speed torque convertor automatic gearbox choice. The diesel Seltos will not come with an option for a manual gearbox now. The Seltos petrol, on the other hand, is available with either an iVT or CVT and a 6-speed manual transmission.

The Kia Seltos HTE MT model now costs Rs 20,000 more, while the other petrol models have undergone a Rs 25,000 price increase. The Seltos diesel model now costs Rs 50,000 more. The SUV is currently available for Rs 10.89 lakh to Rs 19.65 lakh (ex-showroom).

Kia Sonet: Updates and Revised Prices

Three different engines are offered for the Sonet sub-4 metre SUV: a 1.5-litre turbo diesel, a 1.2-litre NA petrol (82bhp), and a 1.0-litre 3-cylinder petrol (118bhp). The diesel engine previously came in two states of tune: 100bhp and 113bhp. The oil burner is now only available in one state of tune and produces 115bhp and 242Nm. Both a six-speed torque converter automatic and a six-speed iMT are now offered with the powertrain. The company has stopped offering the manual gearbox option with the diesel version.

There are now iMT & 7-speed DCT gearbox options for the Sonet with a 1.0-litre turbo unit, in addition to the diesel engine. Only the Sonet entry-level with the 1.2-litre 4-cylinder naturally aspirated engine is offered with the manual transmission option. The Kia Sonet diesel trim got a consistent price hike of Rs 50,000. The majority of the petrol variants have received a uniform price hike of Rs 25,000. The Sonet HTX 1.0 DCT is now Rs 19,000 more expensive, and the entry-level HTE 1.2 MT now costs Rs 10,000 more. The Kia Sonet currently costs between Rs 7.79 lakh and Rs 13.89 lakh (ex-showroom).

Also Read: Upcoming Kia Sonet CNG Spotted During Road Test

Kia Carens: Updates and Revised Prices

Kia Carens, a popular three-row vehicle in India, has received a major update, which includes a new engine to meet the most recent RDE regulations. In addition, the Carens line-up now includes the automaker's iMT (Intelligent Manual Transmission) technology. The Carens, which was first introduced in February of last year, is now available with a variety of engine options, including the standard 1.5-litre naturally aspirated petrol engine, the 1.5-litre diesel engine, and the most recent 1.5-litre turbocharged petrol engine, which replaces the previous 1.4-litre turbocharged unit. The new 1.5-litre turbo petrol engine is also available with a seven-speed DCT transmission.

The ex-showroom starting price for the Kia Carens with the 1.5-litre turbocharged petrol engine and six-speed iMT gearbox is Rs 12 lakh. The most expensive iMT variant, the Luxury Plus 7, is available for Rs 17.55 lakh. The variant with the same engine paired with the DCT gearbox has a starting price of Rs 15.55 lakh, which goes up to Rs 18.45 lakh for the top-spec variant.

Kia India: February Sales Figures

Meanwhile, the manufacturer recently announced the sales figures for the month of February. It reported selling 24,600 units in the domestic market for the said month. The company increased its sales by 35.8 per cent over the same month last year, wherein it sold 18,121 units. Several Kia models, according to the automaker, contributed to the highest sales growth. The Kia Sonet sales increased by 59.83 per cent year-on-year (YoY) – from 6,154 units sold in February 2022 to 9,836 units in February 2023, which is an increase of 3,682 units. Furthermore, the model's MoM sales increased by 6.21 per cent from 9,261 units sold in January 2023.