Kia India has announced that its Sonet SUV has surpassed the 4-lakh sales figure. The model has achieved this noteworthy milestone within 4 years of launch from both domestic and international markets. The Sonet accounts for 33.3% of Kia's total sales, with about 3.18 lakh units sold domestically and 85,814 units abroad. The South Korean automaker introduced the facelifted version of the Sonet in January 2024, with ex-showroom prices ranging between Rs. 7.99 lakh and Rs 15.75 lakh. Commenting on Sonet's success, Myung-sik Sohn, Chief Sales Officer of Kia India, said, 'The compact SUV segment presents a big opportunity, with many first-time buyers entering the segment directly. Sonet is our second-best innovation, and it has captured their imagination perfectly. It offers them a futuristic, tech-enabled, comfortable mobility solution designed very well and with low ownership costs.'
Also Read: New Kia Sonet HTE (O), HTK (O) Variants with Sunroof Launched in India
Kia Sonet: Sales Figures
The SOnet has been on sale for 4 years, and 63% of consumers still prefer Sonet models with sunroofs. In terms of engine preference, 37% of Sonet's customers prefer the 1.5-litre diesel engine, which is surprising considering the declining market share of diesel engines. Meanwhile, about 63% of customers prefer petrol engine options. Additionally, Kia has noticed a trend in customer preference towards automatic versions. The Sonet's 7-speed dual-clutch automatic gearbox has grown in popularity, accounting for 37.50% growth since 2020. Automatic transmissions (7DCT & 6AT) account and the iMT account for 28% and 23% of Sonet's sales, respectively.
Kia Sonet: Powertrain Options
The updated model is powered by two petrol engines: a 1.2-litre naturally aspirated 4-cylinder unit (82bhp) with a five-speed manual gearbox, and a 1.0-litre, three-cylinder turbo-petrol engine (118bhp) with a six-speed iMT and a seven-speed DCT. Furthermore, the company has resurrected the diesel manual gearbox option. This 1.5-litre, four-cylinder diesel mill (114bhp) is paired with a six-speed manual, six-speed iMT, or torque converter automatic transmission.
Kia Sonet: Features
The feature suite of the SUV includes a 10.25-inch digital instrument cluster, a 10.25-inch touchscreen infotainment system, ventilated front seats, auto climate control, six airbags, a 4-way powered driver’s seat, a wireless phone charger, electronic stability control (ESC), connected car tech, and a tyre pressure monitoring system (TPMS). It also has ADAS safety features, such as blind spot monitoring, lane-keep assist, and forward collision warning.
Also Read: 2024 Kia Sonet Review: Still Numero Uno?
In Q1 CY2024, the Kia Sonet recorded a 14% market share in the fiercely competitive compact SUV segment, which also includes the Tata Nexon, Hyundai Venue, Maruti Brezza, and Mahindra XUV300.
Kia has recently introduced four new HTE(O) and HTK(O) variants of the Sonet, available with both diesel and petrol engine options. These additions cater to the entry-level and mid-range segments. The HTK(O) has a sunroof in addition to fully automatic temperature control (FATC), LED-connected taillamps, and a rear defogger, while the HTE(O) comes with only a sunroof.
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