Decoding The Differences: New vs Old Kia Sonet

Most of the design changes have been implemented on the SUV’s exterior, while the cabin also gets some useful convenience and feature upgrades

Update (12/01/2024): The Kia Sonet facelift has been launched, with introductory prices starting at Rs 7.99 lakh (ex-showroom).

Although the Kia Sonet facelift has been revealed, we will have to wait till early 2024 for its prices. Being a midlife update, there’s no change in terms of the SUV’s footprint but a lot of revisions have been made inside and out. Let’s see what’s changed and is different between the new and old Kia Sonet SUV.

Front

The most number of styling changes have been made to the SUV’s fascia. With the update, the Sonet gets a sharper set of 3-piece LED headlights and longer fang-shaped LED DRLs. Kia has also redone the grille, which now sports silver inserts, and has adopted sleek LED fog lamps on the new Sonet. The facelifted model also gets a tweaked bumper with a differently styled air dam.

Side

In profile, the only major changes you will notice are the new alloy wheels (for the 16-inch rims besides the X-Line variant) and the ORVM-mounted camera (as part of the 360-degree setup). Another minor revision that has been done is that the new Sonet’s higher-spec variants now feature body-coloured door handles rather than chrome finish as seen on the pre-facelift model.

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Rear

At the back, the major styling changes include the fully connected LED taillights (now vertically aligned as seen with the new Seltos), repositioned ‘Sonet’ badging and a revised bumper.

Also Check Out: Explained: All The Colour Options For The Kia Sonet Facelift

Interior And Features

On the inside, the Kia Sonet facelift’s cabin layout is near-identical to that of the outgoing model. That said, the only big design difference is the inclusion of a new climate control panel below the touchscreen.

Apart from the new 360-degree camera, Kia’s sub-4m SUV now also comes with the Seltos-like 10.25-inch digital instrument cluster. Other premium features on board include a 4-way powered driver seat (as seen in the Hyundai Venue), a sunroof, wireless phone charging, ventilated front seats, and cruise control.

While its safety net also hasn’t been tinkered with a lot, it now gets six airbags as standard and 10 advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS) in the top variants. Other safety equipment still comprises electronic stability control (ESC), front and rear parking sensors, and a tyre pressure monitoring system (TPMS).

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Engine-gearbox Options

The 2024 Sonet has carried on with the same powertrain options as those of the outgoing model. However, Kia has brought back the diesel-manual combo that was axed in early 2023. Here are the engine-wise output and gearbox options of the Kia sub-4m SUV:

• 1.2-litre Petrol (83 PS/115 Nm): 5-speed MT

• 1-litre Turbo-petrol (120 PS/172 Nm): 6-speed iMT, 7-speed DCT

• 1.5-litre Diesel (116 PS/250 Nm): 6-speed MT (new), 6-speed iMT, 6-speed AT

Launch And Competition

We believe the Kia Sonet facelift will be launched in January 2024, at an expected starting price tag of Rs 8 lakh (ex-showroom). Its rivals will continue to be the Tata Nexon, Maruti Brezza, Hyundai Venue, Mahindra XUV300, Nissan Magnite, Renault Kiger, and the Maruti Fronx crossover.

Do you like the design and feature changes made to the Kia Sonet? Let us know in the comment section below.

Also Read: All The New Features That Debuted On A Kia In India In 2023

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