Kia Will Reveal The Sonet Sub-4m SUV On August 7

The Sonet shares its underpinnings with the Hyundai Venue and will also make use of the latter's powertrains

Update (07/08/2020): Kia has officially unveiled the Sonet. You can read more about it here.

• It will also get the iMT (intelligent Manual Transmission) that will soon debut on the Venue.

• Premium features such as class-leading 10.25-inch touchscreen, a Bose sound system, connected car tech and more on the equipment list.

• It will rival the likes of the Vitara Brezza, Nexon, EcoSport and of course the Venue.

• The SUV should be priced in the Rs 7 lakh to Rs 11.5 lakh range at launch.

Korean carmaker Kia has revealed that the world premiere of its upcoming sub-4 metre SUV, the Sonet, will take place on August 7. The Sonet concept was first shown at the 2020 Auto Expo. It will be Kia's third offering for the Indian market, after the Seltos and the Carnival. The Sonet's launch will come close on the heels of its world premiere.

One of the striking features of the Sonet is its design. The production version of the sub-4 metre SUV is expected to look quite like the concept that we saw at the 2020 Auto Expo. This is in line with what Kia did for the Seltos, which looked strikingly similar to the SP Concept.

The Sonet shares its underpinnings with the Hyundai Venue. The engine and powertrain options should be the same as well: a 1.2-litre naturally aspirated petrol, a 1.0-litre turbo-petrol and a 1.5-litre diesel. The naturally aspirated petrol gets a 5-speed manual; the turbo-petrol gets a 6-speed manual and a 7-speed DCT; and the diesel comes with a 6-speed manual.

Also Read: 5 Things You Should Know About Intelligent Manual Transmission (iMT)

The Sonet was also initially supposed to debut Hyundai-Kia's iMT (Intelligent Manual Transmission), a clutchless manual transmission featuring just two pedals like an automatic. It will now, however, make its debut on the Venue, although the Sonet too will get this technology when it is launched.

The Sonet will be loaded to the gills with premium features. A class-leading 10.25-inch touchscreen infotainment system, an 8-speaker Bose audio, UVO connected car tech, an air purifier and auto climate control all will be a part of the package.

Once it is launched in India, the Sonet will go up against the likes of Maruti Suzuki Vitara Brezza, Ford EcoSport, Tata Nexon and of course the Hyundai Venue. We expect it to be priced between Rs 7 lakh and Rs 11.5 lakh.