KIA Sonet Facelift

The automotive industry has now become fiercely competitive. In addition, carmakers around the world are making great efforts to provide their vehicles with spacious interiors, loaded with tech features, and powerful engine options. Kia Motors is one such brand. The South Korean automaker has made its position in the Indian market by making powerful vehicles for its customers. Know why Kia cars are the best value for money. KIA Carens wins 2023 ICOTY Award Kia's worth seemed to be true when the Carens was announced as the winner of the 2023 Indian Car of the Year (ICOTY). The vehicle was judged on the basis of design, comfort, space and performance. The MPV was launched in the country in February 2022 having a starting price of Rs 10.19 lakh (ex-showroom). As for its top spec model, it costs Rs 18.44 lakh (ex-showroom). Currently, Kia Carens is available in five trims namely Premium, Prestige, Prestige Plus, Luxury, and Luxury Plus. Depending upon your requirement, there are multiple seating and powertrain options available to choose from. The four-wheeler comes with a seven-seater option for the Premium to Luxury trims while the Luxury Plus trim is offered with a choice of either a 6 or 7-seater option. KIA Cars are Crafted with a Luxurious Design When it comes to talking about Kia car design, they are crafted with a lot of research and skill. No wonder why, the moment you look at their exterior design or interior layout the finesse and style automatically complements the overall appeal of the product. This is demonstrated by key elements like the traditional Tiger Nose Grill, LED DRL’s, projector headlamps, fabric seats / leather upholstery, Bose sound system, ventilated seats, sunroof, three-zone climate control, 5 to 7 seat configurations depending upon the model selected among many others. Plus the buyer has the option to choose from a subcompact SUV - Kia Sonet to Compact SUV - the Seltos, among MPVs there is the Carens at the lower end of the spectrum with the Carnival providing top-end-luxury. In the EV category, Kia Motors offers the EV6 to its customers that exhibits a futuristic design, performance and practicality.  KIA Cars: Good Fuel Efficiency India is a very price sensitive market and therefore fuel efficiency plays an important role in the purchase making decision. Keeping this aspect in mind, South Korean automaker Kia always prioritizes fuel economy when making its car models. So let us start with their smallest offering, the Sonet provides a fuel efficiency figure of 18.2 kmpl to 24.1 kmpl. The Seltos comes with a range of 16.1 kmpl to 21 kmpl followed by the Carens that returns 15.7 kmpl to 21.3 kmpl. As for the Kia Carnival it is said to give 14.1 kmpl of mileage. Note all figures mentioned here are ARAI Certified.  Read Also: Your Guide to Choose the Right KIA Car KIA Cars: High-End Safety When it comes to safety features, Kia car models are very well equipped. They offer equipment like multiple airbags (4 to 6), ABS with EBD, Electronic Stability Control (ESC), Downhill Brake Control (DBC), Hill Assist Control (HAC), Hill-Assist Control, 360 degree camera, Brake-force Assist System, front and rear Parking Sensors, Tyre Pressure Monitoring System among many others.   On the whole as you can see, with so much on offer buying a New Kia car makes all the more sense depending upon your requirement and budget. We hope that we were able to educate you about why Kia Cars are a great value for your money. Read Also: KIA Motors: The Perfect Combination of Style and Performance

KIA India showcased its premium MPV, codenamed KA4 at Delhi Auto Expo 2023. This KA4 is essentially the fourth-generation KIA Carnival which is likely to launch in India later this year. The new MPV uses the latest design philosophy and gets a fully revamped modern interior layout. It is also likely to offer a diesel engine and multiple seating layouts in the KA4. Let’s discuss what the new KIA KA4 is bringing to the Indian market. KIA KA4 Vs Kia Carnival: Exterior Design In terms of dimensions, the New KA4 MPV is slightly longer than the outgoing KIA Carnival. Upfront, the MPV has a squared-off stance and angular lines which gives it an SUV-like appearance. In addition, the front features the brand’s signature ‘Tiger-Nose’ grille with a diamond pattern which is flanked by a pair of sleek headlights. It also gets a chrome finish for the lower air intake and the faux skid plate which reflects an SUV-ish look. Further, the four-wheeler gets a prominent character line running the length of the vehicle linking its headlamps and the tail lamps. There is also an aluminium trim finish on the C-pillar, however, the A, B, and D-pillars come coloured in black. Towards the rear, the new KIA KA4 highlights horizontal tail lamps that are connected by an LED light bar. KIA KA4 Vs KIA Carnival: Interior Profile On the inside, the fourth-generation KA4 looks more modern than the existing Carnival. It features a minimalistic layout with dual 12.3-inch digital displays located at the centre. Besides, the MPV is loaded with high-end features which include powered front seats, a premium sound system, and a wireless charger. Internationally, the New-Gen Carnival is offered in 7, 9, and 11-seat configurations which can also be expected for the India-spec model. KIA KA4 Vs KIA Carnival: Safety Features As compared to the outgoing Carnival, the new KIA KA4 offers a wide range of safety features. Its ADAS technology includes equipment like Forward Collision-Avoidance Assist, Rear Cross-Traffic Collision Avoidance Assist, Blind Spot Avoidance Assist, Lane Keeping Assist System, Parking Distance Warning-Reverse, Driver Attention Warning, High Beam Assist, and multiple airbags. Read Also: Maruti Suzuki XL6 vs KIA Carens: Detailed MPV Comparison KIA KA4 Vs KIA Carnival: Powertrain Options Internationally, the KIA Carnival is offered with two powertrain options; a 2.2-litre diesel and a 3.5-litre petrol engine. For India, we can expect the new KIA KA4 to continue with the same 2.2-litre diesel motor used in the existing Carnival. Mated with an 8-speed automatic gearbox, the new MPV’s engine will be capable of producing 200 bhp of maximum power output with 440 Nm of peak torque. KIA KA4 Vs KIA Carnival: Pricing in India As of now, the South Korean automaker has not revealed any pricing for the New KA4. However, the model is expected to command a decent premium pricing over the existing Carnival once it goes on sale in the country. Read Also: Top 5 Reasons that Make KIA Cars Popular in the Indian Market

Kia Motors India is slated to unveil the facelifted Sonet in the country by the end of 2023. As we have reported before, this will be the subcompact SUV’s first major update since its launch in 2019. As a result, it will get a redesigned exterior and interior design with added features. Now, latest spy shots suggest that the SUV is currently being tested in South Korea. We take a closer look. 2023 Kia Sonet Facelift: Exterior Design As you can see, the 2023 Kia Sonet test mule in the spy shots is wearing heavy camouflage. However, there are a few new design cues that are different from the outgoing model. The headlights retain the horizontal design but could get new LED DRLs. There is a new vertical element that connects the headlights with the fog lamps on the all-new front bumper. The latter also gets a wider air intake with a mesh pattern. Moving to the sides, there will be minimal changes except for new dual-tone 16-inch alloy wheels. Towards the rear, the vehicle will provide an all-new vertical LED tail light setup that is connected by an LED light bar. As for the  bumper, it too seems to be redesigned. Read Also: MG Gloster Black Storm Edition Teased 2023 Kia Sonet Facelift: Interior Features Upcoming Sonet Facelift is expected to provide an overhauled interior with an updated dashboard design and new upholstery. It already provides features such as a 10.25-inch infotainment system, semi-digital instrument cluster, Android Auto and Apple CarPlay support, ventilated seats, electric sunroof, auto climate control, and more. With the facelift, the automaker may add even more equipment like a panoramic sunroof and a full digital instrument cluster. 2023 Kia Sonet Facelift: Powertrain Details The company is believed to offer the soft-roader with the same powertrain options as the current model. The brand had recently updated them to meet the New BS6 Phase II Emission Norms and be E20 (20% ethanol blend) compliant.  This means that the car will be offered with 2 petrol and 1 diesel engine option. The latter is a 1.5-litre oil burner that churns out 114 bhp with 250 Nm of peak torque. The petrol choices include a 1.2-litre N/A petrol making 82 bhp and 115 Nm torque alongside a 1-litre turbo-petrol delivering 120 bhp with 172 Nm of peak torque. Transmission options are expected to remain unchanged as well. 2023 Kia Sonet Facelift: Launch and Rivals As mentioned, Kia is expected to introduce the Sonet Facelift in India by the end of 2023. Upon launch, it will compete against the likes of the Hyundai Venue, Nissan Magnite, Tata Nexon, Renault Kiger, Mahindra XUV300, and the Maruti Brezza. Read Also: Mahindra XUV300 Facelift Spied in India

Kia Motor India has just launched the Sonet Aurochs Edition in India at a starting price of Rs 11.85 lakh (ex-showroom). The new special edition model is based on the subcompact SUV’s HTX trim level and sits below the top HTX+ variants. Kia Sonet Aurochs Edition: Pricing Here is a detailed price breakdown of the Sonet Aurochs Edition:  Sonet Aurochs Editons            Price   1.0T iMT    Rs 11.85 lakh   1.0T DCT    Rs 12.39 lakh   1.5 iMT    Rs 12.65 lakh   1.5 DCT    Rs 13.45 lakh Do note that all aforementioned prices are ex-showroom only. Kia Sonet Aurochs Edition: What’s Different? Changes to the Sonet Aurochs Edition are purely cosmetic. Updates to the new model include a redesigned front aluminum skid plate and orange highlights front grille, skid plate and door sills. Besides, the new models also features Orange Aurochs badge on the grille. In terms of equipment, the Aurochs edition gets an 8.0-inch infotainment system with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, digital instrument cluster, automatic LED headlights, electric sunroof, auto climate control, cruise control, rear parking camera with sensors, tyre pressure monitoring system, and more. Kia Sonet Aurochs Edition: Powertrain Details The Sonet Aurochs Edition is available with both petrol and diesel powertrain options. The former is a 1.0-litre turbo-petrol engine that makes 120 bhp with 172 Nm of peak torque. While the latter is a 1.5-litre turbo diesel unit churning out 115 bhp with 250 Nm of max torque. Transmission options include a 6-speed iMT, a 7-speed DCT automatic, and a 6-speed torque converter automatic gearbox. Kia Sonet Aurochs Edition: Competition The Sonet competes against the likes of the Tata Nexon, Maruti Suzuki’s Brezza and Fronx, Nissan Magnite, Mahindra XUV300, Renault Kiger, and the Hyundai Venue. Read Also: Kia Sonet Facelift: Key Expected Changes