Kia Motors Indonesia has officially unveiled the new 7-seater version of the Sonet. Even though it looks similar to the India-spec model, the Indonesian version of the Sonet is longer of the two. It is longer with a length of 4,120 mm compared to the sub-4 metre length of the Sonet in India, and the new 7-seater version has squeezed in the third row of seats, though at the expense of boot space. The 7-seater version of the Sonet is expected to be launched in Indonesia by the end of this year, and it will be produced at Kia’s Indian facility in Andhra Pradesh. Kia may launch the 7-seater Sonet in India soon, given the rapid rise in demand for 7-seat SUVs in the country, and a subcompact SUV with a third row of seats may be the perfect product. We have got some real-life pictures of the new 7-seater Kia Sonet that you should check out.
As you can see in the pictures, the interior remains largely identical to the 5-seat variant of the Kia Sonet. However, the model in pictures misses out on the 10.25-inch touchscreen infotainment system for a smaller 8-inch display. But, the 7-seater Sonet will continue to get the 10.25-inch infotainment unit, multi-function steering wheel with tilt and telescope adjustability, integrated air purifier, ventilated front seats, front parking sensors, electric sunroof and a Bose speaker system.
The biggest change of the new Kia Sonet 7-seater is the third row of seats that have been shoehorned in the cabin. The boot is virtually unusable when the seats are up. The third-row seats do have the ability to fold forward to give a fully flat surface. The other notable change to the interior for the Kia Sonet 7-seater is a new set of AC vents on the roof.
The 7-seater Sonet will be available exclusively with the 1.5L naturally-aspirated petrol motor that does duties on the bigger Seltos. It propels out a peak power output of 115 PS and max torque of 144 Nm. The transmission options will include a 6-speed MT and IVT. The prices for the 7-seater Kia Sonet starts at Rp 199,500,000 and go up to Rp 296,000,000, which equals to INR 10.18 lakh and INR 13.73 lakh, respectively.
The India-spec unit, however, is offered with a choice of 3 engines. The 1.2-litre petrol engine produces 83 PS/115 Nm and is paired to a 5-speed manual, while the 1.0 turbo-petrol makes 120 PS/172 Nm and can be paired to a 6-speed iMT or 7-speed DCT. The oil-burner is a 1.5-litre unit that comes in two states of tune, 100 PS/240 Nm or 115 PS/250 Nm. Transmission choices include a 6-speed manual or a 6-speed automatic. In India, prices for the Kia Sonet start at INR 6.79 lakh for the base HTE and top out at INR 13.19 lakh for the GTX Plus Diesel AT DT, ex-showroom.
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Word By - Chandrutpal Kashyap
