Kia launched the Sonet sub-compact SUV in India in September 2020 and in just 8 month's time, the company will soon be rolling out its first update on what has been a very successful product in India. Kia recently announced that in the first quarter of 2021 alone, the company sold more the 25,000 units of the Sonet. As part of the update, the Sonet will benefit from Kia's new logo, a couple of new trims and more features as standard across the range. In a recent development, we have now learnt that the Kia Sonet will also be offered with paddle shifters for the automatic variants.
The above video has been uploaded by ARK Moto Vlog on Youtube and it gives us a walkaround of the 2021 Kia Sonet from a dealership yard. The variant featured here in this video is the HTX trim with the 1.0L turbo-petrol engine and a 7-speed DCT gearbox. The Sonet HTX is a new trim added to the automatic variant lineup of the SUV. This comes as a replacement to the now-discontinued mid-spec HTK+ trim for the diesel-automatic and the 1.0 turbo-petrol DCT variants of the Sonet.
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The addition of paddle shifters to the 1.0L turbo-petrol DCT variants should greatly increase the appeal of the Sonet, particularly for people seeking more engagement with the driving experience of the sub-compact SUV. Currently, no automatic variants of the Sonet are offered with the paddle shift feature. It is also being speculated that paddle shifters will be introduced on the 1.5L diesel engine with the 6-speed torque converter automatic gearbox in a similar HTX trim. Along with the new HTX trim, paddle shifters will be offered on the top-spec GTX+ trims as well.
Other feature additions on the Sonet HTX trim include 16-inch alloy wheels that replace the steel wheels with wheel covers. It also benefits from new curtains for the rear window. The Sonet HTX is a mid-spec trim and apart from the aforementioned features, it comes equipped with features such as an 8-inch touchscreen infotainment system, traction control, electronic stability control, hill assist control, vehicle stability management, multiple driving modes, LED headlamps and tail lamps, ORVMs with LED turn signals, electric sunroof, cruise control, remote engine start from smart key and much more.
The Kia Sonmet is currently offered with three engine options – 83 PS 1.2L petrol, 120 PS 1.0L turbo-petrol, and 115 PS 1.5L diesel. The gearbox choices include a 6-speed MT, 5-speed MT, 6-speed iMT, 7-speed DCT, and 6-speed AT. Prices for the Kia Sonet currently range between INR 6.79 lakh - INR 13.19 lakh (ex-showroom). Prices are expected to go up marginally across the range with the introduction of new features and shuffling in the variant lineup. The 2021 Kia Sonet will officially make its public debut tomorrow, on April 27, 2021.
Stay tuned to IndianAutosBlog.com for more Kia updates and other four-wheeler news.
