After its success story with the Seltos, Kia Motors has stirred up a storm in the Indian compact SUV segment with the introduction of the Sonet. The car borrows a good deal of features from the Seltos mid-SUV and packs it in a comprehensive package that is hard to overlook. In the hotly contested segment, the Kia Sonet locks horns with a few of the popular badges in the country like the Maruti Suzuki Vitara Brezza, Hyundai Venue, Tata Nexon and Mahindra XUV300.
Most of the car buyers reaching out to us with car buying queries often ask us to stack the Kia Sonet against the Tata Nexon. The Nexon is a well-established badge in India from Tata Motors and is known for its 5-Star Global NCAP safety rating, among other goodies that work in its favour. Hence, as the competition takes a new turn with the arrival of Sonet, here is how the Korean offering fares against the Nexon on paper, in terms of a few notable aspects like design, cabin assortments, safety and pricing.
Also Read - Kia Sonet vs Maruti Vitara Brezza - Acceleration Comparison
Here's our Kia Sonet vs Tata Nexon Compact SUV spec comparison:
Design
Kia Sonet Design
Except for its signature tiger-nose grille, the Kia Sonet is a brand-new model in terms of styling and borrows nothing from the Seltos as far as the exteriors are concerned. The car is highlighted by muscular wheel arches, a connected taillight unit, darkened C-pillar and flush door handles. The silhouette of the SUV has an upright stance with conventional proportions and a high ground clearance, similar to the Hyundai Venue. The Kia Sonet looks a proportionate and is a unique looking car aimed at young buyers.
Tata Nexon Design
In its new version, the Tata Nexon gets minor cosmetic changes that have majorly affected its persona. Like the electric version of the Nexon, this one gets a revised hood for jacked-up muscularity, a tweaked grille, sharper headlamps with tri-arrow pattern DRLs and a new lower grille as well. The car sits on a set of newly-designed alloy wheels that add more character, while its revised LED tail lamps give it a distinct look. Overall, the Nexon gets a sharp and muscular design language, all penned under Tata's Impact 2.0 design philosophy.
Interiors
Kia Sonet Interiors
If the Seltos has proven anything, it was the fact Kia’s strength in providing a car filled to the brim with features is second to none. The Kia Sonet is equally loaded and borrows most of its interior design elements from the Seltos as well. Considering that the Venue and Vitara Brezza have rooted themselves as the most popular contenders in the segment, the Sonet has arrived with a tempting package. A few notable features from the Sonet include the segment's largest 10.25-inch HD touchscreen infotainment system, built-in eSIM for UVO car connectivity features, push-button start with keyless entry, automatic climate control, wireless charger, electric sunroof, rear AC vents, six airbags and much more.
Also Read: Top 10 SUVs in India With Best Road Presence - Fortuner, Harrier and More
Tata Nexon Cabin
In its top-rung variant, the Tata Nexon gets features like an engine push-start button, touchscreen infotainment system, automatic climate control, cruise control etc. Remarkably, it now gets added features like a digital instrument cluster, TPMS and the much-in-demand sunroof. Also, a notable addition to the new Nexon is the new ‘Xpress Cool’ button for the hot and humid climatic conditions in India. This helps in cooling the cabin faster with max blower speed and by pulling the driver window down automatically. Needless to mention, the brand’s connected tech is another USP given the need for connected tech by users.
Engine
Kia Sonet Engine
In terms of mechanicals, the car is powered by the same engines options as the Hyundai Venue. This includes a 1.0-litre turbocharged petrol unit delivering 120 bhp and 171 Nm; a 1.5-litre diesel unit that produces 100 bhp and 240 Nm with the 6-speed manual and 115 bhp with 250 Nm of torque with the automatic. There's also a NA petrol engine in the form of a 1.2-litre unit producing 83 PS of power and 144 Nm of torque. The gearbox options include a 5-speed manual, 6-speed manual, 6-speed AT, 7-speed dual-clutch automatic and an iMT gearbox.
Tata Nexon Engine
In terms of powertrain options, the Nexon gets a 1.2-litre turbocharged petrol engine that has an output of 118 bhp and 170 Nm of torque. Alongside the petrol powertrain, there's a 1.5-litre diesel engine that puts out 108 bhp and 260 Nm of torque. Transmission options for the engines include a 6-speed manual and an AMT gearbox for both diesel and petrol options.
Safety
Kia Sonet Safety
In terms of safety, the Kia Sonet gets 6 airbags, ISOFIX child seat anchor points, seat belt warning, ABS with EBD and ESP . Kia also gets UVO connected tech offering many virtual safety features including geo-fencing, remote car shut off and more.
Also Read: Nissan Magnite vs Kia Sonet Acceleration Test - Shocking Results!
Tata Nexon Safety
In terms of safety, the Tata Nexon gets dual-airbags, hill-hold assist, roll-over mitigation, ABS with EBD, traction control and more. The Nexon boasts of a five-star GNCAP safety rating, ensuring owners and prospective buyers of a very safe car.
Pricing
Kia Sonet Price
Kia offers the Sonet in 15 variants across two trim lines, with 4 engine and 5 gearbox options. Prices for the base variant with the petrol powertrain start at INR 6.71 lakh*, which goes up to INR 12.99 lakh* for the 1.0-litre turbo-petrol GTX+ version with the 7-speed DCT. All variants fall under this price range.
Also Read: 2021 Kia Sonet Walkaround Video - New Features Detailed
Tata Nexon Price
The base XE variant of the Tata Nexon kicks things off at INR 7.00 lakh* that comes with a 1.2-litre petrol engine. The same engine with the AMT and a host of additional features goes up to INR 8.44 lakh*. The top-spec diesel variant is priced at INR 12.70 lakh*.
Here's the Tata Nexon vs Kia Sonet comparison. What do you think of the Nexon and Sonet? Let us know in the comment!
*Ex-showroom price
