2024 Kia Sonet Facelift Review

Kia’s second bread and butter model in India – the Sonet - receives a facelift. It doesn’t come as a surprise to us, because, its rivals already have received big changes. The Hyundai Venue has been updated and the Tata Nexon as well. Kia promises a lot with the Sonet then and with a car that is currently raking in 7000-8000 unit sales for the company, this update is not only about keeping it relevant, it’s also about aiming to cross the magic figure of 10000 units. So let’s get straight into it.

Kia Sonet Facelift: Exterior

Kia has gone all out to make the Sonet look like a million bucks. This is where you stop and stare and say is it though? It has revised the front bumper and it juts out like and there’s a bit of muscle added to it. In fact, there’s a bit of muscle on the bonnet too. The tiger nose grille interpretation continues and the fog lamps are very neat, especially on this top-spec variant. The new LED DRLs look great and give the Sonet its distinctive look. It sticks to the brief of global design elements but remember, the Sonet takes inspiration from an elephant and the DRLs do look like two tusks now and that brings a sense of aggression.

The profile is pretty much the same and there are no changes here. The tail lamps though receive a makeover and like the rest in the segment, are now connected. Now the connected DRLs are not standard, because for the base variant, there is a garnish that replaces the LED lighting. Overall then, the Sonet looks grown up and the new alloy wheel design too makes it stand out.

Kia says that all these changes have been made after listening to its customers but the question is will these changes make the buyers happy?

Only time will answer that question. But Kia has left no stone unturned to make it a good proposition.

Kia Sonet Facelift: Interior and Features

The cabin of the Sonet is now similar to the Seltos. Kia has taken the top-to-down approach on this one and there’s so much to like. The twin 10.25-inch screens dominate the dashboard but again they are not standard. As part of the standard package you get a digital instrument cluster which is not bad for that segment. The screen is intuitive but there is a problem. You get wireless charging but Apple CarPlay and Android Auto is wired. That’s a big miss according to me, because then introducing wireless charging as a feature is pointless.

Complaints aside, there are a ton of features that have now been introduced on the Sonet.  

To begin with, there are additions made to the connected car features, but most of the big changes you’ll get to see only on this top-spec version.

Leatherette seats, glossy black elements on the inside and out and even  360 degree camera are all part of the package. There’s also blind spot monitoring system, which comes in very handy when trying to change lanes.

You also get 4-way power adjustment for the driver seat, and it’s the first time the Sonet offers this. Good move and very simple buttons help with this functionality. Height adjustment is still manual though.

There are 60 Hinglish voice commands which have been now introduced in the Sonet. So even if you say something like “Mujhe thand lag rahi hai” (I am feeling cold), it will understand and increase the temperature. There are a set of commands that you get and you have to follow them, but nothing difficult to understand either for the human or the AI powering the car.

Kia Sonet Facelift: Rear Seat and Bootspace

The rear seat was a bit problematic in the Sonet and the company has – to an extent – resolved some of the complaints. What it has done is scooped out some space from the front seat, so people now have some wiggle room for their knees. Being a tall person, I still did not quite fit in properly, but the head room is good and so is the under thigh support. You get 2 c-type charging ports at the rear which adds to the comfort for passengers seated there.

The bootspace on the Sonet is 385 litres and that’s big for a car will a small footprint and it’s practical.

Kia Sonet Facelift: Driving Dynamics

There are no changes to the engine line-up on the Sonet. There’s the 1-litre turbo petrol, 1.2-litre petrol and the 1.5-litre diesel. I got a chance to drive to turbo petrol unit. The power developed is the same 118 bhp and there’s 172 Nm of torque on offer. The 7-speed DCT reacts well your inputs and there’s good torque available from a lower rev band. Put your feet down on the accelerator and you’ll notice that there’s a hint of lag from 1250-1400 rpm, but the 7 speed gearbox works overtime to cut that lag.

The 1.2-litre engine will be slightly boring to drive but it’s the diesel that I really want to drive and we’ll get that soon. The steering is something I want to comment on. It’s not point and shoot, but it’s now well-weighed and very unlike the dead feeling that you had on the earlier car.

Kia Sonet Facelift: Ride and Handling

The suspension of the Sonet had always been its biggest plus point and it continues to be with this facelift. The small undulations on the roads are easily creased out. The bigger potholes are not too problematic as the suspension travel is low. It manages to keep in character, even if there’s a big pothole in the way, which again I say, for a small car is pretty good.

Kia Sonet Facelift: Fuel Economy

But there is improvement on the fuel economy side of things

As you can see in the table

The fuel economy figures are well above 18 kmpl which was the case earlier too but there is a slight improvement this time around. The diesel crosses the 22 kmpl mark which is great for this segment.

Kia Sonet Facelift: Safety

Where there’s significant improvement, is the safety features on offer. 6 airbags are standard, there’s brake assist, ABS and 13 more such features which Kia says, will keep passengers safe.

For those asking for a crash test rating, here’s not one out yet, so raise an eyebrow if you wish.

But the addition of Level 1 ADAS adds some comfort.  Though it’s available only in the top spec version.  Lane assist, lane departure warning, forward collision warning and assist are some of the features that you get.

Kia Sonet Facelift: Verdict

There are some big improvements on the Sonet, but there are some key features that get left out. Kia has always aimed to please and with the Sonet, I have a sneaky suspicion that the price would be very aggressive.

It will take aim at the Venue, which currently is the most affordable of the lot. I expect the Sonet to be priced between Rs. 7.85 lakh to Rs. 13.10 lakh. A starting price that will undercut all, but a top-end price that ensures it stays premium enough.

While Kia has the demand from export markets for the Sonet, it wants to really up its game in the domestic space. Will this one help then?

It will, because there’s a lot that it brings to the table, and ticks all the right boxes. Priced right and the Sonet will put Kia in the driver’s seat!