All-new Kia Sonet facelift unveiled with ADAS, India launch scheduled for 2024

The updated Kia Sonet was officially unveiled to the world at an event in New Delhi on Thursday. The latest Sonet gets some very significant changes to its exterior design styling while now also boasting of ADAS or Advanced Driver Assistance System. To launch in India in January of 2024, the pre-bookings' window will open from December 20. The Kia Sonet will look to intensify its rivalry against the likes of Maruti Suzuki Brezza and Hyundai Venue, both of which were updated in 2022. It will also take on segment leaders Tata Nexon and Mahindra XUV300.

The Sonet remains an extremely crucial model in the Kia India lineup and was the third launch here from the Koreans, after Seltos in 2019 and Carnival MPV in 2020. While the Seltos received a significant update earlier this year, the Sonet was beginning to look jaded. But not anymore.

While the Sonet sells in very respectable numbers in the domestic Indian car market, it is also exported to select countries from the company plant in Andhra Pradesh's Anantapur. On obvious lines, the updated Sonet will also roll out from this same facility.

Kia Sonet: Key design updates

The Kia Sonet is a sub-four meter SUV from the Korean brand and sits below the Seltos SUV in the product pyramid. That said, exterior styling has been as crucial for the Sonet as it has for the Seltos. The updated Sonet continues to sport the Kia signature Tiger Nose grille but the DRL placement and design has been tweaked slightly. The headlight units and the front bumper have been refreshed as well.

Watch: Kia Sonet facelift SUV first look

At the back of the latest Sonet, there is now an LED light bar that connects the two tail lights. The design of these tail lights has been refreshed as well and is now visually closer to the lights at the back of the updated Seltos and the Carens MPV. On the side, the alloy design on the 16-inch wheels too has been reworked.

Kia Sonet: Colour options

The new Kia Sonet is available in eight single-tone colour options, two dual-tone hues and a matte shade that is exclusively for the X Line. The monotone colour choices are Olive, White, Silver, Grey, Black, Red, Blue and Clear White. The dual-tone hues are Red with a Black roof and White with a Black roof.

Kia Sonet: Key cabin highlights and features

Sonet has always been one of the most densely packed SUV models in terms of features. The model boasts of a 10.25-inch main touchscreen display and another 10.25-inch LCD driver display unit. It also gets a 360-degree camera, smart air purification system, a seven-speaker Bose sound system, electric sunroof and Kia Connect Skill with Amazon Alexa.

A closer look at the dashboard layout inside the updated Kia Sonet. The car now comes with over 70 connected features while also sporting a 360-degree cam view car location function.

Depending on the trim selected, the cabin colour and seat pattern would differ. The X Line gets Sage Green Leatherette seats with all-black interiors. The GT Line sports Black Leatherette seats with all Black interiors and White inserts. The Tech Line gets Black and Brown Leatherette seats as well as Black and Beige semi-leatherette seats.

Since there is no change in the overall dimensions of the new Kia Sonet, the cabin space in both rows, as well as the boot space, remains the same.

Kia Sonet: Dimensions (in mm)
Length	3,995
Width	1,790
Height	1,647
Wheelbase	2,500

The biggest bragging right however comes from the addition of ADAS and the Sonet now comes with Forward Collision Warning and Avoidance Assist, and Lane Keep Assist.

Kia Sonet: Engine and key specifications

There is no change in the mechanics of the updated Kia Sonet. The Sonet continues to come with two petrol engine options and a diesel motor. The 1.0-litre turbo petrol motor offers 118 bhp and 172 Nm of torque. The 1.2-litre petrol motor puts out 81 bhp and 115 Nm of torque while the 1.5-litre CRDi diesel engine develops 113 bhp and offers 250 Nm of torque.

The Kia Sonet facelift continues to come with a five-speed manual gearbox, six-speed manual gearbox, six-speed automatic transmission, six-speed iMT and seven-speed DCT unit.