It’s already been confirmed that the Kia Sonet will be launched in the country sometime in June. The stocks are ready, and so are the reservation books. It’s set to go up against the Toyota Raize, along with a couple more similarly priced and similarly sized Chinese crossovers.
But before that, Kia has bared a few details about its upcoming mini crossover. It seems that the company is a little eager to show it off, but we’re glad they shared a few highlights. Here’s five.
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It will have a 1.5-liter engine
Worldwide, the Sonet can be specified with a wide variety of engines. For the gas-powered options, there’s a 1.2-liter, three-cylinder mill, along with a four-cylinder 1.5-liter naturally aspirated engine and a downsized 1.0-liter turbo-three. Turbodiesels are also included, but those appear to be exclusive to the Indian market.
For the Philippines, however, it’s the 1.5-liter we’re getting. There are no numbers just yet, but spec sheets abroad suggest ours will have 113hp and 144Nm of torque. That engine can be mated to a six-speed manual or a CVT.
LED headlights confirmed
It’s unknown if that’s reserved for the top-spec models, but LED headlights will make it to the Philippine-spec model. It might not seem like a big deal but Kia could’ve chosen to save a few bucks and skip that feature altogether. But given how value-oriented the budget crossover class has become, attracting customers through surprise and delight features is key.
It will have a pretty wide touchscreen
Kia says the Sonet will come with a 10.25-inch touchscreen, perhaps one of the biggest in its class. The features within the screen have yet to be mentioned, but we’re expecting Apple CarPlay and Android Auto at the very least.
Note: RHD model used for reference.
Advanced driver assist systems available
Looking at its key competitors, the Kia Sonet appears to be the first model in its class to offer some form of advanced driver assist systems (ADAS). For this little Kia, it has something called Forward Collision Avoidance Assist. It’s unclear if it’s simply a form of forward collision warning or if it’s autonomous emergency braking. There could be other ADAS features included, but we’ll have to wait for the full reveal for that.
A low base (introductory) price
You’ve heard about this in our last report on the Sonet, but it’s still worth mentioning. The subcompact crossover will carry a base price of P770,000. That puts it right at the heard of the budget subcompact crossover market. Aside from the Raize, the Sonet is close in price to the MG ZS, Chery Tiggo 2, and Changan CS15. Prices for the higher trim levels have yet to be determined, but anything under P1,100,000 should be a safe bet. Mind you, these are introductory prices so expect the SRP to rise over the course of its product cycle.
