We called it 2024’s most underrated car of the year. With its strong value proposition, feature-packed variants, and solid performance (for a small crossover), the Kia Sonet deserves a lot of praises.
Fast forward to January 2025, and it seems that the market has responded positively to Kia’s smallest crossover. That’s because the Sonet did a lot of heavy lifting for Kia Philippines, helping the brand achieve a 33 percent year-on-year growth from 2023.
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Out of the 6,692 units Kia Philippines shifted last year, 3,823 sales of those were the Sonet. It represents 57.1 percent of total Kia sales in the country, quite the achievement given that the model hasn’t been around for a year. If anything, it shows that the market loves its subcompact crossovers, especially when the price is right.
Kia Philippines noted that the Sonet has been better received than its predecessor, the Stonic. Per its records, the new crossover has tripled the monthly sales of the model it has since replaced. It has even captured a substantial 23 percent of B-segment entry-level crossover sales in the country.
The Kia Sonet is available in four variants in the country. It starts with the 1.5 LX MT, followed by the 1.5 LX IVT. The mid-spec variant is the 1.5 EX IVT, and it’s topped off by the 1.5 SX IVT. All trim levels come standard with six speakers, an 8-inch touchscreen audio display, and wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. Most also come with cruise control, while the SX IVT even gets advanced driver assist systems and a sunroof.
Regardless of model grade, all Sonets use a 1.5-liter Smartstream four-cylinder engine. It's good for 113hp and 144Nm of torque, paired to either a six-speed manual or an Intelligent Variable Transmission (IVT), a CVT in other words. Other stats? It measures 4,110mm long, 1,790mm wide, and 1,642mm tall, and has a ground clearance of 205mm.
As for pricing, check out the list below.
2025 Kia Sonet variants and prices:
Kia Sonet 1.5 SX IVT – P1,158,000
Kia Sonet 1.5 EX IVT – P998,000
Kia Sonet 1.5 LX IVT – P888,000
Kia Sonet 1.5 LX MT – P758,000
