Facelift Kia Sonet 1.0T EX shows that Indian-built compact crossover SUVs can stand up hordes of Chinese models available in South Africa.
Korean carmaker's compact crossover more popular in South Africa than the Picanto.It appears the best way for local manufacturers to combat the influx of attractively-priced vehicles from China is to source cars at a lower cost from India.
One of them is Kia. And the Korean carmaker’s timing with the introduction of the Kia Sonet was perfect. When the Sonet was rolled out in May 2021, the compact crossover/SUV segment was not nearly as densely populated as it is these days. That afforded it precious time to entrench itself as Kia’s top-selling local model and become a household name just before the Chinese influx exploded.sampled the 1.0T EX derivative for a week.
’s highlights. Featuring a good selection of new materials and patterned black cloth seats, the interior is not only stylish, but also very uncomplicated. Physical buttons underneath the 8-inch infotainment system and old-school turning climate knobs again show you can be classy without being all tech-happy these days.
Leg and headroom in the rear is decent enough to keep adults comfortably, while the 385-litre boot handles daily life with ease.which sends 88kW of power and 172Nm of torque to the front wheels. Those numbers not only look good on paper, but it gives the car very decent urge out on the road too. There is very little turbo lag, while the DCT box does a great job in keeping things smooth in traffic.
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