Upcoming Kia Sonet: First pictures of cabin reveals new features

Kia will launch the all-new Sonet in the Indian market later this year. It will be the first sub-4m compact SUV from the brand that will take on the likes of Maruti Suzuki Vitara Brezza, Hyundai Venue, Tata Nexon and Ford EcoSport. Kia officially showcased the upcoming Sonet at the 2020 Auto Expo but they did not reveal the cabin of the car. Here is the first image of the cabin of the Kia Sonet that will be launched in the coming months.

The new pictures on ACI show the cabin of the upcoming Sonet. It seems like that the pictures belong to the GT Line version of the Sonet since we can spot the GT Line branding on the seats. The seats are wrapped in leather with contrasting red colour stitching. It is quite possible that Kia will launch the Sonet in the same HT and GT line variants like the Seltos. The GT Line variant will be loaded with features and will offer premium features like the leather seats.

Further, a part of the dashboard can also be spotted in the pictures. There is a 10.25-inch infotainment screen, which will be similar to the Seltos and it will be the biggest in the segment. Just below the infotainment screen, there are aircraft styled switches that can be used to control the features. The AC vents are vertically mounted. Even the steering wheel gets the GT Line branding on it and it is flat-bottom steering. The driver instrument cluster seems to be an all-digital unit.

This variant seen here gets a 6-speed manual transmission. Kia is likely to offer the 1.2-litre naturally aspirated petrol engine, 1.0-litre turbocharged petrol engine and a 1.5-litre turbocharged diesel engine with the upcoming Sonet. The GT version might be available only with the diesel and 1.0-litre turbocharged engine options. Just ahead of the transmission level, a wireless phone charging pad can be seen.

Kia will also introduce the first Intelligent Manual Transmission (IMT) with the Sonet. It will be the first semi-automatic transmission in the market that will allow the driver to shift gears without engaging the clutch. This new technology will make driving in the city traffic conditions much easier and the technology will not make the price of the car as expensive as the AMT versions.

The all-new Sonet will also offer a range of segment-first features. It will be based on the same platform that underpins the Hyundai Venue but it will be sportier to drive. This will be Kia’s third launch in the market and it will be in the market by the festive season.