Five things to know about the new 2021 Kia Sonet

The all-new Kia Sonet is now available in SA. A B-segment crossover designed to rival the Toyota Urban Cruiser and Nissan Magnite, here are five things you should know about it.

1: Just one engine on offer

From launch the new Kia Sonet is available exclusively with a 1.5-litre four-cylinder petrol engine that delivers 85kW and 144Nm worth of torque. How does this stack up against its competitors? Well the 1.5-litre four-pot in the Toyota makes 77kW and 138Nm while the 1.0-litre turbo triple in the Nissan produces a maximum of 74kW and 160Nm. Transmission wise Kia is offering the Sonet with either a six-speed manual gearbox or a CVT. 

2: Two trim levels to choose from

Kicking off the 2021 Kia Sonet range is the entry-level LX model. Some of its standard features include an eight-inch touchscreen infotainment system with wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, air-conditioning, Bluetooth streaming, front and rear electric windows, electric mirrors, a rear-view camera and automatic headlamp activation.

The flagship EX model builds on this specification with rear park distance control, a leather steering wheel and gear knob, silver skid plates, roof rails, side repeater lamps and front fog-lamps. The 15-inch steel wheels of the LX are swapped for 16-inch alloy wheels.

3: Safety matters

According to a press release, more than two-thirds of the Kia Sonet’s body is made up of high-strength and advanced high-strength steel that creates a “lightweight yet robust structure.” Problem is that at the time of writing this there are no published Global or Asean NCAP crash test results to prove whether this claim holds any validity.

Move on to the active safety side of things and you'll find that all Sonet models come fitted with Electronic Stability Control (ESC), ABS with EBD, Hill-start Assist Control (HAC), Dual front airbags as well as ISOFIX child-seat anchoring points. 

4: Space for all

Measuring 4,120mm long with a wheelbase of 2,500mm, the Sonet is one of the more capacious B-segment offerings. Kia claims that intelligent packaging has liberated plenty of leg, head and shoulder room and created a large luggage area measuring 392 litres.

5: Pricing

The entry-level Sonet LX will set you back R264,995 for the manual version and R285,995 for the CVT. The more feature-rich EX costs R284,995 for the manual and R305,995 for the CVT. Pricing includes all taxes, an unlimited kilometre five-year warranty (inclusive of Roadside Assistance) plus as a prepaid four-year/60,000km service plan.