[gusfring]

Originally Posted by BKB999

I had a look at the display vehicle in Chennai. Though the exterior appearance is appealing I didn't felt it as good as the muscular look of Nexon.

D'you mind telling me where in Chennai you were able to see the Sonet? Thanks, in advance
I totally second that slight liking toward the Nexon, I think the same too

[Adarsh.E]

INITIAL DRIVING IMPRESSIONS: SONET 1.5 DIESEL AUTO

I went to th Kia Sowroom in Chinchwad,Pune to have a look at the Sonet’s interiors and cabin space, but to my surprise and luck, they have started the test-drives today itself and I was lucky to get a chance to drive the diesel auto variant, albeit for 6-7 minutes only (there were 7 waiting in line after me). So here are my impressions:
-The engine is very refined and silent from the inside, even though there is no insulation cover. But the same engine definitely feels quieter in the Seltos
-The Sonet was very quick off the line, it definitely felt quicker the the Seltos D-AT and even the Creta 1.6 D-AT, acceleration was brisk and I heard the 80kmph speed warning within no time
-When driven sedately, the gearbox upshifts quickly and the shifts fell butter-smooth, I am sure the highway fuel economy will be excellent
-The steering is light and precise, but I could feel confidence even during triple digit speeds, it weighs up nicely as speeds increase, just like in the Seltos
-The car definitely handles better than the Venue and previous-gen Creta
-Suspension is on the softer side, and it tackles speed-bumps very well. I found the ride similar to Venue and previous-gen Creta. I felt Seltos had a better ride than this.
-You can view the rear-view camera feed real-time during driving.
-The icing on the cake is the Bose Music System. It’s as good if not the same as the one in the Seltos.

Other Points:
-Even at the least blower speed, I felt the air-con to be a bit noisy. Not a deal-breaker though.
-Dashboard plastics are hard and of a lesser quality, not Maruti-like though.
-Good thing is all the places of touch in the interior are of extremely high quality, like the steering and gear-lever etc.
-The back seat space is similar to the Venue, not more, not less.
-I honestly find the size of the vehicle comparable to the Brezza. It looks definitely bigger than Venue.
-The boot is huge, definitely the best in the segment.
-And yes, I have booked the Sonet GTX+ Diesel AT Variant. I didn’t consider the Petrol DCT as we already have a Polo GT TSi and I was smitten by the torquey,quick and powerful diesel variant.

[volkman10]

Road presence of KIA SONET!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iEgv...ature=emb_logo

[guyfrmblr]

Originally Posted by AbidIqbalShaik

The Kia Sonet most probably has wireless Android Auto and wireless Apple CarPlay. Yes, you have read it right.

I guess you are right. I see this in the Kia website only under HTK+ variant. Don’t see it being advertised for any other variant:

[CEF_Beasts]

Originally Posted by volkman10

Road presence of KIA SONET!

The Sonet definitely has the same presence as the first gen Creta alongside it if not less (could be the darker grey colour as well, will have to be compared with a white Sonet) and the video has been take from a Venue!

[venkyhere]

Originally Posted by AbidIqbalShaik

Last but not the least, I have checked Kia Seltos brochure. A few of its variants have an 8-inch touchscreen infotainment system but none of them are described to have 'wireless phone projection'. So the 8-inch touchscreen infotainment system in the Sonet is either a newer one or Kia has updated its software to support 'wireless phone projection.' If this is indeed a software trick then Seltos owners could get wireless Android Auto and wireless CarPlay soon.

I suspected as much. They will disable this feature with some jumper position on the HU's board or some software version setting. In the highly sensitive 'look what I've got in my car' feature-crazy indian car market that the sonnet is aimed at, it will be hara-kiri if lower variants get a feature which the higher variant does not. Of course, some aftermarket software/hardware hack might unlock the feature.

[Bibendum90949]

Originally Posted by AbidIqbalShaik

So the 8-inch touchscreen infotainment system in the Sonet is either a newer one or Kia has updated its software to support 'wireless phone projection.' If this is indeed a software trick then Seltos owners could get wireless Android Auto and wireless CarPlay soon.

Just a software update won't make a HU work wirelessly. It needs the hardware too - an inbuilt Wifi, which Seltos doesn't have and hence no wireless android auto or apple car play.

Your findings are mostly true with respect to Sonet 8.0" screen having wireless phone projection since the same is clearly mentioned in the brochure, I had mentioned the same in one of my earlier posts in this thread.

https://www.team-bhp.com/forum/india...ml#post4869947 (A Close Look : Kia Sonet)

The only hope for existing Seltos owners to have wireless android auto is on the awaited device Bhpian Jothishx mentions about in the below post. The device seems to be on the way.

https://www.indiegogo.com/projects/a...s/x/23404659#/

As for me, I'm running wireless android auto in my Seltos pretty seamlessly, as mentioned in my thread below.

https://www.team-bhp.com/forum/car-e...ml#post4858661 (Wireless Android Auto for cars without inbuilt WiFi)

[venbas]

Awesome review and pictures Aditya. I hope the hon his at Maruti read this. With excellent looks features safety equipments and drivetrains the Brezza killer has arrived in true style. Kia just needs to embed themselves better into the A.S.S space and that would have their cash registers ringing.

[AbidIqbalShaik]

Originally Posted by guyfrmblr

I guess you are right. I see this in the Kia website only under HTK+ variant. Don’t see it being advertised for any other variant:
Attachment 2052686

Great finding! @guyfrmblr

'Wireless phone projection' is nested under Android Auto and Apple CarPlay in the screenshot that you have shared, confirming that the Sonet indeed has wireless Android Auto and wireless Apple CarPlay.

Wireless Android Auto and wireless Apple CarPlay have been my most wished features. I hate to use cables in my to use Android Auto and Apple CarPlay in my Volkswagen Vento.

I had thought that it would take at least two years till we see wireless Android Auto and wireless Apple CarPlay in cars under INR 20,00,000. I am glad that Kia has bought this premium feature to the segment so fast.

Brands like Suzuki, Hyundai, and Ford have a lot to learn from Kia. Kia is indeed offering all the features that it customers are asking. Thanks Kia!

Originally Posted by venkyhere

I suspected as much. They will disable this feature with some jumper position on the HU's board or some software version setting. In the highly sensitive 'look what I've got in my car' feature-crazy indian car market that the sonnet is aimed at, it will be hara-kiri if lower variants get a feature which the higher variant does not. Of course, some aftermarket software/hardware hack might unlock the feature.

Yeah true that.

I hope Kia unlocks the wireless Android Auto and wireless Apple CarPlay feature in the Seltos if it has the same infotainment hardware as the Sonet. It will make a lot of customers happy.

[R-Six]

Originally Posted by Adarsh.E

-And yes, I have booked the Sonet GTX+ Diesel AT Variant

Congratulations Adarsh!

Did you also decide the color?

From the pictures that are floating on the internet, the blue looks like a killer shade.

Did they hint on the probable pricing by any means? Also, how is the booking and cancelation policies just in case if you want to shift your booking to a different varient once the prices are launched?

Thanks again for the initial ride review as well. I'm in the market for a sub 4M car and will certainly be checking this out once we start the mandatory showroom visits.

Drive safe,
R-Six

[AbidIqbalShaik]

Originally Posted by Bibendum90949

Just a software update won't make a HU work wirelessly. It needs the hardware too - an inbuilt Wifi, which Seltos doesn't have and hence no wireless android auto or apple car play.

Your findings are mostly true with respect to Sonet 8.0" screen having wireless phone projection since the same is clearly mentioned in the brochure, I had mentioned the same in one of my earlier posts in this thread.

https://www.team-bhp.com/forum/india...ml#post4869947 (A Close Look : Kia Sonet)

The only hope for existing Seltos owners to have wireless android auto is on the awaited device Bhpian Jothishx mentions about in the below post. As for me, I'm running wireless android auto in my Seltos pretty seamlessly, as mentioned in my thread below.

https://www.team-bhp.com/forum/car-e...ml#post4858661 (Wireless Android Auto for cars without inbuilt WiFi)

I had seen your post on how to get wireless Android Auto in infotainment systems without inbuilt Wi-Fi. Great workaround buddy. This trick must have helped plenty of people. I was one of the people who thought of trying it out in my Volkswagen Vento.

As for the Seltos not having inbuilt Wi-Fi (in 8-inch unit)? Are you sure about it? Because I have come across a video on YouTube which shows how to connect Apple CarPlay wirelessly to the 8-inch infotainment unit in the Kia K5 2021. I noticed that Wi-Fi logo or Wi-Fi menu is nowhere to be seen in the infotainment system. It has Wi-Fi but there is no way to see it. The only way you can confirm that it has Wi-Fi is by checking if it supports wirelsss phone projection. Maybe that is the case with Seltos too (in the 8-inch unit). It might have Wi-Fi but it is not be accessible to users, just like that in the Kia K5 2021. Possible, right?

When Ford had launched the Sync 3 infotsinment system with inbuilt Wi-Fi (Ford Aspire has it), I had thought that it will definately get wireless Android Auto and wireless Apple CarPlay. But Ford has not offered the feature so far. And reports online suggest that Sync 3 won't get wireless Android Auto and wireless Apple CarPlay.

So, basically, I know that a car needs to have Wi-Fi for wireless Android Auto and wireless Apple CarPlay. And I first check if a car has Wi-Fi or not to see the possibility of it getting wireless Android Auto and wireless Apple CarPlay. But Kia's infotainment systems have surprised me. You can't see Wi-Fi menu or Wi-Fi logo in Kia's infotainment systems but they still support wireless Android Auto and wireless Apple CarPlay (in case of Kia K5 2021).

Link to YouTube video showing how to connect Apple CarPlay wirelessly in Kia K5 2021.

https://youtu.be/nZoEhlSHyLo

All I am saying is that the same could be the case with the Seltos as it is with K5 2021. The 8-inch unit in the Seltos might have Wi-Fi but Kia might have not enabled wireless Android Auto and wireless Apple CarPlay in it yet. And without the 'wireless screen projection' menu, we can't confirm if it has Wi-Fi or not. There is no other way to find out if it has Wi-Fi or not. Maybe I am wrong. But that is just my speculation. @ Bibendum90949 do you think there is any other way to find out if the Seltos has Wi-Fi or not?

[Tapish]

Originally Posted by k_ajay

Height is wrong, please see below.



From the Kia India website, showcasing Sonet. Settles it?
Attachment 2052570

So the Sonet is 20mm wider than Venue, I think its similar between the Creta and Seltos. Nexon is another 20 mm wider and hence looks more planted.

[BKB999]

Originally Posted by gusfring

D'you mind telling me where in Chennai you were able to see the Sonet? Thanks, in advance
I totally second that slight liking toward the Nexon, I think the same too

Its Capital Kia Adyar.

[swiftdiesel]

Originally Posted by Tapish

So the Sonet is 20mm wider than Venue, I think its similar between the Creta and Seltos. Nexon is another 20 mm wider and hence looks more planted.

It's wider but I don't think it translates to interior space. The width is taken up by the side bulges.

[vvivek85]

In this frame, it looks like the car gets narrower towards the top half. Though numbers don't suggest so (Sonet width - 1790; last gen Creta width - 1780), this looks too narrow when compared to last gen Creta, I am not sure if it is due to angle of this screen grab.