[saurabhricha]

Originally Posted by saurabhricha

Hello again to fellow BHPians.

I have booked the KIA Sonet 7-DCT 1.0 Turbo Petrol (in Kolkata) back in Feb '22 but the SA just updated me a couple of days back (upon my enquiring of course) that currently KIA is not dispatching DCT models in general, be it Petrol or Diesel. Has anybody else also gotten this feedback from their SA/dealership?

Since getting the feedback from the SA couple of days back, I am now contemplating going for the 'New/ Updated Hyundai Venue' due to be launched in June '22 (3rd/4th week probably). I had called a Hyundai dealership immediately after getting this feedback from KIA and the SA over at Hyundai said that they have started taking unofficial bookings for the New Venue.

I have also decided that I shall not be cancelling my Sonet booking. Instead, I am thinking of booking the New Hyundai Venue as well. The way I see it, assuming that the New Venue gets announced in June '22 and deliveries start by July or August, I will have the option of choosing from both the Sonet and Venue since both cars have a petrol 7-DCT model to offer. This is also based on a very big assumption on my part that hopefully by July I may have some kind of update regarding delivery of the booked Sonet as well, because almost 4 months shall have passed since my booking.

I request fellow BHPians for their feedback and advice.

An update on the above:

I had gone ahead with booking the soon-to-be launched Hyundai Venue Facelift as the 2nd alternative to the Sonet. The Hyundai dealership GM informed me that they are expecting a meeting with Hyundai official within 28th of May wherein they expect the Venue facelift and N-Line series to be announced officially. I have already paid Rs 5.0K (only!) advance towards booking of the facelift Venue.

AS luck would have it, I got a call from the KIA SA today (just a while back in fact) that my Sonet is being dispatched and hopefully they would be delivering the car by 1st/2nd week of June at the most. Since I had originally planned to buy the Sonet 7-DCT 1.0L Turbo, I intend to take delivery of the vehicle.

BUT, a doubt has now cropped up in my mind whether I should wait for the announcement of the Venue Facelift because the dealership's GM (I know him personally) assured me that he will get my vehicle dispatched in the first lot itself, so hopefully the car should be delivered by Mid-July at the most.

My fellow BHPians, please help me with this dilemma whether I should just go ahead with taking delivery of the Sonet or should I wait for the Venue facelift announcement (since it's just round the corner)?

[car_guy1998]

I've seen couple of Sonet GTX+ 7DCT's are being delivered in Red dual tone and Black colour today at Kia showroom, where I booked our Seltos D AT in the month of March and, in fact, few Sonet D AT's were delivered few days ago by this dealer.

[ashvek3141]

Originally Posted by saurabhricha

My fellow BHPians, please help me with this dilemma whether I should just go ahead with taking delivery of the Sonet or should I wait for the Venue facelift announcement (since it's just round the corner)?

Honestly, since you are looking for DCT variant & the Venue facelift is just around the corner; I think you should give it a shot.

You’ll be getting a newer car (if you like the new Venue) and I presume Hyundai might load it with better features too, to keep up with the competition.

On a side note, I must say you are really lucky to get the car allotted in just 3 months & the DCT variant at that! Current wait times for the same are running in 40-41 weeks!!

Originally Posted by car_guy1998

I've seen couple of Sonet GTX+ 7DCT's are being delivered in Red dual tone and Black colour today at Kia showroom, where I booked our Seltos D AT in the month of March and, in fact, few Sonet D AT's were delivered few days ago by this dealer.

That does sound like some good news. I have also seen a few posts on the WA / Telegram groups that the Automatics are now getting allotted. I hope Kia have gotten their production sorted for the Sonet Automatics.

P. S.: I am in the queue too since Feb ‘22 for HTX D AT.

[CR07]

Originally Posted by saurabhricha

My fellow BHPians, please help me with this dilemma whether I should just go ahead with taking delivery of the Sonet or should I wait for the Venue facelift announcement (since it's just round the corner)?

I will summarize the pros of both as per my understanding-

Sonet pros-
Kia will be the vfm offering, having better features at about similar prices (i am confident about this , even with impending venue facelift launch)

Sonet looks more muscular and helps it's C-SUV stance. Venue looks a lot hatchbacky to me.

Uniqueness, you will find plenty of venues everywhere.

Venue pros-
Wider Hyundai sales and service network

Hyundai brand is currently bigger than Kia in India

[gpagedar]

Originally Posted by saurabhricha

An update on the above:

Since I had originally planned to buy the Sonet 7-DCT 1.0L Turbo, I intend to take delivery of the vehicle.

Go ahead and take delivery. Fully loaded and VFM. There aren’t too many features that are missing. It’s a fantastic car and you will not regret the purchase .

Also, think about why you selected the Sonet over the Venue (assuming you did that comparison in the first place). Most likely those reasons wouldn’t change even in comparison with the facelifted Venue.

So take the plunge.

[saurabhricha]

Originally Posted by gpagedar

Go ahead and take delivery. Fully loaded and VFM. There aren’t too many features that are missing. It’s a fantastic car and you will not regret the purchase .

Also, think about why you selected the Sonet over the Venue (assuming you did that comparison in the first place). Most likely those reasons wouldn’t change even in comparison with the facelifted Venue.

So take the plunge.

Thanks for the reassurance. Upon consulting a couple of car expert friends, even they suggested the same. Plus, as you rightly assumed, I did do the comparison with all cars in the CSUV segment barring the Honda WRV and Ford Eco Sport, I had indeed narrowed down on the Sonet. Going by what you said, even if the Venue does have extensive cosmetic and feature upgrades, I feel the Sonet will still have better road presence than the Venue

Originally Posted by CR07

I will summarize the pros of both as per my understanding-

Sonet pros-
Kia will be the vfm offering, having better features at about similar prices (i am confident about this , even with impending venue facelift launch)

Sonet looks more muscular and helps it's C-SUV stance. Venue looks a lot hatchbacky to me.

Uniqueness, you will find plenty of venues everywhere.

Venue pros-
Wider Hyundai sales and service network

Hyundai brand is currently bigger than Kia in India

Thanks for your inputs. I too agree as I have mentioned above that the Sonet will still have better road presence and VFM even after the facelift launch of the Venue. Plus, as you pointed out that Kia has a lesser networking than compared to Hyundai, it should not be a major problem particularly in my case as there are 3-4 dealerships in Kolkata as compared to just 18-24 months back when there was just one dealer. And to top it off, all the dealers have fully equipped Service stations as well, so all in all it shouldn't be much of a problem as far as company support is concerned.

Originally Posted by ashvek3141

Honestly, since you are looking for DCT variant & the Venue facelift is just around the corner; I think you should give it a shot.

You’ll be getting a newer car (if you like the new Venue) and I presume Hyundai might load it with better features too, to keep up with the competition.

On a side note, I must say you are really lucky to get the car allotted in just 3 months & the DCT variant at that! Current wait times for the same are running in 40-41 weeks!!



That does sound like some good news. I have also seen a few posts on the WA / Telegram groups that the Automatics are now getting allotted. I hope Kia have gotten their production sorted for the Sonet Automatics.

P. S.: I am in the queue too since Feb ‘22 for HTX D AT.

Yes, I was also confused but having read all od the feedback that I have already received on this forum and having discussed this with a couple of car-expert friends of mine, they are also of the opinion (which others have also expressed over here) that I should just go ahead and take delivery of the Sonet than to wait for the facelift Venue.
There's also a possibility that if I don't take delivery of the Sonet and wait for the Venue to be eventually announced (although I have already made an advance towards booking the facelift Venue) then the Sonet might get allocated to someone else. Besides, it is very much a possibility that the Venue might face the same delivery delays like Sonet and Nexon are facing nowadays. Lastly, since I had taken the TD of all CSUVs including the 7-DCT Venue and Sonet, for some reason I was more impressed with the Sonet than the Venue. Since we know that Venue is only getting a mid-life facelift with feature and cosmetic upgrades, it will essentially be the same car under the hood. Based on all this I think that I will go ahead with the Sonet.



Many thanks to everyone for your valuable inputs.

[nihar82]

Hi folks firstly let me start by saying that I am an ardent fan of Team BHP and from being just a blog reader your team members have inspired me to be a take up writing and expressing my views.

Just to brief I currently drive a 1st gen Ford Figo Diesel 2014. The car has served its purpose flawlessly over these 8 years of mostly being an A to B commuter in chock-a-block Mumbai traffic. The sparse long distance outing were also enjoyed with as this car offer handling like no other in the twisty or on the highway. Only downside is the power on offer is slightly inadequate to justify the full potential of a tight chassis and stiff suspension. The Car has not had major mechanical problems and is still doing the job. But off late due to worsening traffic & ageing of the vehicle the clutch has started to feel very hard. And that is a really no-no for me as I end up with painful knee and sore back. Even my wife refuses to drive due to this. Adding to the ageing factor is the paint or metal has started to corrode. This may be due to my short stay in a neighbourhood where water was a problem and often boring water was used by security chacha to wash vehicles. So with this situation I have started to consider for changing my ride. And this time I had decided to go in for an automatic car which we both can drive(my wife is a lousy at gear change always redlines before shifting – not generalising any gender). My running currently is limited due to reduced home to office distance as I have moved to a place close by. But yes, I would often make 400 to 500 km round trips every month.

Overcoming the odds:

Investment vs new Car is the classic argument you will find on youtube. There are videos and blogs flooded with thoughts that prove using OLA/Uber is more convenient, you don’t have any ownership or maintenance cost, no depreciation, no attachment to car no headache etc. I tried Uber for a month when I was facing back and knee issues(thanks to hard clutch) and found the service almost non-functional during office hours. Most of the time I would be on the street looking for rickshaw. And what these financial advisors forget about is the joy, pleasure and convenience of going anywhere anytime which only a self owned car can bring. Also sometimes you should think from heart and do stuff that gives you happiness. For me Car is such any expression of happiness. My current car has done all that for me keeping us safe and reaching to places without getting soaked when Mumbai used to get flooded, taking us places or resorts which are in wilderness in the mountains and the enumerable joy times with friends and family which I am sure a 10% annual growth mutual fund cannot bring to you. I had enjoyed 4.5 years of debt free ownership of car in the overall 8 years span and don’t mind taking a loan again.

The current Russia-Ukraine war also put me in some spot of bother but then these things are going to happen every now and then. The rising petrol cost is not a big worry as my ride is going to be mainly for leisure and fun.

Option 1: Used car

Used car or so called pre-worshipped looked very attractive in the beginning due to the price proposition and chance of owning a higher segment car. But I had owned a used Chevy Spark as my 1st self owned car after I moved out after marriage and the experience was not really to be called anywhere near fantastic (With my Figo as a new purchase the ownership experience was superb with respect to service and durability till date) So I am pretty sure that it is very difficulty to find a car which was respected by its previous owner (unless you personally know the owner). With that in mind the used car option was dropped and hence search for new car began.

Option 2: New car

My wife and my 6 year old daughter was thrilled to know we are going for a new car. My wife did rant me for a week though, role playing my mom that I don’t care to save enough, you will after 2 years again say lets go for a new bike. But all that settled within a week and we were out to search for a new car.

Budget: I had confined my choices of on-road upto 12 lakhs. With that I mind some of the relevant petrol powered options were.

1. Honda Jazz CVT VX or ZX
2. Polo TSI auto highline
3. Tata Nexon AMT XMS A
4. XUV 300 W6
5. Venue IMT SX
6. I20 IVT sport
7. Magnite 1.0 CVT
8. Kiger 1.0 CVT
9. Sonet 1.0 IMT

With these in mind the dealership connect started. A special mention was Skoda Rapid which was in its almost base variant with superb auto box and engine combo but sadly for me it was axed by the company to give way for Slavia.

The contender highlights:

1. Honda Jazz: I love this body style by Honda and to me it still looks ageless IMO. The ride experience of CVT was smooth unhurried and relaxing. It felt soothing with comfortable front seats and good glass area. The sun-roof was also an highlight to add to the airiness of the cabin. A bit over priced after seeing what market has moved on to. For example Honda still used 15” rubber, no turbo or 1.5L engine option (1.2L I felt to be very under power when you hit the highway and want to call out the enthusiast in you). But still a great city car.

2. Polo TSI auto: It’s a legend and I am not just talking about the last variant but in terms of the way it does all things right when it comes to the drive experience. Except one thing, that is going to be the space. My family was turned off by this and I had to close my aspiration for Polo there. The aspiration of owning a German car ended.

3. Nexon AMT: Safe car, practical, reasonably powered engine ticks most of the boxes. On the intangible bit the AMT is still a trade off as I wanted a true automatic and not a pseudo auto. Also the fit and finish and after sales service was still a cause of concern and didn’t wanted to go thru the experiment. I test drove the EV as well… more on that for later.

4. XUV 300 w6 Amt: This was the only variant in my budget as the W8 AMT was almost 15L. Power and ride comfort were all good. This variant has nothing to offer apart from sun-roof (my daughter loves anything with sun-roof and that will be a decider to an extent) Also the AMT I felt had a lag whenever it used to shift and to me that was bothering me while test driving, the same with Nexon. I feel it is just a matter of time that you will get used to it. But yes this variant is overpriced and under equipped.

5. Venue IMT SX: Here the experience was marred as the dealer (Modi Hyundai Kanjurmarg) or sales person were very casual & under impression that their cars would sell without any hard selling. The promised test ride was not offered on the committed date and that left a lasting impression about the dealer and the brand. Also the IMT was an trade off for my wanting of a proper auto box. So Venue IMT was dropped without a TD.

6. I20 IVT: The same above experience and my wife was I no mood to have a hatch back (Low seating car) after TD of XUV & Nexon. Also the above sales person was not encouraging enough to go for IMT turbo which was coming under 12L saying “ IMT ka result itna nahi hai”. Must be wanting to sell only cars with better incentive for him. The hatchback idea was dissolved there.

7. Magnite 1.0 CVT: Magnite TD is still pending should be a good one but not very keen on calling up dealership again as I had TD the Kiger. The brand is still evolving(reinventing) and having seen FORD shut shop recently didn’t wanted to dive in even if the prospects are lucrative.

8. Kiger 1.0 CVT: Kiger team had a pretty good response and follow-up pre and post the TD. The car was spacious, felt light to drive, CVT was smooth and the power modes worked as they should. There are some issues with ergonomic like seat belt lock is hard to reach, power window switches are placed a lot back, door lock unlock switch is on the dash etc. Also like its cousin Magnite it didn’t have and active safety features. And yes no sun-roof even on top trim my daughter was reluctant for TD.

9. Sonet IMT: After not so tasteful experience with parent company Hyundai I was little reluctant to consider Kia Sonet. Also had read that its little expensive and had a long waiting period. Still I decided to give I a chance. We were greeted well and every detail of car and its variants were explained well by the sales person. Also waiting period, booking amount(Refund if cancelled) and no discount or freebies were properly explained. My wife and daughter were impressed at first glance. We were shown the HTX variant in IMT. The exteriors were refreshing and stylish. The only missing point for me was washer wiper in rear. The interior cabin was also cool and tastefully done. The beige and black interior was looking great infact better than the all black in GT line (perhaps I was bored with all black interior in Figo). Rear bench though a bit small in comparison to Kiger, Nexon, XUV was comfortable enough for my family and our sized people. The rear window curtains was a welcome feature. And yes it had sun-roof which ticked my daughter’s check box.

The TD was offered for the HTX 7DCT version and I like its seamless way of shifting, paddle-shifters and slightly sportier ride(due to stiffer springs). I would like to believe it should be a potent and comfortable highway machine. Soon day dreaming I started to plan trips to my native in Amaravati (Maharashtra) via the to be opened Samuriddhi highway. Anyways the budget was now stretched to 13.5L but my wife had here finger on this one and asked to conclude the search and zero in on the HTX 7DCT. The HTX IMT was cheaper by 70K but then it was a partially equipped auto. I didn’t mind spending that much more for superior gearbox and convience as I intend to keep for 8 to 10 years. Also the doubt of overheating of DCT was also put to rest as I was convinced that my office commutes are going to be on my Xpulse 200 as it saves time and cost and this car is strictly for family outing and long hauls.

After a week I went with my parents to show them the to be new ride. My dad drives a 2010 WagonR and he was thrilled to experience the automatic for the first time in his life. So with that we booked the Sonet with Rs 25k as booking amount. Awaiting the delivery date for my ride.

[eljay]

Originally Posted by eljay

While receiving the car, I asked for a drop (which i did not get charged for probably because of the error he made) and there was a minor scratch which i had not seen before. I sent him a picture and asked for the picture they took while taking inventory. Its been about 8 hours and I haven't heard back yet.

Couple of quick updates here:

1. I got a call for feedback and told them honestly what I experienced. they were good and took action immediately. I received calls from the SA saying that he will provide a polish and/or replacement of the part as needed. He asked me to come but I haven't gone since I feel its a small scratch, but still wanted to bring to his notice which is why i raised it in the first place. He also asked me to give him 10/10 rating

2. Probably unrelated, but both my keys had low battery! I was almost stranded after leaving from work, but figured I can open the car through the UVO app and also touch the start button with the key and the car would start. Later I also figured there is a manual key that I can open the door with, so for folks with low key battery - very low chances of getting stranded. I spoke to the SA and he said he will replace the battery free of cost OR i can simply go to any watch person and get new batteries. I chose the latter which costed me Rs300 for both the keys.

[ashvek3141]

Originally Posted by nihar82

So with that we booked the Sonet with Rs 25k as booking amount. Awaiting the delivery date for my ride.

Great choice there. The HTX DCT is surely VFM purchase in this segment. Bdw, what is the tentative waiting period given to you? I presume for bookings after 1st May, the wait times are running in 40-41 weeks; especially for the DCT variant which is in high demand.

[Torq]

I recently took a TD of Sonet D AT and I was sadly underwhelmed! No grunt no diesel push! End of the test drive and back in my diesel Tiago and that felt better than the AT.

Was there something wrong with the test vehicle or is the Sonet in auto guise really that mellow?

[car_guy1998]

Did anyone get their updated Sonet GTX+ D AT delivered recently? Just asking because I had booked the Seltos GTX+ D AT in the month of March and my dealer is still clueless about the dispatches of this particular variant in Seltos.

And, I've been seeing few Sonet GTX+ in 7DCT guise as well as iMT guise are being delivered by my dealer, where I booked my Seltos D AT. And, in fact, I had seen few Diesel Autos are being delivered by this dealer and another dealer as well (that had happened a couple of weeks ago).

I even told my dealer that I'm ok with getting Sonet GTX+ D AT instead of Seltos in any colour (my preferences are White or Black) and that too if it is available for immediate delivery.

[harry10]

Originally Posted by Torq

I recently took a TD of Sonet D AT and I was sadly underwhelmed! No grunt no diesel push! End of the test drive and back in my diesel Tiago and that felt better than the AT.

Was there something wrong with the test vehicle or is the Sonet in auto guise really that mellow?

You need to take the TD of a different vehicle.

I have both Sonet D-AT and Tiago diesel. Leave alone better, Tiago D is nowhere near Sonet in terms of performance.

Also, do try the Sport mode when you do the TD.

[Torq]

Originally Posted by harry10

Tiago D is nowhere near Sonet in terms of performance.

Also, do try the Sport mode when you do the TD.

Thanks for the reply. The on-paper specs do support your statement and that's why I was having higher expectations than a manual variant. Will go to a different dealer and arrange another TD. Planning to book sonet D AT and Venue D AT (hoping for a new launch with the facelift on 16th June).
I am not keen on the sports mode, as that isn't what I will be using in day to day driving. Getting impressed for short term while that isn't the nature of the engine is not my cup of tea.

[marinerandy]

Any one for 1.5D AT GTX+, BLACK in Bengaluru! May 2022 produced and available for immediate delivery. Only till next 2 days. Today and tomorrow.

[nihar82]

Originally Posted by ashvek3141

Great choice there. The HTX DCT is surely VFM purchase in this segment. Bdw, what is the tentative waiting period given to you? I presume for bookings after 1st May, the wait times are running in 40-41 weeks; especially for the DCT variant which is in high demand.

The waiting time is anywhere between 6 to 7 months.