[Timeline 1967]

After a long evaluation for over a period of one year, starting from the booking of Scorpio N with an introductory price for Z8 DIESEL AT to XUV 700,then shifting to VW Tiagun later on to Hycross GX as well as the Hyryder Full Hybrid S Variant,we have ultimately settled for the Kia Sonet diesel imt.

Since myself, my wife and Bunty,our pet dog will be travelling 99% all the time & looking into our use case we felt that Sonet diesel fit the bill,and imt is the icing on the cake,being an automatic yet at the same time not giving up of control of gear shifting.

Sonet is small yet with powerful diesel torque.The hard suspension will result in a settled ride on the highway, just like the Global Fiesta which is the other car I am having, though it's in a different league of its own.

[bhansali_hardik]

Originally Posted by ani446

Could you please share your imt experience so far?, have you experienced any issues?

Have clocked close to 30k and can tell that the only issue I have faced is in the hills when the auto hill hold does not exist on my variant, which was fixed in the later iterations! iMT otherwise has been great in terms of drive ability but the gears are getting clunky now which might be expected, true maintenance cost will reflect if there are replacements but other wise all the bills have been on par with my other cars and even lower!

I have made 0 mods and I’m a stock guy and that tells something about less loaded car also being capable. Also, the FE never seems to cross the 10 mark in BLR conditions!

Originally Posted by speedfreak01

I have 2021 Sonet HTX imt - the one that started coming with alloys and updated logo. Never faced any issue with the HU, yes maybe couple of times like once in a blue moon it does take few seconds to connect. But otherwise no issues whatsoever, connects in micro seconds as soon as I turn on the car.

Mine has real issues then hoping to hear back from ASS

[Timeline 1967]

Could you please explain regarding “gears are getting clunky” .

[jasjotbains]

One particular niggle I face in the infotainment system is the inability to group calls by name.

For e.g, If I call a person 4 times, Kia shows it as 4 different calls while the phone will show the list by name and the name will appear 1 time only. Anyone able to rectify this? It is not a issue but is annoying nonetheless when you are driving and need to find a contact.

[Satishtv]

Guys, please advise how is the highway performance of the sonet x line DCT? Is this a drivers car? Also, does the Matt paint finish on x line scratch easily? If yes, did you get any paint treatment? Thank you!

[DetectiveMiles]

Originally Posted by DetectiveMiles

Has anyone replaced Wiper blades?
SA told rear blade has started tearing off a bit, but not serious.

Originally Posted by robincsamuel

I changed my wiper blades around 10k kms/1.5 years. There was a winter service camp last November, and I got the front wiper blades changed then. The cost was Rs.840.

Originally Posted by harry10

I got it changed from Kia Service center itself. Costed me 700. Working quite well. Outside also they cost almost same amount.

Thanks for replies.

I got all 3 wipers replced at KIA Service centre, cost me 1284/- in total.
Rear wiper cost 446/-.

[Sandgrains28]

Originally Posted by speedfreak01

I have 2021 Sonet HTX imt - the one that started coming with alloys and updated logo. Never faced any issue with the HU, yes maybe couple of times like once in a blue moon it does take few seconds to connect. But otherwise no issues whatsoever, connects in micro seconds as soon as I turn on the car.

I have the same variant as well. In my case, the connection works seamlessly around 80% of the time. However, there have been instances where I had to rely on phone projection or toggle the Bluetooth on my phone to get the HU to connect. I believe it could have something to do with Android Auto too, since it keeps flashing frequent updates.

[harry10]

Originally Posted by Sandgrains28

I have the same variant as well. In my case, the connection works seamlessly around 80% of the time. However, there have been instances where I had to rely on phone projection or toggle the Bluetooth on my phone to get the HU to connect. I believe it could have something to do with Android Auto too, since it keeps flashing frequent updates.

I too have the same HTX variant.

We got it in Sep 21. I had a Samsung phone then. It used to have same 80% connectivity rate. I switched to Iphone in Sep 22. With Apple Carplay this percentage has gone upto 99%. The connection is more seamless and instant the moment I press the Start button. In fact Google Maps also work better in Carplay than it used to in Android Auto.

Personally I don't care much about Wireless connection as I have a habit of connecting my phone with charger the moment I sit at drivers seat. It's a good convenient feature to have but not a must have.

[Himalayan_Ice]

Originally Posted by Satishtv

Guys, please advise how is the highway performance of the sonet x line DCT? Is this a drivers car?

Drove from Gurgaon to Shimla day before. My thoughts:
• Does not seem like a driver’s car.
• Does perform a whole lot better in Sports mode, but still feels like it takes a second too long to get into overtake mode when you floor it.
• I’ve been driving a manual 1.3 Brezza for seven years and a Petrol Compass automatic for a few highway runs prior, so the benchmark for a 1.0 turbo might not be great.
• The car’s done only 800kms. So I expect the engine to open up in a few thousand kms.
• Did not face any issues climbing inclines of any gradient.
• The steering is way too light for my liking.
• Experienced body roll when I took it faster along a few curves, so you will not be inclined to drive fast in the mountains anyway.
• Suspension is stiff. You feel the shocks of bad roads very obviously. But the car feels solidly built (as of now).

Been raining continuously so I’ve been taking it easy as of now anyway.

[archat68]

I test drove sonet dct twice (same car). I felt the start from the standstill to be pretty slow and lethargic. But going through all reviews I didn't any such comments. The car had around 12k km. I also drove the iMT version and I liked it better.
Just after that I drove a Brezza AT and I fell in love with that (compared to Sonet).
Is there so much difference? Am I missing something? Is the test drive car defective?

[bijims]

Originally Posted by archat68

I test drove sonet dct twice (same car). I felt the start from the standstill to be pretty slow and lethargic. But going through all reviews I didn't any such comments. The car had around 12k km. I also drove the iMT version and I liked it better.
Just after that I drove a Brezza AT and I fell in love with that (compared to Sonet).
Is there so much difference? Am I missing something? Is the test drive car defective?

Considering the Sonet Petrol DCT is a 1.0 litre 3-cylinder turbocharged petrol, there ought to be some turbo lag, which will not be so evident in naturally aspirated engines like those in the Brezza, the Brezza will have a linear build-up of power and would be better for initial pickup, but once the turbo spools in on the Sonet, there is no stopping it.

These issues however are not evident on the Diesel due to the higher torque and hence I went for the Diesel AT, at the time of my purchase the price difference between Petrol DCT and Diesel AT was hardly 50k and so it was a no-brainer for me. (The Diesel AT is faster, gets a more reliable torque converter over DCT, is a 1.5L 4-cylinder over the 1.0L 3-Cylinder turbo in the petrol, produces almost the same power, but loads more torque, provides excellent mileage in any situation, something that can't be said of the DCT, Moreover the Diesel AT is a tried and tested engine and gearbox combo used in almost every mainstream Hyundai/Kia car from the Creta, Seltos, Earlier Elantra and Verna, Carens and Alcazar)

[ArijitGupte]

Originally Posted by archat68

I test drove sonet dct twice (same car). I felt the start from the standstill to be pretty slow and lethargic.

I own a DCT version and haven't found it lethargic as such. Check if the car was in Eco mode. Eco mode does make the car low and sluggish in pick-up

[Himalayan_Ice]

GTX Plus 7DCT: 1500km Update


Conditions driven - Gurgaon city (post rush hour / weekends), KMP (dry/ wet), Delhi - Chandigarh (dry/wet), Chandigarh - Shimla (soaking), Shimla - Tattapani (super soaking w landslides aplenty).


Fuel Efficiency - City: 10/11 • Highway 11/14 (pre-servicing & uphill) 16/18 (post servicing & mostly downhill).


Money Spent on service - 0.00 (free servicing). Pertinent to mention here that I had to drive from Shimla to Solan to get a service done. Maruti / Toyota / Mahindra / (even) Jeep have a service centre in Shimla. Kia does not.

Time taken for first service - 2.5 hours.

Service Experience

Got the car about three weeks ago. Did not drive it much around the city as I had to go to Shimla and did not want to breach the 1000km service mark by much. Reached Shimla and breached the 920 mark in a couple of days, so decided to get the car serviced in Solan instead of getting back to Gurgaon.

Shimla - Solan = 1 hour 30 minutes

The service centre was far away from main Solan town and there isn't a way to get there unless you have another car, or want to flag down a roadways bus. So the only option was to vegetate in the rather shabby waiting room for two and a half hours watching KIA promotional / maintenance videos.

The staff is extremely sweet and courteous. 10/10 there


Driving experience

Initially, I felt the car was underpowered. The bottom end torque is muslin cloth flimsy for me. Probably because I am used to the ZDI+ Brezza on highways, which has a bigger bottom end number.

Now I don't know if it's placebo, or if they legitimately do something in the first service where the car seems gruntier. But i've found it such. I could possibly have figured the throttle input better.

Once past the 2k RPM mark, it does not seem faint at ALL. In fact I tried the sports mode multiple times, and in the mountains it felt a bit too excited for my comfort. Sort of like how a puppy suddenly bounds at the sight of a scampering rabbit.

And while we're at that:

https://youtube.com/watch?v=IS56CDOcAtQ

With the right throttle input I found the normal driving mode adequate for 95% of my driving time in the mountains.

Far as power is concerned, I did one of the steepest inclines I know of in Shimla (the prospect hill climb right till the temple). Put it in sports mode, and easy peasy.

Within and around shimla, I did not face any problems in the normal mode. In fact I did not miss my manual too much while carving corners because in the uphill sections the RPM usually remains in the turbo zone and the throttle inputs provide instant outputs. Downhill was okay as well because I've never enjoyed excessive engine braking / regular braking. So I go easy.

Stock tyres seem adequate. Did not experience any lack of traction even in swimming wet conditions.

Triple digit speeds are no problem. My wife is a more aggressive straight line driver than I am and she did a 40 minute section. I happened to glance at the speedo and she was well into triple digits and I had zero clue. I usually come to know basis engine noise.

I stayed in early triple digits on the KMP (while returning) primarily because I didn't want truck roof riding pilgrims to take another leap of faith and bless us with their presence through the windshield. This required the use of braking and quick overtakes, which I am happy to report, are effortless.

Super extra marks for the front parking sensors. Especially because the bonnet have very little visibility from the driver's seat.

The lights are very very good. No upgrades needed.

Suspension is stiff. There's no getting away from it. The car slams into potholes. On the other hand, it has less body roll when you take a sharp curve (vs. other compact faux SUVs)

The steering is excellent in the city. Light as a feather. On the highways it does weigh up, but it doesn't do the weighing up proportionally. My eyes know what they are doing, so does my brain, and my feet. But my hands and arms are not in close sync with the others. A stiff suspension with a vague steering is like shooting a sniper rifle set up on mounds of fermented bread dough.

The steering has a lovely grip though.


Creature comforts

The AC is pretty effective. Although I think my Brezza unit still puts most others to shame, but this one nearly meets that one. Throwing in seat ventilation takes the game to a whole new level altogether. Extremely cool (pun intended).

The boot space is generous. I had to haul a lot of stuff back to gurgaon. In the Brezza I'd have to take the parcel tray off and then play a game of Tetris for equivalent stuff. Not in this one. Very happy with this.

Not a big fan of sun roofs, but it does make the cabin roomier on cloudy days (I keep it shut otherwise. Also, the sun roof blind is opaque. As it should be).

They're anyway meant for rear occupants to enjoy. meh.

The Bose music system does justice to nearly every genre. From Bach to Winehouse to The Prodigy. I played it all, and it all sounded good.

A little catch though. Road noise.

I wish this car were better insulated. No matter a good music system, road noise renders all efforts of it an exercise in futility after a while.

Rear camera is fine. Gets the job done. Though I wish there was an option for a 360. Would've saved me from kissing a landslide boulder. Would've gladly paid extra if Kia had an option like that.

My mum liked the rear seat. Said it was better than my brother's Compass. Will report if I ever am placed on the rear bench.

Cabin lights are adequate.

The dancing flickering "ambient light" is a monstrosity that will entice only those who patronise entertainment outlets suspected of providing extras sans billing.

The MID is okay. Should've shown RPM & engine temp in the centre console given that this is a turbo & DCT. The side dials need seeking out from the eye.

The infotainment screen is fluid and sharp. Not a fan of these because they distract while driving. Probably would benefit from a tile like user interface from the ex-windows phones.

The AC blowers slow down while you take calls. The music ramps up as you pick up speed. You can play music through bluetooth from one phone while the other shows shows google maps via CarPlay.

Wired CarPlay is a downer. Very annoying to have your hands touching wires all the time.

Lots of storage spaces. You won't run out easily.

The rear parcel tray seems a whole lot sturdier than the stuff I have on the Brezza.

Auto dimming IRVM. Plus points again.

The air purifier is SUCH a beautiful add on!

The choice and fitting of materials is very good. Maruti NEEDS to learn from the Koreans.

I ordered the front curtains from the dealer when I got the car. Still on order.



More bells and whistles

The remote start (both from the key and the app). Goodbye sweaty back and bum. Goodbye to finding shade to park your car. Goodbye to avoiding driving anywhere in the summer because the first five minutes are sheer, swampy hell.

God bless KIA (while Hyundai kicked Venue in the reproductives) for getting this. You have my vote forever.

The looks are a subjective matter. But the aggressive snout and compact style are a plus for me.

Auto folding and proximity unfolding side view mirrors are feel good for sure.



Verdict

I am hard to please, and I pick nits. It's a bug and a feature.
While the objectivity helps stay grounded, I also suffer from buyer's regret as a result.

However, with the Kia Sonet, I am experiencing a level of happiness and satisfaction that is unsettling for a part of my brain.

The car is very hard to find faults with for where it is placed and what it costs.

I am cautiously happy to have bought this vehicle.

You know, I had been waiting for the JIMNY for five months, having booked it as it was launched. However, the price reveal got me to cancel the booking and I chanced upon the Sonet while shopping for alternatives. It wasn't even in my consideration set.

But sometimes, whatever happens....

I just hope it stays that way *knocks on wood*

[ashvek3141]

Kia has silently increased the prices of Sonet by approx 5-6k INR.

The HTX D AT trim is now priced at 13,05,000/- ex-Delhi, against the earlier 12,99,000/-

[ashvek3141]

Originally Posted by Himalayan_Ice

GTX Plus 7DCT: 1500km Update

Verdict

However, with the Kia Sonet, I am experiencing a level of happiness and satisfaction that is unsettling for a part of my brain.

The car is very hard to find faults with for where it is placed and what it costs.

I am cautiously happy to have bought this vehicle.

But sometimes, whatever happens....

I just hope it stays that way *knocks on wood*

Very beautiful and crisp write up buddy ! Loved your writing style.

I completely concur with your thoughts; Sonet is a cute lil car that keeps everyone happy. I’m yet to meet someone who’s probably regretting his / her discussion of getting the car.

Wishing you blissful miles with this beauty.