I'm reaching out to ask whether these parts should be covered by the warranty. Any insights from the experienced members of this forum would be greatly appreciated.

BHPian 7000plusrpm recently shared this with other enthusiasts:

Since last Monday, I've been hearing this weird noise coming from the left side of my car. It's most noticeable when I drive over bumps in the road. It feels like something is loose and moving around. Initially, I thought it might be a bottle rolling around in the car. Even with the windows closed, the noise persisted.

I took my car to the service center today, and after a test drive, they told me that the issue likely has to do with the suspension. They kept the car for a while, inspected it, and confirmed that the front left suspension was faulty. They provided an estimate for the required repairs after examining the car. The total estimated cost for the repairs comes to around 30K.

It's a 2020 Diesel AT, bought in December probably, and completed 34k KM so far. It is covered under an extended warranty, but the dealership has stated that this particular issue won't be covered by the warranty. So, the entire 30K is be paid out of pocket. And I think 34k KM is too early for suspension failure. And it should be covered under warranty even if it fails.

I'm reaching out to ask whether these parts should be covered by the warranty. Any insights from the experienced members of this forum would be greatly appreciated.

Check out BHPian comments for more insights and information.

The Gravity Editions of the Sonet, Seltos and Carens are available in both petrol and diesel versions.

Kia is celebrating its 5th year of operations in India with the launch of the Gravity Editions of its Sonet, Seltos, and Carens models.

Let’s start with the Sonet. The new Gravity Edition of the compact SUV is available in three trims: 1.2L Petrol 5MT, 1.0L Petrol 6iMT, and 1.5L Diesel 6MT.

Positioned above the HTK+ trim, the Sonet Gravity trim is offered in Pearl White, Aurora Black Pearl, and Matte Graphite shades. It has white brake calipers, Indigo Pera Seats with Navy Stitching, a leather knob, spoiler, and 16-inch alloy wheels. Other features include a wireless phone charger, a dash cam, a front door armrest, 60:40 split seats, rear adjustable headrests, a rear centre armrest with cup holders, and the Gravity emblem.

The 2024 Seltos Gravity Edition is available in 1.5L Petrol MT, 1.5L Petrol iVT, and 1.5L Diesel 6MT variants. It is positioned above the HTX variant and offers additional features such as a dash cam, a 10.25-inch digital instrument cluster, ventilated front seats, a Bose speaker system, and an Electronic Parking Brake with auto-hold.

The Gravity trim also gets 17-inch machined wheels, a glossy black rear spoiler, body-coloured door handles, and an exclusive Gravity emblem. The SUV is available in three colours: Glacial White Pearl, Aurora Black Pearl, and Dark Gun Metal (Matte).

The 2024 Carens Gravity Edition is positioned above the Premium (O) trim and is equipped with a dash cam, a sunroof, leatherette seat upholstery, a D-cut leather steering wheel, leatherette door centre trims and armrests, LED map and room lamps, and the Gravity Emblem.

2024 Kia Gravity Editions ex-showroom prices:

Sonet Gravity Edition:

• 1.2L Petrol 5MT – Rs 10,49,900
• 10L Turbo Petrol 6iMT – Rs 11,19,900
• 1.5L Diesel 6MT – Rs 11,99,900

Sonet Gravity Edition:

• 1.5L Petrol 6MT – Rs 16,62,900
• 1.5L Petrol iVT – Rs 18,05,900
• 1.5L Diesel 6MT – Rs 18,20,900

Carens Gravity Edition:

• 1.5L Petrol 6MT – Rs 12,09,900
• 1.5L Turbo Petrol 6iMT – Rs 13,49,900
• 1.5L Diesel 6MT – Rs 13,99,900

The new lower-spec GT Line trims are expected to be launched in the third quarter of CY2024.

According to a media report, Kia plans to introduce more affordable 'GT Line' variants of the Seltos and Sonet. These are expected to be positioned above the HT Line trim.

The lower-spec GT Line variants could get a few cosmetic changes to help differentiate them from the HT Line trims. Also, there will be fewer features on offer, which means, 'X-Line' will be the top-spec variant across both the Seltos and Sonet.

Coming to the powertrain options, the report mentions that the new 'GT Line' variants will most likely be offered across both petrol and diesel versions of the Seltos and Sonet. 

The new lower-spec GT Line trims are expected to be launched in the third quarter of CY2024.

Source: Carwale

According to the company, 'Kia Subscribe' plans are ideal for salaried and self-employed individuals.

Kia India has announced the launch of Kia Subscribe – flexible ownership plans for the Sonet, Seltos, Carens and EV6.

Kia has partnered with ALD Automotive Pvt. Ltd. for its subscription plans, expanding these services to 14 cities across India. These include Delhi, Noida, Ghaziabad, Faridabad, Gurgaon, Mumbai, Pune, Ahmedabad, Indore, Bangalore, Chennai, Hyderabad, Kolkata and Jaipur.

Unlike Kia Lease, the new ‘Kia Subscribe’ program offers short-term lease options ranging from 12-36 months. According to the company, these are ideal for salaried and self-employed individuals.

On the other hand, ‘Kia Lease’ is tailored for B2B clients, corporates, and MSMEs. It offers lease rentals for 24-60 months with different mileage options. This program was initially launched in partnership with Orix in Delhi-NCR, Mumbai, Hyderabad, Chennai, Bengaluru, and Pune.

Minimum Monthly Lease Rental:

• Sonet – Rs 17,999
• Seltos – Rs 23,999
• Carens – Rs 24,999
• EV6 – Rs 1,29,000

Kia has introduced four 'GTX' variants and a sub-Rs 10 lakh HTK 1.0L Turbo Petrol iMT trim.

Kia has updated its Seltos and Sonet range with the introduction of five new variants. This includes four 'GTX' variants and a sub-Rs 10 lakh 'HTK 1.0L Turbo Petrol iMT' variant. Both models are now available in a total of 21 and 22 variants, respectively.

The new Seltos GTX gets features like ADAS, a sliding armrest and a 360-degree camera over the HTX trim, while the Sonet GTX gets ISOFIX, wireless charging, rear wipers and washers and diamond-cut alloy wheels.

The GTX+ variants of the Seltos get Solar Glass and White calipers in the front and rear. The X-Line trim is now available in the Aurora Black Pearl exterior colour, in addition to the Matt Graphite option.

The Seltos and Sonet GTX trims are available with either a 1.5-litre turbo-petrol engine paired with a 7-speed DCT or a 1.5-litre diesel mated to a 6-speed automatic.

Kia Seltos and Sonet ex-showroom prices:

• Seltos GTX 1.5L Petrol 7DCT – Rs 18,99,900
• Seltos GTX 1.5L Diesel 6AT – Rs 18,99,900
• Sonet HTK 1.0L iMT – Rs 9,59,900
• Sonet GTX 1.0L 7DCT – Rs 13,70,900
• Sonet GTX 1.5L Diesel 6AT – Rs 14,55,900

The new GTX variant is positioned between the HTX+ and GTX+ trims.

Kia has made a few changes to the variant line-up for the Sonet and Seltos. Both models are now available in a new GTX variant priced at Rs 13.71 lakh and Rs 18.99 lakh (ex-showroom), respectively.

The new GTX variant is positioned between the HTX+ and GTX+ trims. The Sonet GTX comes with features like 16-inch alloy wheels, LED fog lamps, a 360-degree camera, ventilated front seats, an electrically adjustable driver’s seat, twin 10.25-inch screens and keyless entry-and-go.

The Sonet GTX is available with either a 1.0-litre turbo-petrol engine paired with a 7-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission or a 1.5-litre diesel mated to a 6-speed automatic.

The Sonet HTE variant has been discontinued and the mid-spec HTK and HTX+ variants are no longer available with a Diesel MT option. The latter does not get a 1.0L turbo-petrol iMT either. However, the 1.0L turbo-petrol engine is now available from the HTK variant onwards.

The Seltos GTX is offered with a 1.5-litre turbo-petrol engine paired with either an iMT or DCT and a 1.5-litre diesel engine mated to an iMT.

In terms of features, the new GTX variant gets 18-inch alloy wheels dual-zone climate control, ventilated front seats, Level 2 ADAS with a 360-degree camera, twin 10.25-inch screens, electronic parking brake and rain-sensing wipers.

Kia has discontinued the GTX+ (S) and X-Line (S) variants of the Seltos. Also, the Seltos HTX+ is now available as a Diesel MT only.

The X-Line variants of both models get a new colour option – Aurora Black Pearl.

For some reason, in my case the regeneration process keeps getting cutoff when I use the REAR DEFOGGER button.

BHPian MudMover recently shared this with other enthusiasts.

For the past one week I've been regularly getting the DPF warning message and light in the instrument panel.

What is regeneration in a diesel engine?

During the process of Regeneration, the soot is burned away with high temperature in the Diesel Particulate Filter (DPF). Regeneration is normally performed automatically while driving but in certain driving conditions where required temperature cannot be achieved, it has to be initiated manually.

Last Saturday, when I got the DPF alert I took the Sonet to the ASC. But yesterday I did it myself by going through the steps in the Owner's Manual 

To initiate Self Regeneration

Engage parking brake and shift lever at P state. 

Turn on the engine.

Warm up the engine and check engine temperature gauge at the middle position. 

Turn on the air conditioner and set the blower to the maximum.

Turn on the high beam.

Operate the rear defog function. 

Hold the OK button on the LCD warning message page.

For some reason, in my case the regeneration process keeps getting cutoff when I use the REAR DEFOGGER button. And only when I use the FRONT DEFOGGER button does the process get activated. Once the regeneration process started, immediately the engine moved to a higher RPM automatically and stayed there till the end of the process.

Here is a video of the same.  

After the process, the 'Check Engine' light was burning for some time. I drove around 5-6km and it went away. I think the problem might be that I don't drive a lot during the days I'm in city. Majority of my drives are to the kids' school and office -- very low speed and low rpm driving, and that might be causing this problem. Last week at the ASC, even the service advisor had told me "Try going for some long drives, Sir"! But you can't go on long drives just to keep the DPF light from coming on, can you?!

Check out BHPian comments for more insights and information.

The throttle body, intake manifold and EGR are blacker than a coal mine.

BHPian jasjotbains recently shared this with other enthusiasts.

Took my Sonet for its 50000 km service today. Took up the issue of throttle response with the SA. He casually recommended getting the throttle body cleaned. I had similar issues with my Activa some time back so just went for the heck of it. What came out was a big WTH moment for me! The throttle body, intake manifold and EGR are blacker than a coal mine.  Got the EGR, Intake Manifold and Throttle body cleaned and it looked like my office Canon printer leaking their printing powder.

The cleaning is supposed to take place at 30k as per the SA.

Sharing some before-after pics. I will be getting my Sonet back in 2 days. Thankfully, it is covered under Warranty. 

Check out BHPian comments for more insights and information.

For a person who doesn't like changing gears, fate has added another gear - the 6th gear!

BHPian MudMover recently shared this with other enthusiasts.

Brought home the KIA Sonet HTK (O) Diesel Manual variant on 6th May 2024.

Likes & Dislikes

+ Powerful 113bhp 1.5L CRDI VGT 6MT diesel engine

+ Big 215/60/R16 wheels

+ High ground clearance 205mm

- No head rest for rear 3rd passenger

- No boot parcel tray

- Diesel lag

BACKGROUND

My wife and I had been aware for a year now, that we would soon need to look for a replacement for our 2014 Hyundai Xcent Crdi (manual) - Weekend Warrior! Hyundai Xcent Diesel (base variant). But a during this year's Easter trip to Kerala, the AC failed 45 mins away from our destination and we had to sweat it out till we reached. Back in Bangalore, we went through our options and since I was really wanting an automatic this time. I am a person who doesn't like driving, but am forced to drive thousands of kilometers every year and so I really wanted an automatic with cruise control and paddle shifters -- all of which the Exter had!! Plus we had wanted a sunroof in our next car because our routine route to Kerala is through the Bandipur and Mudumulai wildlife reserves, so we wanted our children to be a little closer to the wildlife & scenery than just experience it from behind the glass. All these considerations led us to decide on the Hyundai Exter since the Exter SX (O) AMT was within our budget of Rs.12 Lakhs. I also took a test drive of the Exter at the Hyundai showroom on Hosur Road and instantly fell in love with it! It was the same Hyundai showroom from where we had purchased the Xcent, so they valued the Xcent at Rs.2.1 lakhs for exchange. The day was Saturday, 13th April 2024 afternoon, we were ready to book. I was finally in the promised land of Automatics after 10 long years!

THE EXTER GETS BOMBED !

In the evening of Saturday, I was watching a couple of reviews of the Exter on YouTube and people were complaining about the back suspension which would sag when fully laden. Also I was apprehensive about the front bumper scraping in the rough road to my wife's coffee estate. I had experienced a lot of problems with the front bumper of my Xcent which had to be changed 3 times due to the scraping problem. Then the tyre size of 165/65/R15 was also not very impressive, my Xcent already had 165/70/R14 and I would be paying 12 lakhs for just 1 inch increase in the tyre size. In the night of the same day, BREAKING NEWS! IRAN ATTACKS ISRAEL! Suddenly it clicked to me that if the MiddleEast went up in war and petrol prices shot up, I would be left with the petrol bill for 2 cars in my household since my wife had a Suzuki CELERIO. Also, last year my Co-brother and sister-in-law had purchased a Renault KIGER RXZ and not a day goes by when they used to crib about the mileage & the fuel bill and they also started using my wife's Celerio for in-city errands! The next day Sunday 14th April was spent stewing on the fuel price issue and somewhere around afternoon I saw a small ad about the KIA Sonet base diesel being offered at a starting price of Rs.9.79 lakhs. This was a big shocker because in comparison the Hyundai Venue diesel version was pegged at Rs.10 lakhs plus. Additionally, the Sonnet base diesel version had a variant with sunroof retailing at Rs.9.99 lakhs! At last I had to eat humble pie ... the Iranians & Israelis had conspired against me and forced me to stick to a diesel manual car!

THE SONET BASE ...+1...+1...+1 !

On Monday 15th April, with a heavy heart I turned up at the KIA JSP showroom on Hosur road to test drive the Sonet. They didn't have the base variant, but they had a diesel HTK variant (without sunroof) which was two levels about the base variant. It was very smooth to drive and I enjoyed everything except that I had to change the gears manually. But after the drive I told the Sales Rep Ms.Sahana that we wanted to book the Sonet diesel HTE (O). She tried to pitch the Sonet diesel HTK (O) variant but I strictly said no. But she said she'll bring the Sonet to our house also so that my wife & kids could see it, I told her please bring the HTE variant. Back at home my wife said that after buying a new car why run around trying to fit audio system and remote central locking? I also felt slightly uncomfortable since the Sonet came with airbags as standard and I didn't want the after market fitment guys damaging the airbag mechanism in some way. So reluctantly I agreed to go for the HTK variant which was above the HTE (O) variant, but without a sunroof. Next day a valuer turned up at my house to value the Xcent and he said that we could expect somewhere around Rs.2 lakhs for it - which was a relief. A day later, they turned up at our house with a Sonet HTK petrol variant! But my wife and kids loved the car. So then and there we booked the HTK (O) variant and we asked for white color, since that was our preferred color. The Sales Rep gave us a waiting time of 3-4 weeks. After 2 days, the Sales Rep calls and tells us that there are 3 Sonet HTK (O) diesel cars readily available at the stockyard - 1 White, 1 Imperial Blue and 1 Wine Red. I politely declined. But the next day my wife suggested let's give the kids a sunroof. And so it was that on 20th April 2024 we caved in to the Sales Rep and agreed to take the Sonet HTK (O) in white. But we were told that the white was already taken, so upon checking with the children they wanted the Imperial Blue one and we went with it.

THE FIRST LOOK

On Monday 22nd April 2024, I turned up at the KIA (or it looked like a FORD service center) stockyard for the PDI. As they brought 'our' Sonet, I was truly impressed by it's looks, the Imperial Blue color was really choice. I went through the PDI checklist which I had downloaded from Tbhp and also took it for a small drive inside the stockyard. Pictures from the PDI below:

The next two weeks were spent in haggling over the loan and in between came the Elections also. My father was hospitalised and me & my wife were wanting to go and see him with the kids. But I didn't want to risk taking the Xcent since it was in a very frail state and the thought of damaging it or having to incurr some repair on it at this last stage was also a factor. So we dropped the plan and I went to Kerala by bus & wife and kids went to my wife's place by the in-laws' car. When I met my father in the hospital, his eyes lit up when I told him I was buying a new car and he said "...when you come next time, bring the new car"! I replied that I would and I asked him to promise that he'll be at home rather than in the hospital when I come with the new car. The old soldier gave a thumbs up and then I returned back to Bangalore on the 29th of April 2024. The downpayment done and the loan finalised, it was now time to wait for the registration process to be completed. The final price of the Sonet HTK (O) diesel manual that we were getting was as follows:

In addition, I purchased Rs.11000 worth of accessories and also the 4-year service package for Rs.34695. So total on-road hit of Rs.13.8 lakhs.

BRINGING IT HOME

On Monday 6th of May 2024, I reach the KIA JSP Hosur road showroom at 5 p.m. to take delivery and as I wait for delivery then heavens open up! It rains heavily for 15 minutes and I think to myself I hope the roads don't get flooded just when I am bringing home the new car! Meanwhile I hand over the Xcent to the showroom. I took delivery of the Sonet and was relieved that it had been a smooth process from booking to delivery and I thanked the Sales Rep Ms.Sahana for that. I was finally taking the Sonet home:

First stop was the petrol pump and I filled her up. Once tanked up, the information display showed a estimated range of 962 kms! As I was driving back, I was informed that my Dad was discharged and suddenly it was apparent that the new Weekend Warrior would begin it's duty immediately on it's first weekend home!

MY OPINIONS

Since I'm upgrading from a sub 4 meter sedan after 10 years, it should be understood that I will be largely having positive opinions only  But here are my thoughts on the various aspects of my Sonet which appeal to me vis-a-vis my previous ride/s:

LOOKS

I have always been partial to the Sonet vis-a-vis the Venue mainly due to the looks from the front. Whereas the Venue looks more flat from the front due to the gril, the Sonet grill has a more rounded look which I prefer.

ENGINE 

The diesel engine on the Sonet - the 1.5 CRDI VGT engine is shared by many models in the KIA & Hyundai family. But for me the important thing is that it is by far the most powerful engine among the cars I have owned. The last most powerful was the 90bhp Crde engine on my Bolero Storm (ownership thread - https://www.team-bhp.com/forum/long-...-attached.html (My Bolero VLX CRDE 2009 @60,000kms: rear CFLs attached). This engine supposedly develops 113.9bhp, so it's a powerful and thirsty engine. And it produces the sweetest sound at startup -- there's this wheezing sound which I have often heard on my F-in-law's Innova and Fortuner. My F-in-law claims that the same engine on his 2022 creta returns 24-25kmpl, though I got 18-19kmpl on my recent trip to Kochi thanks to some really spirited driving.

TYRES

This was by far one of the most important requirements of mine - 16'' wheels. I have always felt that my kind of inter-state trips through multiple road types, requires big wheels. So this was a big relief that the decision to go for the HTK instead of the base HTE variant which has 15'' wheels. But the spare wheel is still 15''. The plastic wheel covers also have a nice design and really looks good. Best part is the presence of the TPMS system, which was another of my requirements...because in the middle of the forest I have often worried about the tyre pressure, after one time my Xcent got a flat in Bandipur wildlife reserve.

INFOTAINMENT SYSTEM

I had just about had enough of juggling with my phone in hand for navigation & stuffing sundry headphones into my ears for taking calls while driving. So an infotainment system which provides navigation when connected to Android Auto and steering mounted call controls were a much needed feature. I particularly like the sleek 'stand-up' look of the infotainment system and the way it is made to look flush with the driver console which makes it look like a single piece wide-screen tablet. 

AIRBAGS

This was one of our main requirements due to our inter-state drives, so the Sonet scored well with 6 airbags as standard.

STEERING

Nice chunky steering with really good quality controls. The good feature was the horn portion surrounded by a raised boundary wall -- because of this your thumb doesn't need to go flat onto the horn pad since you can apply pressure on the wall to honk. I had felt pain on my thumb many a time on my Xcent after having to apply horn frequently in city traffic.

GEAR

For a person who doesn't like changing gears, fate has added another gear - the 6th gear! For many years now, the frustration of having to change gears had started getting reflecting in my style of changing gears - which my wife used to often remark was like 'throwing the gear' into each slot. Now since another gear was added, I thought I'll change my style of changing gears and I found a nice video on YouTube about changing gears the correct way. So two weeks before taking delivery of the Sonet, I started re-learning & practicing how to change gears and was ready in time for the delivery! Now, I'm comfortable to just 'nudge' each gear into it's slot!

Continue reading BHPian MudMover's post for more insights and information.

And just after 2 months, Kia had decided to annoy me by releasing the facelifted Sonet.

BHPian sox recently shared this with other enthusiasts.

KIA SONET 1.5 DIESEL HTX OWNERSHIP REVIEW

Hello BHPians,

We bought the Kia Sonet HTX 1.5 Diesel AT 6 months ago.

We wanted to buy an automatic compact sedan or a micro/compact SUV in the price range of 15 lakh which could be extended to 18 lakh.

Our options were as follows:

• Honda Amaze.
• Hyundai Aura.
• Hyundai Exter.
• Maruti WagonR.
• Nissan Magnite
• Hyundai Venue

And last but not least, 7. Kia Sonet.

• Honda Amaze:

The car had good looks, a spacious interior, and a good engine. But the steering for me was a no-go, so I dropped it.

• Hyundai Aura:

Rejected because of back seat space, and looks.

• Hyundai Exter:

We even booked the car. Our spec was the sx(O) without connection. My mom said it looked like an auto rickshaw even though I did not like the way it looked. So this was also dropped. The booking advance was refunded.

• Maruti WagonR.

Being a hatchback, it was worthy of being on this list. The tall-boy looks and the value-for-money proposition attracted me. But it was not updated for almost 5 years, so I looked for another alternative.

• Nissan Magnite.

The Nissan Magnite looked very cool. I also considered the kiger but that one looked like a hatchback. The build quality and safety features caused me to look for another alternative. My Dad was also firm that if it is an SUV, it is going to be a diesel.

• Hyundai Venue.

As I said, My Dad was firm on the diesel-auto decision. Since the diesel variants of the Venue did not have an automatic transmission, we went to look at its cousin.

• Kia Sonet

1. The car looked fabulous. We went to the dealership to discuss the on-road price and the variants. We decided to book the HTX Diesel Automatic.
2. At first, the 16 lakh price tag for a car with some cost-cutting and some features cut off from the top model like full leatherette seats and the 10.25-inch screen and seat ventillation seemed a bit overpriced for me.
3. But I proceeded to buy it anyway.
4. And just after 2 months, Kia had decided to annoy me by releasing the facelifted sonet, I had been unlucky like this for the past 10 years, when Hyundai decided to release the new facelifted 2012 i20 when I bought the pre-facelift one in the same year.
5. The car was for 15.62 lakh on the road without any optional extras(i.e the chrome door handles, chrome window lines)
6. The optional extras bought the total to 16.12 lakh.
7. The car had 4 airbags, as opposed to 6 airbags on the GTX line and when I bought the sx o Creta diesel manual in 2019 when they released an all-new model 5 months later

Okay, let's leave that aside, let me share my experiences with the car.

Day 1,

I took delivery of the sonet from the dealership, did a pooja in the temple, and headed back home, but I found some clear coat scratches which were a bit unacceptable, but I took it lightly as it was going to the detailer for the ceramic coating the next day.

Day 5,

The car came home, and looked spotless and looked beautiful in its black color, it was just awesome just looking at it. the interior was dual-tone, unlike the all-black version in the GTX varient. it was much more cozy and I found the fabric seats to be much more comfortable than the leatherette seats in the GTX trim.

Day 12,

The car was sent to the Pressana Kia dealership in Coimbatore, where I live, for the 3rd free service after 576 kms in the odometer. when I returned home after the service, I found footmarks on my beige fabric seats, apparently, it was the employees who stepped on my car, which I own, and caused the mess. and I also asked them to install a waterproof mat instead of the carpet, which was a mess. they did not do the job properly, and left glue marks all over the car. I went to the dealership the next day and demanded an explanation, they cleaned the car and removed the spots, which was still a half-hearted job

I then proceeded to clean them myself and left them spotless

Day 35,

The car was ready for its first long drive.
the one thing that I noticed is the transmission. I started to miss my manual gearbox in the Creta. but for a torque converter, the shifts were seamless and were excellent. and it was better in the sport mode, the acceleration was faster and the engine started to roar

I used the manual mode which kept me from missing the Creta, which went to the service center. overall the experience was pretty great.

After that, I proceeded to use the car for my everyday commute until recently...

Day 183,

I took the car for another long drive, which was for 700 kms. it was on a hill station. The drive started to test the car. but the car continued to impress me as always, the engine was effortless. but I noticed that the car was drinking fuel like there is no tomorrow. I've noticed this several times before in my commutes, so for the everyday commutes, I used eco mode, which solved the problem. but that was not the case for my long drive. I cannot use eco mode, as it affects overtaking. but it was ok.

Present,

The car is doing great, except for a few visible scuffs and scratches, but that was a problem for another time. the car is about to get serviced in a few days. I will write all the pros and cons I have experienced with the car below:

PROS

Engine and Transmission

The engine in this car is fabulous. the 116 hp engine in the car is a wonder. in sports mode, the car responds to even the slight inputs. the acceleration for an auto is fantastic and the combo is a match made in heaven

Seats

While others see this as a bummer, this actually is a great downgrade. the fabric seats do not heat as quickly as Leatherette, although the GTX varients have ventillated seats to help the summer heat, I do not really care, the seats in the HTX version are more comfy for me.

Interior

Although a lot of people find the rear seat to be a bit narrow, I find it to be good enough for me. Kia has provided me with the optional sunblinds, which is great for me.

Design

In my opinion, the pre-facelift looks better than the new facelift. it looks striking, I have nothing else to say.

CONS:

Infotainment system.

Apple Carplay disconnects randomly, this is a bummer as I have to stop the car and reconnect it to access Google Maps.

Colour.

The one I bought was Black. even though it may look great, within minutes after cleaning the car, dust starts to settle on the car. This is a big disadvantage. This also means I have to turn the blower to max speed, you would know why if you studied science.

Quality.

Being an owner of the Hyundai Creta, I found the overall quality of the materials in my car to be very good, but when I bought the Sonet as my secondary car, I felt a bit disappointed. There were some hard plastics, and the rear seat armrest was missing which was not the case in the 2022 ones. The center armrest was not stitched to match the seats

Grille

Although the Grille looks striking, it is much harder to clean, in the facelift version, it looks much easier to clean but I am not sure about that

ODO

It has been almost 6 months since I first bought the car. the car has only clocked 3100kms.

The third service is about to happen in 7600kms or 15 days

Daily driving pattern:

The car was used 3 days a week (4 days for my creta) everyday commute was 50 Kms back and forth. As of now, the car has not been used a lot, as you can see from the ODO reading.

Dealership Experience:

My dealership experience with the car was bad. When I came to the dealership, the security refused to park my creta inside. I was confused. Other dealerships would allow me to park my car inside but not here?  It seemed that I could park the car inside but the security had misunderstood. I went into the dealership and they consoled me. Initially, they seemed to be nice until that 3rd service.

The employees who worked on the car left footmarks on the already hard-to-maintain beige fabric seats. When I raised this issue to the dealer, they agreed to clean it, but the job was half done that was the last time I went to the dealership. Another service is due for the car in another 2 weeks, I will update it in another 6 months. This was the case only for me so you guys might have a better or worse experience.

Dealership name: Pressana Kia managed by Pressana Kia group

My rating: 3 out of 10

Optional Extras in my car.

• Chrome door handles.
• Chrome window lines
• DRL chrome protectors
• Floor mats
• Boot mats
• Rear seat headrest pillows

Total estimated to be around 25000.[/b]

Tyres, Ride, and Handling

The tyres in my car were the Apollo Almac 4Gs r16 215/60. The tyre is very good.

The ride is a bit stiff. The SUV-like presence is absent in the Sonet, it feels more like a hatchback but seated high But still big enough to be an SUV.

Engine and Transmission

The engine in my car is the 1.5 CRDi which produces 116 hp and 250 nm torque.

I am already familiar with this engine as I have the (almost)same one in the Creta. Compared to the Creta, the engine feels a bit silent, not as loud as its older, bigger cousin. Acceleration is good, 0-100 in 10.9 seconds. In eco mode, the car feels slower and takes some time to accelerate, but it has helped the fuel economy, the normal mode works best for me, it strikes a balance between acceleration and fuel economy. In sport mode, the car becomes more responsive and the engine starts to roar. The manual mode is also fun to use with the sport mode. The Engine and transmission combo is a match made in heaven. It shifts seamlessly and sometimes, I cannot even hear the gearshifts in the car, it is in this category where the Sonet shines.

Interior, Interior quality, and design

The interior looks so good. Starting with the front, it has an 8-inch touchscreen aligned with the speedometer. The air-con controls are below the touchscreen.

Below that there is storage to keep the phone and there is a fast charger port.

The vents are upright and oval and enhance the overall look of the interior.

As I opted for the HTX variant, which has a dual-tone interior with the colors black and beige. The overall plastic quality is good but I wish it was a bit more sturdier like my creta. Now going to the door, it is one of the highlights of the design. The only thing I do not like about the door is the lock knob, which is black, I wish it followed suit with the handle. The central armrest is the one that bothers me. I wish it was double stitched like the seats but it remains plain. Going to the rear seat, just behind the armrest there are two air-con vents for both of the rear passengers. Just under that, there is a fast charger USB port for the rear passengers and storage space to keep 2 phones. The front seats are finished with leatherette in the borders and fabric which is where you sit. The fabric seats are very plush and good to sit in, just bear in mind that it is very hard to maintain. The rear seats lack the armrest (why Kia?) which is a huge thumbs down. The older ones had an armrest at the rear. The roofline looks good too.

Coming to the interior space, the front seats are spacious enough but the rear seats have a bit of low legroom. But that is it and it is comfortable enough for me in the rear seat. The car originally came with the carpet but I swapped it for waterproof mats which are much more easy to maintain. The rear seat gets 3-point seatbelts.

That is all for the interior.

Interior practicality and boot space

The boot space is 385-390l which is enough to hold 3 large travel bags upright.

Or you can fold the front seats and gain more than double of that. There is a center armrest in which you can store things but it is not air-conditioned. The glove box is also not air-conditioned. You have storage in the doors to store 1 bottle and some other things. You have storage near the front dome light to store your spectacles. There are two medium-sized cup holders to store small-sized bottles and a phone in the middle.

Speakers and Infotainment system:

Unlike the GTX Line, The HTX has an 8-inch touchscreen with Bluetooth connectivity, Apple Carplay, and Android Auto. Bluetooth works perfectly fine. I am an Android user as well as iOS. But I mainly use Apple CarPlay. I have noticed several times that it automatically disconnects sometimes while I am driving and it says that my phone is unresponsive. This maybe is because of iOS and Apple will fix it soon so no worries. Unlike the GTX line, the HTX version does not come with Bose speakers meaning less bass but the sound quality is exceptional and you can tune it via settings.

NVH.

Having done 2 road trips in this car, I can confidently say it is not loud inside the cabin at high speeds, but you can hear the tyres at that speed. But overall, the NVH in the car is good.

Driving experience in city and highway.

So far, so good. It is easy to drive the Sonet around the city because of the automatic transmission. It really helps me out in the traffic. The ride is a bit stiff and you can feel the potholes and speed bumps in the car. Driving on the highway is a treat because of the 1.5 diesel paired with the wonderful auto. Acceleration as I said is pretty good for this car and overtakes are somewhat easy unless you are in eco mode.

Air Con and Heater.

I have not tested the heater yet, it is also useless. The Air Con as expected is very good.

Being an automatic air con, it adjusts temperature according to the weather.

That is all for this year, I will see you guys on my next long-term review. Let me know your thoughts in the comments below

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