Kia South Africa expanded its range this week by introducing a new small crossover into the market. We attended the national ride and drive event to find out more as the Kia Sonet debuts in the local market.

The small crossover market is chock-full of offerings from just about every manufacturer. Until now Kia SA had no real rival to take a slice of this lucrative and ever-increasing segment… until now. Kia Sonet debuts an all-new nameplate for the Korean automaker one that will go on sale in the local market immediately.

Follow Double Apex on Instagram and Facebook where we share more car content.

Stylish prospect

Kia has, for many years, try to differentiate itself from its rivals by offering stylish products compared to its rivals. That strategy continues with the Sonet. The small crossover is appealing to the eye and has interesting lines as well as surfacing, such as on the lower section of the flanks and the panel below the taillamps.

Check out the stylish Kia EV6 at this link.

The Sonet’s proportions are not easy to gauge in photographs. It falls in the same segment as the Ford EcoSport/Hyundai Venue/VW T-Cross. It’s a shade over four metres long with a wheelbase that measures 2 500 mm. That wheelbase to overall length ratio gives it a chunky appearance. If there is one criticism we have is that the alloys seem that they are too small; a larger set of rims would not go amiss for us.

Read our launch report of the Kia Picanto X-Line at this link.

Smart interior

The handsome exterior appearance is complimented by a smart interior that looks and feels of high quality. A chunky leather wrapped steering wheel and gearlever, crisp graphics in the instrument cluster and a neatly integrated, full-colour touchscreen infotainment help the perceived quality impression. The same screen displays images from the rear-facing camera, which is standard across the range. A full suite of connectivity is on offer, including multiple USB ports Bluetooth along with wireless integration of Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. The later can be controlled via the steering wheel mounted buttons or via voice commands. 

Spacious interior

The stretched out wheelbase helps create a roomy cabin with plenty of head and elbow room. Smart packaging has created a boot that offers just shy of 400 litres of volume. That makes the Sonet’s luggage area larger than all its main rivals. It manages to achieve this figure and have a full size spare wheel below the boot board.

One engine… for now

The Kia Sonet debuts with a single engine option. The 1,5-litre petrol unit has 85 kW of peak power, and 144 N.m of torque available at 4 500 r/min. This naturally aspirated unit can be mated with a six-speed manual gearbox or a continuously variable transmission (CVT). In time Kia SA will introduce a 1,0-litre turbo engine to the range. Two model grades, EX and LX, coupled with the two transmission options make for a four-derivative range (see bottom of post for pricing info).

Behind the wheel

We drove EX derivatives of the Kia Sonet in the Western Cape earlier this week and we tried both transmission options. They two trim levels are fundamentally similar barring the extra mod-cons the EX brings. The one major difference, from a driving perspective, is that the higher-spec version rides on 16-inch alloys rather than 15-inch steel wheels. Even with the larger diameter alloys we found the ride to be quite agreeable, even over a section of rough gravel that made up part of the launch route.

It seems that there are very few naturally aspirated models available in the SA new car market these days. With this in mind we are reminded that forced induction (ie turbocharging) brings good low down torque that is need for quick progress. The manual Sonet, in particular, needed some rowing of the gearlever to get the best out of the engine. The CVT, for us anyway, seems like the more natural fit for this engine, and this type of car.

Summary

Kia has finally joined the fray when it comes to offering a small crossover, and it has come out swinging. The Sonet is an impressive little package that is keenly priced and has good standard specification when compared to some rivals. Kia SA is also keen to underline that the range comes standard with electronic stability control as well as dual airbags and a service plan, which should all provide peace of mind to potential buyers.

Pricing

Sonet 1,5 LX R264 995

Sonet 1,5 LX CVT R285 995

Sonet 1,5 EX R284 995

Sonet 1,5 EX CVT R305 995

All prices include a five-year warranty and four-year/60 000 km service plan.