Kia Motors unveils its first compact SUV, Sonet

Kia’s third product in India after the mid-sized SUV, Seltos, and premium multi utility vehicle, Carnival

credit : TheFinancialExpress

New Delhi : Kia Motors India Ltd on Friday unveiled its first compact sport utility vehicle, Sonet, to consolidate its position in the growing sport utility vehicle segment in the domestic market.

The sport utility vehicle segment has been the fastest growing segment in the domestic market over the last five years and most auto makers are eyeing a share of the pie with product launches. This fiscal, Toyota Kirloskar Motor, Nissan Motor India Ltd, and Renault India Pvt ltd are also expected to launch their compact SUVs.

This is Kia’s third product in India after the mid-sized SUV, Seltos, and premium multi utility vehicle, Carnival.

"The Sonet fills a need in the growing SUV market, in India and further afield, and will attract a wider number of consumers to the Kia brand," said Ho Sung Song, President and CEO at Kia Motors Corporation.

It was first showcased at the Auto Expo in February, will be available in models with 1.2, and 1-litre petrol and 1.5-litre diesel engines. The company, however, did not announce prices of the models.

Kia Motors started operations in India in 2019 and has set up a greenfield vehicle manufacturing plant in Anantapur, Andhra Pradesh, with a capacity to manufacture 3 lakh units per year.

In June, Kia announced that it was the first car maker to sell 1 lakh vehicles in India within a span of 11 months. The South Korean manufacturer dispatched 97,745 units of its mid-size sport utility vehicle Seltos and 3,614 units of premium multi-utility vehicle Carnival during the period.

"We are extremely excited to introduce the Sonet, which is made in India for the world. After the success of the Seltos and Carnival, we are confident that Kia will revolutionise yet another market segment in India with the Sonet by addressing the unmet needs and aspirations of customers," said Kookhyun Shim, managing director and chief executive at Kia Motors India.

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