Kia Sonet crosses 4 lakh sales milestone
New Delhi: The Kia Sonet has crossed the 4 lakh sales milestone, which includes the domestic market and exports. The compact SUV has achieved this less than four years since its September 2020 debut. Of the 4 lakh units, 3,17,754 units were sold domestically, while an additional 85,814 units were exported to other markets. Kia says that the Sonet commands a 33.3 percent share of the company’s overall sales in the country, and that petrol and diesel constituted 63 percent and 37 percent, respectively.
Kia notes a notable consumer preference towards automatic variants in the Sonet lineup. The 7-speed dual-clutch transmission, available with the 1.0-litre turbo-petrol engine, and the 6-speed torque converter, paired with the 1.5-litre diesel engine, collectively accounted for 28 percent of Sonet sales. Additionally, the innovative iMT (clutchless manual) option contributed to 23 percent of overall sales. Another noteworthy trend is the strong demand for sunroofs, with 63 percent of buyers opting for this feature.
The Sonet, manufactured in India, serves as a vital export model to various ASEAN, African, and Middle Eastern markets, offering both right- and left-hand drive configurations. Notably, Kia produced a 7-seater version specifically for Indonesia in 2021, although this variant was later discontinued due to insufficient sales performance.
