Kia Sonet facelift first spy shots surface

The Sonet facelift will sport major design tweaks inside out; more features expected.

Published On Apr 05, 2023 07:10:00 PM

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The Kia Sonet, which made its global debut in India in August 2020, is all set to receive a major facelift with first spy shots revealing some design cues. India is the mother plant of the Kia Sonet SUV, which is not only sold in the domestic market but also exported to markets abroad like Indonesia, Mexico and the MIddle East.

Sonet facelift to have major design updates
No changes expected to powertrain
Expected to get more feature additions

Kia Sonet facelift: what do the spy shots reveal?

While the Sonet SUV seen in these spy shots is heavily covered, some design tweaks are partially visible. The test mule has been spotted in South Korea, but since the Sonet is built here, this particular mule could be one of the early prototypes sent to Kia headquarters from India for further testing.

Up front, the Sonet will get a sharper headlamp design and a newly designed Kia grille finished in piano black. The bumper will be all-new too, featuring larger fog lamp housings. The headlamps and the fog lamps seem to be connected by a vertically positioned element that could either be the turn indicators or LED daytime running lamps.

In profile, the Sonet looks more or less the same, although it's likely to receive some cosmetic tweaks on the doors and cladding. Alloy wheel design and wheel cap design will be all-new as well. The test mule seen in these spy shots is wearing made-in-India Apollo tyres.

At the back, the new tailgate design seems to get a much flatter look. The tail-lamps also see a major rework with new L-type units similar to the Seltos facelift, which is expected in India in a few months. While it is not confirmed, the Sonet facelift could also get connected LED units like on the refreshed Seltos. Additionally, there are chances that it could get dynamic turn indicators, which will also be seen on its larger sibling.

Kia Sonet facelift interior updates

The Sonet is already feature-laden and comes with a large touchscreen infotainment, a sunroof and cooled seats to name a few. Expect some minor tweaks on the inside in terms of upholstery shades and trims, and some feature additions.

Kia Sonet facelift powertrain

Like every passenger car and SUV sold in India, the Kia Sonet has recently undergone powertrain upgrades to meet the stringent Real Driving Emissions (RDE) regulations. The SUV comes with an 83hp, 1.2-litre naturally aspirated petrol engine, a 120hp, 1.0-litre turbo-petrol engine, and a 115hp, 1.5-litre diesel engine. We do not expect any changes on the powertrain front on the Sonet facelift.

Kia Sonet facelift: India launch details

Kia has not one but two major model updates lined up for India. Firstly, we expect the larger Seltos to undergo the midlife update in the coming months, followed by the market introduction of the facelifted Sonet most likely by end of this year or early next year.

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