Korean car maker Kia Motors’ Indian subsidiary has revealed the first official rendering of the new production-ready Kia Sonet compact SUV.
The Sonet concept was unveiled for the first time at the 2020 Delhi Auto Expo and has been trending, thanks to its aggressive and fresh exterior design. The new official image released on Thursday reveals that the Sonet’s final production version will be very close to the concept and will attempt to set new design benchmarks and inject a new dynamism in the compact SUV segment, which is currently dominated by vehicles like the Hyundai Venue and the Maruti Suzuki Vitara Brezza.
The Kia Sonet is scheduled for global premiere on August 7 this year. The vehicle will be revealed for a global audience and will make its intended Indian market entry first before being made for other markets worldwide.
Kia’s rendering of the Sonet points to a vehicle that could be loaded with youthful appeal and a strong on-road presence. The bold design of the compact SUV combines Kia’s signature design traits, such as the prominent ‘tiger nose’ grille, with a three-dimensional ‘stepwell’ geometric grille mesh that also showcases the car’s India-inspired influences in Kia’s signature grille.
Built on the same platform as sister brand Hyundai’s Venue, the Sonet will also dip heavily into the same fundamental chassis and powertrain parts bin as the former. However, the Sonet is potentially designed to appeal to a younger and more discerning audience that seeks design differentiators.
The Sonet will be the second ‘made in India’ car from Kia, following the introduction of the Kia Seltos. The new model will make its market debut in India during the upcoming festive season.