Kookhyun Shim, MD and CEO at Kia Motors India said “The aggressive pricing has been arrived at to bring delight and offer incredible value to the young and the young-at-heart customer of the Sonet. As our endeavour has been to ensure there is a Sonet for virtually all customers in this category, it is being offered with the widest choice in this segment.”

The SUV is available across 17 variants, including two petrol engines – Smartstream 1.2-litre four-cylinder and 1.0 T-GDi (turbocharged petrol direct injection), and two 1.5-litre CRDi diesel engine (WGT & VGT configurations). Available in two trim levels - Tech Line and GT-Line, the car comes with five transmission options - five- and six-speed manuals, an intuitive seven-speed DCT, six-speed automatic, and a new six-speed Smartstream intelligent manual transmission (iMT). A technological breakthrough from the company the iMT offers fatigue-free driving thanks to the absence of a clutch pedal, yet the same driver control as a conventional manual transmission. For the first time in this segment, the 1.5 CRDi diesel motor is also available with a six-speed automatic transmission.

According to Ho Sung Song, President and CEO, Kia Motors Corporation, the company has already grabbed a six percent market share in the passenger car segment in India. With the launch of the Sonet, the carmaker aims at becoming the segment leader not only in India but globally and make Kia the brand of choice. “With its aggressive and modern, design language, quantum-drive dynamics, and an array of the latest high-tech features, the Sonet puts an exclamation point on our ambition to make Kia the brand of choice, especially among millennial and Gen Z consumers. The Sonet fills a need in the growing SUV market,” said Song.

The interiors of the Kia Sonet is designed to offer comfort and luxury at the same time, with a well laid-out, easy-to-use connected infotainment and cluster interface along with high-quality materials all around. Despite compact exterior dimensions, the interior of the Sonet offers ample, ergonomic space for all the passengers. In addition to this, the Sonet comes loaded with multiple segment-first features offering complete comfort, convenience, safety and optimum driving pleasure to customers.

Design

The design team travelled to India before the project started and it discovered many elements that it implemented in the Sonet, said Karim Habib, Senior Vice President and Head at Global Design, Kia Motors Corporation. “The Sonet is inspired by the young, passionate and dynamic culture that you find in India. We were inspired by traditional architecture and the modern architecture that you find in the big cities in India. The silhouette, the presence of the vehicle, has a lot to do with what we believe the young people and young at heart in India would like to have. Other small details like material, light and colour that is very important in India,” said Habib.

The first thing anyone would notice is the distinctive bold profile of the car. Inspired by the baby elephant, the Sonet is compact but powerful. The car has got a powerful presence with long hood and bumper and powerful stance. It has black A-pillars that allow the dynamic silhouette for the hood to seem longer for such a compact car. “When you look at the car and look at the baby elephant, we see the link and believe power is visible from the inspiration to design,” added Habib.

At the front, the brand’s signature design trait – the Kia’ tiger-nose’ grille – is reinterpreted to suit the car’s personality. The company tries to evolve the tiger-nose grille to a bit more power with a tusk-like feature to it. The headlamps look like a tiger eye-line that gives a powerful concentrated look in daytime and night. Flanked by ‘heart beat’ LED DRLs and stylish front skid plates below, the wild nature of the car comes alive. Within the tiger-nose grille, with its classy chrome and diamond knurling pattern, is the distinctive grille mesh featuring a three-dimensional geometric design inspired by India’s iconic step-wells. The grille mesh design pays respects to India’s historic strengths in sophisticated mathematics, science and architecture. 

At the rear, ‘heart beat’ LED tail lamps and its unique reflector garnish give the car even more significant presence and impart a wider look. “At the rear too, Kia tries to create the same sense of power, and that’s why the car feels very wide for a compact car as it is and that’s why we have the wrapped -round glass that gives the car lot of width. The signature of the tail lamp is similar to the front and has a very continuous feature to it and gives it a lot of widths,” said Habib. Additional highlights at the rear include a sporty dual muffler design and diffuser fin rear skid plate.

For the interior, the company emphasises on keeping it natural and intuitive and establishing a strong emotional connection in the car. To appeal to young-at-heart and always-connected consumers, the Sonet offers a sophisticated and lively cabin with a smooth, flowing dashboard. The 10.25-inch (26.03 cm) HD touchscreen with infotainment and navigation system at the centre on the dashboard has 57 connected car features. The 4.2-inch (10.66 cm) instrument cluster gives turn-by-turn navigation instructions, Highline Tyre Pressure Monitoring System (TPMS) and drive mode and traction mode selection. The double-layer AC vents are ideal for the Indian weather. It also offers Kia’s UVO ‘connected car’ technology, Bose speakers, LED Sound Mood Lighting, a wireless smartphone charger with cooling function and Smart Pure Air Purifier with virus protection. 

“On the technology front, we offer many futures for our customers, including intelligent manual transmission, an air purification system that is the world’s first just mention a few. We make sure that our customers will benefit from the latest for their life at the very beginning as soon as we launch the model. I promise that there will be much more excitement in future from Kia for the Indian market,” said Lorenz Glaab, VP and Head of global product management, Hyundai Motor. He also added that in the future, it is not the ecosystem that will be built around the car, but the car will be part of the ecosystem of each customer. (MT) 

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Japanese luxury brand Lexus India has introduced a new ‘Exquisite’ grade to its RX 350h line-up, strengthening the model’s presence in the luxury SUV segment.

The new RX 350h Exquisite grade starts at INR 8.99 million (ex-showroom), which goes up to INR 10.09 million (ex-showroom).

The RX 350h Exquisite grade features Lexus’ hybrid system, which combines a highly efficient 2.5-litre inline 4-cylinder engine and high-output motor. It includes a bipolar nickel-metal hydride battery with enhanced performance. On the inside, it gets 10-way power adjusted front seats, heated and ventilated seating for front & rear seats and ambient lighting.

The RX 500h F-SPORT grade is the only Performance Hybrid Electric Turbocharged Luxury SUV in India. The 2.4 L-T HEV on the RX 500h features a front unit integrating a 2.4-L turbocharged engine, motor, a 6-speed automatic transmission and an eAxle with a built-in high output motor driving the rear wheels. The RX 500h features Dynamic Rear-Wheel Steering and DIRECT4 technology for acceleration.

The RX features a Mark Levinson 21-speaker audio system and offers Lexus Safety System+ with Dynamic Radar Cruise Control, Cross Traffic Alert and Safe Exit Assist with Blind Spot Monitor.

Between January and November this year, the RX model recorded 12 percent growth, reflecting rising demand for luxury SUVs in the country. During the same period, SUVs contributed about 40 percent to Lexus India’s overall performance, underscoring the RX’s pivotal role in driving the brand’s momentum.

Hikaru Ikeuchi, President, Lexus India, said, ‘The Lexus RX represents our dedication to luxury, design, performance, and sustainable mobility. As the luxury SUV segment continues to grow, the introduction of the new Exquisite grade allows us to offer guests a wider range of options and features to choose from. This enhancement reflects our continued commitment to expanding our portfolio and elevating the Lexus experience in India, supported by advanced technology and a guest-first philosophy.”

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JSW MG Motor India has announced that its luxury retail channel, MG SELECT, has crossed a triple milestone: reaching 1,000-unit sales, inaugurating its 15th Experience Centre and maintaining the second position in India’s luxury EV market.

The network now encompasses 15 Experience Centres across 14 cities in India, reinforcing the brand's commitment to delivering an exclusive automotive retail journey. The recent inauguration of the 15th store in Jaipur further underscores the brand's ambition to redefine luxury mobility.

The milestone also highlighted sustained market demand for the select portfolio and is a key driver behind the brand’s 32 percent YTD growth in 2025.

The company claimed that the MG Cyberster, India's highest-selling sports car, has a 4–5 month waiting period, and the MG M9 - Presidential Limousine shows strong momentum in the luxury MPV segment. The MG Cyberster is available at an ex-showroom price of INR 7.49 million, while the MG M9 is available at an ex-showroom price of INR 6.99 million.

Anurag Mehrotra, Managing Director, JSW MG Motor India, said, "Our rise to become the second largest luxury EV brand in the country speaks to a singular belief. True luxury is felt in every touchpoint when precision, ambition and care move together. Through MG SELECT we have crafted an ownership world where innovation meets desire and where every interaction feels intentional. We are shaping the next era of electric mobility for India’s most discerning customers, with a commitment that is both bold and deeply personal.”

The MG SELECT Experience Centres are spaces for the brand's flagship vehicles. These venues provide an immersive, gallery-like setting, ensuring the display of these models is the focal point of the customer interaction. The Jaipur showroom, located at Tonk Road near Sanganer Flyover, exemplifies the MG SELECT philosophy of ‘Reimagining Luxury’, featuring spacious, serene, and technologically advanced environments that elevate the car buying journey.

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Maruti Suzuki India has been awarded a 5-star Bharat NCAP safety rating for its e Vitara, marking a moment for the company's electric vehicle strategy.

The e Vitara is built on Suzuki’s Heartect-e platform designed for electric vehicles to deliver strength, structural rigidity and advanced high voltage protection. The ‘Made-in-India, Made-for-the-World’ e Vitara is designed and tested for temperature conditions across the world, ensuring performance from as high as 60deg Celsius to as low as -30deg Celsius. The model is offered with 49 kWh and 61 kWh battery options.

Nitin Gadkari, Minister of Road Transport and Highways of India, said, “Congratulations to Maruti Suzuki for achieving 5-star Bharat NCAP in both adult and child occupant protection for their e Vitara. I am especially glad that Maruti Suzuki has shown real leadership in providing 7 airbags as a standard across all variants of the e Vitara.”

Hisashi Takeuchi, Managing Director & CEO, Maruti Suzuki India, said, “The 5-star Bharat NCAP rating for e Vitara, our first Battery Electric Vehicle, is a moment of immense pride for all of us at Maruti Suzuki. Using the Bharat NCAP 5-star rating, we will export the e Vitara to more than 100 countries of the world. Bharat NCAP’s globally benchmarked stringent vehicle test protocols have been a catalyst in empowering customers to make informed decisions. I thank the Minister Gadkari, the officials in his Ministry and test agencies for their rigorous efforts and commitment in shaping India’s journey towards safe mobility.”

The e VITARA’s body structure uses more than 60 percent ultra-high tensile and high-tensile strength steel. Its battery protection system incorporates a structural design with an energy-absorbing battery pack mounting structure.

Key safety features include 7 standard airbags (including the Driver's knee airbag), Level 2 ADAS (Automatic Emergency Braking, Lane Keep Assist, Adaptive Cruise Control), Hill Hold Control, ABS with EBD and Brake Assist, Electronic Stability Program (ESP) and a 360-degree Surround View Camera.

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Mahindra has marked a major milestone in its nationwide electric vehicle (EV) infrastructure expansion with the inauguration of its first dealership-based ultrafast charger – a 180 kW Charge_IN station.

This is the first of many such installations planned across Mahindra dealerships, forming a key pillar of the company’s commitment to building India’s ultrafast charging network.

This initiative scales up Mahindra’s Charge_IN ecosystem, complementing the 250 highway fast-charging stations already announced. The new 180 kW ultrafast chargers will enable EV users to charge quickly and conveniently at strategically located dealerships across the country, with 24x7 on-ground support.

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