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) 

Comments (0)

ADD COMMENT

Link Copied!

German luxury automotive brand BMW India has introduced the updated BMW 7 Series range, offering petrol and battery-electric powertrains across the lineup at prices starting at INR 19.5 million (ex-showroom).

The launch includes the BMW i7 M70 xDrive performance model, alongside the local production launch of the electric i7 at the BMW Group Plant in Chennai.

With local assembly of the i7 in Chennai, India becomes the second country after Germany to produce the electric model locally. The performance-focused i7 M70 xDrive will be imported into the country as a completely built-up unit (CBU) with deliveries across the 7 Series portfolio scheduled to begin in October 2026.

Furthermore, the company also introduced actor Ranveer Singh as the Brand Voice for BMW India at the launch.

Pricing for the petrol-powered 740 M Sport and all-electric i7 eDrive50 xDrive M Sport starts at INR 19.5 million, while the flagship i7 M70 xDrive is positioned at INR 26.5 million (all ex-showroom).

Hardeep Singh Brar, President and CEO of BMW Group India, said: "The new BMW 7 Series is more than our flagship sedan - it is our ultimate statement of modern luxury. It moves the leaders, changemakers and visionaries who are shaping tomorrow. Every detail has been crafted around one idea: those who have reached the pinnacle deserve an experience to match. The new 7 Series sets a benchmark, whether you choose to take the wheel or be driven. It is the new face of the BMW Luxury Class, while offering an early glimpse into technologies that will shape the Neue Klasse era. And with our Power of Choice philosophy, customers can choose from dynamic combustion engines to advanced electric mobility. Because true luxury is not about limiting choices - it is about expanding them. With the new 7, luxury doesn’t end with the drive; it begins there."

"The new BMW i7 M70 xDrive is the most powerful 7 Series ever created - where M performance meets first-class luxury, without compromise. It brings together exhilarating electric performance and the refinement expected from the pinnacle of the BMW portfolio. This is a car for someone who wants the thrill of taking the wheel and, equally, the luxury of being driven. Few cars can make the driver’s seat and the rear seat equally desirable. The i7 M70 does. It represents our belief that sustainability and performance are not competing choices. The future of luxury can be electric, exhilarating and extraordinary - all at once," added Brar.

Comments (0)

ADD COMMENT

Link Copied!

Kia India has opened pre-bookings for the Carens CNG, Carens Clavis CNG and Carnival Limousine Hybrid models across its authorised dealer network, expanding the company’s multi-powertrain portfolio in the Indian market.

The additions follow their display at Kia Inspiration Day and introduce alternative fuel options to the manufacturer's multi-purpose vehicle segment. The pricing for all three models is set to be announced at a later date.

Both the Carens CNG and Carens Clavis CNG are based on the G1.5 six-speed manual transmission platform and feature a factory-fitted CNG system with a 60-litre tank capacity. Technical modifications include engine calibration for CNG fuel, revised suspension setups, 16-inch wheels and 16-inch disc brakes. The driver interface incorporates a fuel change switch alongside a 4.2-inch colour TFT display with CNG distance-to-empty logic. Structural changes to the third-row seat-back frame have also been implemented to adjust the recline angle.

The CNG range will include Premium (O) trim for the Carens, while the Carens Clavis will be sold in HTE and HTE (O) trims for retail buyers.

For commercial and business-to-business fleet operations, Kia India has designated the M-Drive trim for the Carens CNG and the HTM trim for the Carens Clavis CNG.

The Carnival Limousine Hybrid introduces an electrified powertrain to the upper tier of the range, powered by a G1.6T HEV engine paired with a six-speed automatic transmission.

It is offered in the Limousine+ trim, which features 18-inch dual-tone aero alloy wheels, active air flaps and a virtual engine sound system. Interior equipment includes an air purifier with air quality index display, seat-back tables with integrated wireless charging, ambient lighting and leatherette door trims.

Comments (0)

ADD COMMENT

Link Copied!

Hyundai Motor India, one of the leading passenger vehicle manufacturers, has introduced the Lounge Edition variant across its Creta, Alcazar and Creta Electric SUVs. The special edition trim updates interior cabin equipment, rear seat entertainment and exterior trim styling across the three vehicle lines.

The primary update across all Lounge Edition models is an integrated 29.46 cm rear seat entertainment system featuring streaming platform compatibility, interactive gaming, an app store and smartphone mirroring, operating alongside an eight-speaker Bose audio system.

On the inside, it features silver interior accents, white ambient lighting, revised seat patterns and branded headrest cushions. Exterior changes feature black trim on the skid plates, side sills, roof rails, rear spoiler and side mirrors, paired with black alloy wheels and a golden bronze paint option.

The Creta Lounge Edition, built on the King trim level, is available with a 1.5-litre petrol engine mated to an intelligent variable transmission or a 1.5-litre diesel engine with an automatic gearbox, with prices starting at INR 1.92 million ex-showroom.

The Alcazar Lounge Edition is offered in a five-seat layout based on the Signature variant, powered by a 1.5-litre diesel engine with an automatic transmission and equipped with a voice-activated panoramic sunroof, priced from INR 2.18 million. The Creta Electric Lounge Edition, based on the Long Range Excellence trim, adds a dashcam and rear wireless charging pad, with prices starting at INR 2.43 million.

Amit Dhaundiyal, Head of Product Strategy and Planning, Hyundai Motor India, said, "At Hyundai, we continuously strive to create products and experiences that resonate with the evolving aspirations of our customers. Customers today seek experiences that go beyond mobility, and the new Lounge Edition has been designed with this evolving aspiration in mind. From lounge-inspired interiors, engaging digital entertainment and on-the-go gaming experiences powered by rear seat entertainment, to distinctive styling enhancements, every element has been thoughtfully crafted to transform every journey into a more comfortable, connected and rewarding experience. The Lounge Edition reflects Hyundai's commitment to delivering meaningful innovations and greater value across our SUV portfolio, and we are confident it will appeal to customers seeking a unique blend of luxury, comfort, entertainment and exclusivity in their everyday journeys."

Comments (0)

ADD COMMENT

Link Copied!

German automotive luxury brand Audi has unveiled the A2 e-tron electric compact model, which marks its most compact green offering, with prices starting EUR 38,200 in Germany.

Developed in Germany and produced at the manufacturer’s Ingolstadt facility, the EV has an energy consumption rating of 12.8 kWh per 100 kilometres under the WLTP test cycle.

The company will open bookings on 10 September, with European deliveries scheduled to begin in December.

The A2 e-tron is offered in four power outputs ranging from 125 kW and 350 Nm of torque in the base specification to 240 kW and 545 Nm in the top variant, paired with rear-wheel drive and permanently excited synchronous motors. Depending on the output, battery capacities are available in 52 kWh, 61 kWh, or 84 kWh gross options, achieving a maximum driving range of up to 646 kilometres under WLTP conditions.

The chassis design incorporates a drag coefficient of 0.24, utilising active cooling air intakes, aero wheels and wheel-arch gap reducers. Bidirectional charging capabilities support Vehicle-to-Load (V2L) external device powering and Vehicle-to-Home (V2H) energy transfer via compatible wall boxes.

On the inside, it features a curved MMI panoramic display housing a 12.3-inch instrument cluster and a 12.8-inch infotainment touchscreen with artificial intelligence assistant integration. Storage incorporates the Fidlock magnetic attachment system as standard equipment, alongside an optional 1.6-square-metre panoramic glass roof.

Audi states that around 300 components across the vehicle are constructed using recycled materials, including post-consumer plastics, aluminium and steel.

The EV assembly utilises 250 existing industrial robots and 1,200 reallocated production components at the Ingolstadt plant, using fixed-sequence manufacturing methods. Standard driver assistance systems include adaptive cruise control, emergency brake assist, evasive assist, attention assist and parking sensors with a rear-view camera.

Gernot Dollner, Chief Executive Officer, Audi, said, “The A2 e-tron is more than a new model: It represents Audi’s renewal. It shows how we are rethinking premium for Europe: using resources more intelligently without compromising on quality, technology, or customer experience. Developed for the needs of our European customers and built in Ingolstadt, it demonstrates our ambition to shape the future of premium mobility.”

Comments (0)

ADD COMMENT

Link Copied!