Kia Seltos vs Kia Sonet- Which is the Right Model for you

India has had the subcompact SUV segment for about a decade now. And the introductory models in this market have undergone several changes over the years. As they turn more and more into mid-size SUVs, their manufacturers are coming up with newer models that come with similar features but smaller proportions. One such model is the Kia Sonet, launched recently in September 2020 or should you rather stick to the Kia Seltos? Which one is for you? Let’s find out 

Kia Seltos vs Kia Sonet- Dimensions

Let’s talk dimensions. The length of the Kia Sonet is 3995 mm while that of the Kia Seltos is 4515 mm, so you will be getting an extra 320 mm. Width-wise the Seltos is again providing you with an extra 10mm. The Sonet stands higher with an extra 2 mm over the Seltos. If we look at the boot space, Sonet offers you a boot space of 392 litres, which is already pretty impressive. But the Seltos provides you with an added 41 litres on top of that. As far as turning radius goes, the Seltos has a bigger radius with an added 0.2 mm over that of the Sonet’s. It is, after all, a big car with a large wheelbase. 

However, Sonet takes the cake when it comes to ground clearance with an added 21 mm over the Seltos. If you’ve driven on Indian roads, and I’m sure you have, you would know how important ground clearance is. So keep that in mind before your final decision.

Regardless of these differences, both Kia Sonet and Seltos have the excellent build quality, more impressive than many of their competitors. The Sonet is built upon the advanced version of the K1 platform while the Seltos is built on the modified version of the K2 platform. The Sonet has front disc and rear drum brakes while the Seltos has front both front and rear disc brakes in selected variants. Both the cars have head-turning front profiles with wraparound front lamps and chrome ‘tiger nosed’ grill, more defined in the Sonet than the Seltos. They are both designed beautifully and that is something that must be factored in considering that you’ll be spending years’ worth of your savings on your car. With that, we move on to the pricing.

Kia Seltos vs Kia Sonet- Price in India 

The price range for the Kia Sonet is 6.5 lakhs to 11.9 lakhs while for the Kia Seltos it is 9.89 lakhs to 17.54 lakhs. The expected on-road price for the higher variants of the Kia Sonet is 13.80 lakhs while the expected on-road price for the Seltos is approximately 6 lakhs higher than that. The higher pricing is undoubtedly a result of the packed features that come with the Seltos. 

Kia Seltos vs Kia Sonet- Engine Comparison 

With the Sonet, you get a 1.2 litre petrol engine whereas the Seltos provides a 1.5 litre petrol engine. The Sonet’s petrol engine has 4 cylinders, same goes for the Seltos. The former generates a power of 82 BHP with a torque of 115 NM while the later generates 11 BHP with a torque of 144 NM. The Sonet has a 5-speed manual gearbox while the Seltos has a 6-speed manual and 7 speed CVT. 

Coming to the turbo petrol engine comparison, Sonet gives you a 1 litre turbo petrol GDI with 3 cylinders while Seltos has a 1.4 litre turbo petrol GDI with 4 cylinders. The former has a power of 118 BHP with a torque of 172 NM while the latter has a power of 138 BHP with a torque of 242 NM. If we consider transmission, Sonet has 6-speed iMT, 7-speed DCT while Seltos has 6 speed MT and 7-speed DCT 

The third and last is the diesel variant. Both Sonet and Seltos have a four-cylinder 1.5 litre CRDI diesel engine but the power outputs vary. The Sonet generates 99 BHP with 113 NM of torque while the Seltos generates 113 BHP with 250 NM of torque. Both provide the same transmission with 6 speed MT and 6 speed AT.

Common Features

Both Sonet and Seltos provide-

• One-touch electric sunroof
•  Leather seat upholstery 
• Crown jewel LED headlamps, heart-beat LED tail lamp, heartbeat LED DRLs 
• A 10.25 inches infotainment system with an in-built navigation system
• Drive mode and Traction mode 
• Front ventilated seats automatic climate control with rear AC vent
• Rear wiper, front, and rear arm-rest 
• Cruise control
•  Wireless phone charger (with a cooling function in the Sonet only)
• Push-button start with keyless entry
• Chrome door handles
• UVO connect (with 57 features) with smartwatch connectivity 
• Shark Finn antenna
• Rear Bumper with dual muffler design
• Roof rails 
• Front and rear skid plates
• Hello Kia wake up command

Exclusive Features in Kia Sonet

• Best in a class Air purifier with wireless protection and perfume diffuser with fragrance options, HEPA filter, and N29 filter
• Digital Speedometer
• Upper Pocket in the Co-driver seat

Exclusive features in Kia Seltos

• Rear manual sunshade
• 8 speaker Bose sound system
• Heads up display
• 17-inch alloys
• Recline second-row seats
• LED light bar
• Electrically adjustable driver seat
• Telescopic steering 
• LED cabin lamp

 Safety Features

You get great safety features with both these cars because these are premium SUVs. But these are the features that both Sonet and Seltos share-

• Front and rear parking sensors
• Rear defogger
• Brake assist
• 6 airbags
• Auto-dimming IRVM
• Emergency stop signal
• Central locking
• ISOFIX child seat mount
• Follow me home lamps
• Auto Headlamps
• Projector fog lamps in Sonet and LED in Seltos

Besides these, the additional safety features offered in Seltos are a 360 degrees camera with a blind spot monitor (available in the top variants) along with automatic wipers.

In conclusion

The Sonet can be preferred over Seltos due to its competitive pricing and better mileage. But you can shell out a few extra lakhs for the Seltos if you’re looking for increased interior space, better road presence added features, and more powerful engines.