CarWale owner reviews60 monthsMay 2025
Kia Sonet - Stylish Opulent Nimble Efficient Trendy. The need for a new car arose in late 2022, when we wanted a better car for longer trips, and our old car wasn't doing the job. So we searched for a real automatic car, barring AMTs, as our previous experience with AMTs wasn't great, we wanted something that is fuel efficient with good ground clearance and features, all under 15 lakhs on the road at the time. So we weren't initially interested in Diesel, considering most were mated to AMTs, but then one day the Sonet caught our eye. It had the same 1.5 1.5-litre diesel engine as the larger Seltos mated to a Torque Converter Automatic. This was perhaps a unique proposition in the sub-four-metre SUV space then, as no car had a Diesel Automatic then, all had Diesel AMTs only. So we went to the showroom and got a test drive, and we were immediately impressed. We had gone for test drives on other cars in the segment, but none of them had all of us happy like the Sonet.
So we decided to proceed with the purchase. The buying experience was excellent, with everything arranged quite quickly. There was a delivery ceremony with cake cutting and key handover; it was such a great experience from Kia Thrissur.
Now, coming to the driving, the car drives well, with no smooth shifts and linear acceleration, the torque is addictive and overtakes on the highway are easy, the car is a good mile muncher too and gives great mileage on the highway and the city alike, I have got over 26 kmpl on the highway while average mileage stands at around 19 kmpl, in the city, the mileage does take a dip but I have been getting around 15 kmpl and I am quite satisfied with the mileage. We have gone on trips from Thrissur to Bangalore, Thrissur to Thiruvananthapuram, Thrissur to Wayanad, Thrissur to Chennai and a whole lot more on our Sonet, and the comfort, mileage and reassurance that the Sonet gives us is second to none.
Coming to looks, it is a looker even today, and the Aurora Black Pearl colour perfectly complements its curves and creases. The car looks bold in this colour, and we are absolutely in love with the car's looks. Moving on to features, it is one of the most feature-loaded cars in the segment with features like remote engine start-stop, reverse camera, touchscreen infotainment, rear sunblinds, sunroof, TPMS and a whole lot more. The boot is large with 392 litres to gobble up all your luggage. As regards performance, it is a perfect match of mileage and performance, when you want the best from it in terms of performance, it gives it to you with a 0 to 100 time of around 11 seconds, while if you crave mileage you can chug along the entire day around 60 kmph and get mileage in the 20s too.
Coming to servicing and maintenance, we had taken the Kia My Convenience Pack for 5 years at the time of purchase, which is a worthy investment and services are taken care of for 5 years. The service team are professional and always enquires about our experiences with the car and anything that needs to be done. Services are always done on time, and the team provides free pickup and drop too. The service from Kia is top-notch, and I couldn't be happier.
To conclude, I would be providing a list of the Pros and Cons of the vehicle over my 2 years of ownership:
Pros:
1. Feature-rich
2. Powerful engine
3. Excellent Fuel Economy
4. Stylish design
5. Excellent After-Sales
Cons:
1. Rear Seat isn't the most spacious, best for 2 adults
2. Bumpy ride at high speeds