Automobile manufacturer Kia Motors India has said it will start taking bookings for its upcoming compact SUV Sonet from Thursday. The compact SUV will debut in the market next month. Pre-bookings can be done through company dealerships across the country or on the company’s official website for a token amount of Rs 25,000, Kia Motors India said in a statement.
The Sonet will take on the likes of Maruti Vitara Brezza and Hyundai Venue, among others.
“The Sonet is Kia's answer to customers in the compact SUV segment who want style and substance, quality and features, performance and technology, comfort and safety in one compelling package," Kia Motors India MD and CEO Kookhyun Shim said.
The India MD added that the Sonet has been designed and built with Indian inputs and is a global model for Kia from India.
"India is the first country in the world where the Sonet goes on sale, and with the commencement of pre-bookings, we are confident our SUV will be warmly received in the country," Shim said.
South Korean major Kia Motors had earlier this month unveiled the Kia Sonet, manufactured at its facility in Anantapur, Andhra Pradesh.
The is the third car from Kia Motors in the Indian market.
The Kia Motors India MD had said during the launch that the Anantapur plant is the most advanced among nearly all other Kia plants across the world and that the pilot production phase for the Sonet has been completed.
While the company has not officially declared the price, reports suggest that the Kia Sonet could cost between Rs 8 to 13 lakh (ex-showroom).
The new Sonet comes in petrol and diesel engine variants, with a wide range of powertrain options.
The Sonet also comes with five transmission options: five- and six-speed manuals, an intuitive seven-speed DCT, six-speed automatic, and Kia's new six-speed intelligent manual transmission.