The latest entry-level SUV from Korean brand Kia Indonesia, the smaller and more entry-level Sonet than the Seltos, has now arrived in our neighboring country of Indonesia, where the Sonet has been subdivided into six grades and is priced from Rp 193 million, with the top-spec version costing Rp 289 million. The Kia Sonet’s class rivals will be the Daihatsu Rocky/Toyota Raize or the soon-to-be-released local PeroduaD55L (which is actually the same car), and in terms of wheelbase and body size, it should be considered an A-Segment entry-level compact SUV.
The Sonet in Indonesia is powered by the same 1.5L four-cylinder naturally aspirated petrol engine with 115bhp and 144Nm of torque. The transmission is available as a six-speed manual (6MT) or a CVT with eight gears, and there are six driving modes to switch between normal, fuel efficient, sporty, snow, mud and sand.
While the power specification section may make the Sonet seem a bit modest, it is quite well equipped locally in Indonesia, with a standard-size sunroof, LED taillight clusters, 16-inch two-tone wheels, 8-inch screen console with wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto support, flat-bottom design steering wheel, a BOSE audio system, LED interior mood lighting, Qi mobile phone wireless charging panel, rear seat USB charging socket, engine start button and more.
In the safety features section, the Sonet comes with six airbags, a Dynamic Stability System (VSC), a 3-in-1 braking system, reversing camera lens and conventional cruise control as standard across the local range. Like its big brother Seltos, the original was developed for India but has since been introduced as a globally strategic SUV for deployment in other regions. Now that it is available in Indonesia, will the Sonet continue to be deployed in Malaysia to compete with P2’s D55L?
