Boosted Kia Sonet priced and specced

Introduced just over a year ago as its entry-level SUV/crossover, Kia has officially confirmed price and specification details of the turbocharged Sonet T-GDI.

Previewed alongside the normally aspirated model at the local market launch in Cape Town last year in GT-Line guise, Kia has opted to forgo the sporty moniker in favour of the T-GDI designation.

This means the Sonet does without the usual GT-Line exterior applique such as the model specific bumpers, extended doors sills and alloy wheels, but as indicated, receives a considerable power boost over the current models.

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Replacing the free-breathing 1.5-litre petrol engine is the familiar 1.0-litre three-cylinder turbo-petrol used in its sibling, the Hyundai Venue, that makes 88kW/172Nm. Drive once again goes to the front wheels but this time through a seven-speed dual-clutch gearbox with no manual option.

Dimensionally, the Sonet T-GDI is unchanged from its sibling, however, on the specification front, the entry-level LX has been overlooked with the EX being the entry point and the newly added EX+ the flagship.

In terms of features, the EX comes as standard with 16-inch alloy wheels, an eight-inch touchscreen infotainment system with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, as well as:

• auto on/off headlights;
• imitation leather-and-cloth seats;
• dual front airbags;
• ABS with EBD and ESC;
• Hill Start Assist;
• height adjustable driver’s seat;
• leather-wrapped steering wheel and gear lever;
• rear parking sensors plus a reverse camera

On top of these, the EX+ adds a 4.2-inch TFT instrument cluster display, red stitching on the seats, automatic climate control, folding electric mirrors, cruise control, a drive mode selector and a total of six airbags.

Price

As with the non-turbo versions, the Sonet T-GDI’s sticker price includes a five-year/unlimited km as well as a four-year/60 000 km service plan.

• Sonet 1.5 LX – R296 995
• Sonet 1.5 LX CVT – R317 995
• Sonet 1.5 EX – R316 995
• Sonet 1.5 EX CVT – R337 995
• Sonet 1.0 T-GDI EX DCT – R359 995
• Sonet 1.0 T-GDI EX+ DCT – R389 995