Hyundai and Kia are related and that is a widely known fact. If you didn’t know this by now, their approach towards developing products is a strong hint towards that. It hasn’t been long since Hyundai decided to roll out a 7-seater version of the Creta and now, if reports are to be believed, we are going to witness a 7-seater version of the Kia Sonet as well! No need to rub your eyes because you read that right! For instance, the India-spec Sonet measures 3,995mm in length while the one that exists in the Indonesian market measures 4,120mm.
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It will be easier for Kia to carve out a 7-seater SUV out of the Sonet if they take the Indonesia-spec as the base vehicle.
What can we expect?
It is being reported that an extra row of seating will be added behind the second row, to accommodate extra passengers. Needless to say, it is surely going to hamper the boot space which the 5-seater Sonet currently offers. 7-seater SUVs are known to be unkind to adults who find themselves in the third row. The same can be expected from the Sonet 7-seater as well. The third row will be good for kids, and will most likely to be a tight fit for adults. To make it distinguish from the 5-seater variant, Kia might incorporate some cosmetic changes. For example, new colour options may be added exclusively for the 7-seat variant. On the inside, rear AC vents could be added for third row passengers.
Powertrain and gearbox options are expected to be carried from the 5-seater Sonet which gets a 1.2-litre naturally aspirated petrol motor which churns out 82bhp/114Nm. There is also a 1.0-litre turbo petrol mill on offer which churns out 118bhp/172Nm. The 1.5-litre diesel is also a part of the Sonet’s powertrain options and it churns out 99bhp/240Nm. Transmission duties are carried out by a wide range of options which include a 5-speed manual, a six-speed manual, a six-speed torque converter automatic, a 7-speed DCT as well as a 6-speed iMT (clutchless manual) like in the Venue. The interesting addition though is a six-speed automatic for the diesel engine, which is a first for the segment.
More details will unfold as Kia is expected to take the wraps off the Sonet 7-seater in Indonesia on April 8th. We can also expect Kia to roll out the longer version here as well.