Kia Motors world premieres Made in India Sonet for global markets

South Korean automotive major Kia Motors Corporation will be shipping out its India made new compact sports utility vehicle (SUV) Sonet to its global markets, said a top company official.

The company has its Indian plant at Anantapur in Andhra Pradesh owned by its subsidiary Kia Motors India.

Speaking of the world premiere of Sonet done virtually Ho Sung Song, President and CEO, Kia Motors Corporation said the new model Sonet is Made in India for global markets.

Song said about $2 billion has gone into its Indian plant which will play a crucial role in its global markets.

He said currently Kia Motors India ships out Seltos SUV to about 70 countries.

According to Song, the compact SUV segment will continue to log growth in 2020 and also beyond.

According to Karim Habib, Senior Vice President and Head of Kia Design Centre at Kia Motors Corporation the design of Sonet was inspired by baby elephants.

The car's front grill was inspired by a step in India.

Habib said the car has a strong and powerful front like a baby elephant.

The new model Sonet comes in petrol and diesel engine versions and a wide range of powertrain options.

The model comes with two petrol engine versions – 1.2-litre four-cylinder and 1.0 T-GDi – and 1.5-liter CRDi diesel engine.

The Sonet 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.

Additionally, automatic variants of the Sonet offer multi-drive and traction modes for added convenience, driver-confidence and safety.

The 1.5-litre diesel engine is offered with a six-speed manual, and a six-speed automatic transmission..