Kia Motors has introduced its first clutchless transmission SUV in India and also the third product in its list of releases.
It will have a manual gearbox but there will be no clutch pedal, instead, a manual shift lever is provided. The technology is named as Intelligent Manual Transmission (IMT) by the South Korean manufacturers.
Here you can watch the launching event of Kia Sonet
Talking about the body design of the Kia Sonet sub-compact SUV, Senior Vice President & Head of Kia Global Design said
The Sonet’s design has been inspired by and designed with young Indians in mind.
Design was inspired by the baby elephant (powerful, compact, and friendly) with voluminous wheel arches and blacked out c-pillars. It gets what Kia calls the tiger eye line for the DRLs.
The front grille is inspired by Chand Baori stepwell in India.
VP and Head of Global Product Management, Lorenz Glaab stated
The all-new Kia Sonet will boast the latest technology, such iMT and the world’s first virus protection. The Sonet will be produced in India for India and will also be exported to international markets.
He also said that
Kia is a fairly new brand in India but the manufacturer plans to launch the most advanced and relevant technology in India first. The future belongs to connected cars,
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VP & Head, Marketing & Sales, Manohar Bhat said
The Sonet will be well suited for those who like to take it easy and those who like to indulge in enthusiastic driving. It’ll get three engine options and transmission options will include a five-speed manual, a six-speed manual, a six-speed AT, and the new six-speed iMT.
Kia Sonet will be available with 3 engine options – 1.2L petrol, 1.0L turbo petrol and a 1.5L diesel engine. Transmission options will include a 5-speed manual, a 6-speed manual, a 6-speed automatic, a 7-speed DCT, and the new 6-speed iMT.
In India, Kia is the first automotive brand to reach the 50,000 milestone of having active ‘connected’ cars on road. Kia’s UVO ‘connected car’ technology provides a range of 57 features to facilitate remote control, convenience, navigation, security, safety and vehicle management. Kia’s UVO is a Voice Assist feature with the wake word “Hello, Kia.”
Kia Sonet is the world’s as well as the industry’s first driver window up/down controlled through voice command.
Sonet will be a tough competitor for Hyundai Venue and Maruti Suzuki Vitara Brezza. The price is expected to range from ₹.7 lakh to ₹.12 lakh (ex-showroom, Delhi).