Over 80% of the Kia Sonet sold were distributed domestically, while 20% were exported.
A major vehicle manufacturer in South Korea, Kia Motors, entered the Indian market with the Seltos model in 2019 and introduced the Sonet compact SUV in 2020, creating a new wave in the country’s automotive market. Recently, the Sonet model made significant achievements in sales within four years of its launch, establishing a fresh milestone in India.
Kia India introduced the Kia Sonet compact SUV back on September 18, 2019, and it quickly became a hit with customers. Fast forward to August 2023, a staggering 449,812 units of this model have been sold worldwide, setting a new record for success. Reports from the Society of Indian Automobile Manufacturers (SIAM) show that 357,743 Sonet vehicles were purchased in India, while an additional 92,069 were shipped to different countries.
The Sonet, together with the Seltos midsize SUV and the Carens MPV, has been pivotal in establishing Kia’s significant position in India’s utility vehicles market. Kia, a Korean car manufacturer, holds the fifth position with a 9.40 percent market share, having delivered 103,798 UVs from April to August.
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In recent years, this car model has gained immense popularity in the local market. Out of the 961,134 cars sold by the company from FY21 to the first five months of 2025, the Sonet made up 37%. This highlights the significant contribution of the Sonet to Kia India’s success.
Even during the challenging times of the COVID-19 pandemic, Sonnet Company has achieved unprecedented success in selling its products. Within the first year of its inception, the company surpassed its target of selling 100,000 units by September 14, 2021.
Ever since then, the company has seen a steady increase in success, reaching new achievements like selling 150,000 units in June 2022 and 250,000 units in May 2023. Nonetheless, it took the company around 15 months to hit the sales goal of 250,000 to 350,000 units.
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Kia Sonet Export
Kia India sent out 92,069 Sonet units to foreign markets. The top export figures for this small SUV were in the 2023-24 fiscal year, with 30,574 units exported, marking a 5% rise from the previous year. This achievement has pushed Sonet ahead of Seltos as the leading export model.
Between April and August 2024, the number of Kia Sonet cars exported took a big hit. Compared to the previous year, there was a staggering 75% decrease, bringing the total exports to a mere 5,210 units. Kia India’s total exports also experienced a sharp decline, dropping by 62% to 12,822 units. Consequently, the Kia Sonet now stands at the 10th spot on the list of the top 20 utility vehicles during this timeframe.
Also Read: 2024 Kia Seltos Gravity Launched At Rs. 16.63 Lakh
Kia Sonet Variants, Price
The Kia Sonet is now on sale starting at Rs. 7.99 lakh. You can choose from different versions up to Rs. 15.75 lakh (ex-showroom). The car comes in various models like XTE, XTE (O) XTK, XTK (O) XTK Plus, and The Kia Sonet comes with a choice of 1 Diesel Engine and 2 Petrol Engines. The Diesel engine is 1493 cc, while the Petrol engines are 1197 cc and 998 cc. You can get it with Manual or Automatic transmission.
Sonet with petrol has a fuel efficiency of 18.7 – 19.2 kmpl and the diesel offers 18.6 – 22.3 kmpl. The Kia Sonet comes in a variety of vibrant colors. You can choose from Pewter Olive, Glacier White Pearl, Sparkling Silver, Gravity Grey, Aurora Black Pearl, Intense Red, Imperial Blue, Intense Red with Aurora Black Pearl, Glacier White Pearl with Aurora Black Pearl, Matte Graphite, or Clear White.