The proof of the pudding: Kia Sonet review

Just a couple of months after its official launch, there are already 700 Kia Sonets plying our roads with a thousand more eager customers waiting to receive their units. Kia Philippines Motor Corporation (KPMC) President Toti Zara III shares that Kia has simply introduced the right product at the right time. Hence, the Sonet’s warm market reception. At a time when there is ageneral upward trend for subcompact SUVs, the Kia Sonet, with its advanced tech and best-in-class features, is poised to strengthen Kia’s position as a premium brand. 

We recently joined the Kia Sonet media drive through a scenic route around Talisay, Tagaytay and Sta. Rosa. The experience was nothing short of serendipitous as the weather and road conditions enabled us to put the Sonet through its paces.

From the AC Motors Centrale in BGC, we took the pockmarked stretch of C5 road going to South Luzon Expressway. My three carmates and I were immediately impressed by the Sonet’s ride comfort despite the road imperfections. Equally impressive was the head room and leg room at the back row which were quite spacious even for a 5’11” passenger like myself. Unlike in some subcompact SUVs, I was able to sit up strait without having to worry about getting a concussion every time we hit a bump on the road.  Throw in the separate air-con vents at the back and I no longer see an incentive to ride shotgun. 

Soon, it was my turn to get behind the wheel of the lone EX AT variant (PHP 998,000) that was assigned to us on the ascent to Tagaytay via Talisay route. There was hardly enough time to get acquainted with my vehicle before hitting the road but thankfully, I realized that there’s no need for that anyway. The steering is light and precise. Both throttle response and brake feel were as I’d expect, as if I’ve already been driving the Sonetfor years. Behind the wheel, it feels like I was driving a vehicle that is smaller than its actual size.

The 115 ps and 144 Nm of the 1.5-liter Smartstream engine proved to be more than enough to take on the steep climb on the Tagaytay-Talisay road even with four occupants. On occasion, I would shift to sport mode whenever I felt the need to but I kept the transmission in Drive mostly, so I could concentrate on navigating the twisty and narrow road. 

On the descend, I finally got to drive the top-spec SX variant (PHP 1,158,000) which has all the bells and whistles. Since I was behind the wheel and my car mates were having a relaxing siesta, the 10.25 Infotainment Display was left untouched. We did not get to appreciate the electronic sunroof as well because itwas raining. We got to flex the Sonet’s 205mm ground clearance, though, as we traversed on inundated areas along Tagaytay-Calamba Road. Back on South Luzon Expressway, an electronic nanny made its presence known. The Lane Keeping and Following Assist Function kicked in quite a few times whenever I inadvertently straddled lanes. At times, it would automatically steer me back into the middle of the lane even if I was trying to switch lanes. Unless, I switch on the indicators first. 

Oops, my bad…

The Kia Sonet also comes in LX AT (PHP 888,000) and LX MT (PHP 758,000) variants. “Sonet” is an abbreviation of “SOcialNETwork” and Kia targets a younger demographic for its latest subcompact SUV offering. The Kia Sonet, however, won over this Tito after just a quick drive. For more information on the Sonet, you may also visit www.kia.com/ph or check out Kia Philippines’ social media accounts on Facebook and Instagram.