Introduction of the new LS+ variant come at the discontinuation of the apparent slow-selling turbo powerplant.
Two years after its initial update, the Sonet range has been tweaked again. Picture: Kia
Having last updated the range two years ago with the introduction of a new base variant, Kia South Africa has added a new derivative to the Sonet range.
More spec, new variant
Part of a wider range reshuffle, the new LS+ grade filters in between the LS and LX as a more value focused model equipped with a number of features the former does without.
As such, it gets 16-inch imitation alloy wheel covers as opposed to the LS‘ 15-inch steel wheels and six airbags instead of two.
Elsewhere in the range, the EX benefits from a sunroof while the flagship SX now comes standard with a Bose sound system.
No more turbo
In the biggest shake-up, the 1.0 T-GDI engine, previously reserved for the EX, has been dropped due to an apparent lack of demand.
This leaves the normally aspirated 1.5-litre petrol as the sole engine option available, with outputs of 85kW/144Nm. Transmissions are the same as before, namely a six-speed manual or a CVT.
The removal of the forced-assisted 1.0-litre three-cylinder means all Sonets will do 175 km/h, with respective 0-100 km/h performance figures of 10.5 seconds for the manual and 10.3 seconds for the CVT.
Fuel consumption figures are 6.6 L/100 km for the former and 6.2 L/100 km for the latter.
Price
Now available, all models are again covered by a five-year/unlimited-kilometre warranty as well as a three-year/45 000 km service plan.
- Sonet 1.5 LS – R284 995
- Sonet 1.5 LS CVT – R314 995
- Sonet 1.5 LS+ – R299 995
- Sonet 1.5 LS+ CVT – R329 995
- Sonet 1.5 LX CVT – R349 995
- Sonet 1.5 EX CVT – R379 995
- Sonet 1.5 SX CVT – R439 995
