Kia Sonet CNG takes shape; could launch this year

Earlier this month, Kia India updated its Sonet compact SUV for 2022 by introducing many additional features and a safety overhaul. While the upgraded Sonet SUVs are still reaching showrooms across the country, the Korean brand has already begun testing a CNG-powered Sonet. 

Expected to join the line-up in the coming months, the Sonet CNG will most likely be the first Kia model in India to come with a factory-fitted CNG kit.

• Kia Sonet CNG to rival Maruti Suzuki Brezza, Tata Nexon CNG
• Could come with a 1.0-litre turbo petrol engine
• Expected to launch in the coming months

A first spy shot of the Sonet compact SUV test mule with prominent CNG sticker has been spotted by Varun Rattan. The SUV seems to be a standard Sonet GT line, however, the sticker gives it away that it’s not the regular petrol or diesel version, but is equipped with a CNG powertrain.

The Sonet GT line comes with a 1.0-litre turbo petrol and a 1.5-litre turbo diesel engine options.  We expect the Sonet CNG to come with the same 1.0-litre turbo-petrol engine, but with a factory-fitted CNG. The Sonet could likely be the first vehicle in India that’s equipped with a turbo-petrol engine and will come with a CNG option. 

As we’ve reported earlier, the heavily updated Maruti Vitara Brezza – ‘Vitara’ is likely to be dropped from its name in the upcoming iteration – is also expected to come with a CNG option, albeit equipped with the 1.5-litre DualJet petrol engine that made its debut in the Ertiga recently.

Additionally, Tata Motors is also said to be readying a Nexon CNG which could see a market launch sometime this year. It could come with a CNG option for its 1.2-litre turbo petrol engine.  While the Nexon does not come with a naturally aspirated petrol engine, the Sonet gets a 1.2-litre naturally aspirated engine that churns out 83 hp.

With the rising fuel prices, customers are opting for CNG models, and with the Sonet CNG, Kia India is surely looking at getting its share of a segment that’s currently dominated by Tata Motors and Maruti Suzuki. Kia India is presenting its contender at a time when both brands are also in the midst of introducing their CNG-powered compact SUVs.

Image credits: Varun Rattan