Kia’s Cheapest Cars in 2025 – SONET Prices and Features

Budget cars have reputation. They are the people who choose, the people who buy when they don’t have a choice. They are practical, they get the job done, that’s it. Except Kia, no memorandum was received. The Kia SONET is India’s cheapest Kia car and is not built like an entry-level SUV. It doesn’t have the energy of “I just because of my price tag”. It looks sharp. Drive more sharply. I think it costs more than it. Kia did the job somehow.

If you are looking for the lowest priced car in Kia, you are not just looking for a number. You want to know what you actually get. OK? Is there a reason for it? Or somehow exceed its weight? This is where SONET makes things interesting. Not only is this the cheapest car in Kia, it is one of the cleverest purchases in the class.

Please read: Kia Auto India: Find the right 2025 edition

What makes Kia SONET the cheapest Kia car worth buying?

Cheap is not always praised. This usually means cutting corners, missing features and cars, reminding you every time you drive you can’t afford it. But Kia SONET doesn’t make you feel that way. This is the cheapest car for Kia, but it doesn’t feel like a compromise. It is compact, but not cramped. It’s budget-friendly, but has no basic feeling. This kind of car reminds you that price and value are not the same thing.

Construction is like continuing

Most low-priced cars are designed for basic things. Enter, get to where you need to go, and don’t think too much about how to support it in five years. There are different ways to do SONET.

• Tough, but not clumsy – With strong build quality, its design doesn’t look like an afterthought.
• Compact, but not squeezed – A 2500mm wheelbase that can stabilize it without making the parking lot a nightmare.
• High ground clearance without unnecessary volume – 205mm ground clearance that keeps it on bad roads without making it a chore.

It doesn’t seem to say “budget”

No exaggerated style. No head. Just a clean, sharp design that doesn’t require proof of anything.

• Signature Kia Tiger Grille – Don’t be too big, don’t work too hard. Unique enough to stand out.
• LED headlights and DRL – Most variants are standard, because there is no reason to budget the car should be outdated.
• Appropriate SUV stance – Compact, yes. But don’t mistakenly think because of the hatchback SUV.

SONET is the cheapest car in the Kia lineup, but it looks like it belongs to a higher price. This is the difference.

Performance – Cheapest Kia cars are not slow

Most people think that when you buy the cheapest Kia car, you compromise on performance. You won’t expect it to be fast. When you push the accelerator, you don’t expect it to respond. You just expect it to move. But Kia SONET plays according to different rules. It not only needs to get the job done, but it also needs a little more. Enough to forget you have bought the cheapest car in the Kia lineup.

Three engine options, none

Given that SONET is a single engine, Kia could have worked safely and called it a day. But instead, you get the choice.

• 1.2 liters of gasoline – 82 bhp, 115 nm. Used for daily urban driving. Stable, predictable and efficient.
• 1.0L Turbo Gasoline – 118 bhp, 172 nm. Because when you want to punch more without sacrificing your economy.
• 1.5L diesel – 114 bhp, 250 nm. For highway drives, long distances and optimal mileage.

It is not common to have a budget car that allows you to choose a powertrain. SONET does not assume which driver you are, it allows you to decide.

Transmission Options – Because one size does not fit all

• 5 speed manual (on the base gasoline variant). Simple, efficient and lasting.
• 6-speed IMT (No clutch manual). No more controls for left foot exercises.
• 7-speed DCT and 6-speed automatic (on higher variants). Because just because budget-friendly doesn’t mean it has to be boring.

Balancing cities and highways

Cars at this price aren’t about breaking speed records, but SONET moves better than you expected.

• Adjusted suspension to smooth the potholes but still maintain a higher speed stability.
• Steer the light at a low speed, and heavier at a higher speed. There is no overcorrection, no impetuous feeling.
• Drive mode on the turbine variant. When you need to exercise, when you don’t.

This is not a car that fights back when you drive. It can only accomplish what you need when you need it.

Features – Cheapest Kia cars won’t be stripped

Budget cars will usually depend on trade-offs. Sure, you can get a lower price, but you can also get hard plastic, outdated technology, and an interior that reminds you that you can’t afford. The Kia SONET feels like a fully equipped SUV that happens to be cheaper.

Feel like an upgraded cabin

You don’t sit in the Sonet and think, Yes, this is a cheap car. You think, Wait, is this coming at this price?

• 10.25-inch touch screen, wireless Apple car and Android Auto – Because good technology should not be limited to high-end models.
• Premium leather seats – Not standard, but can be used in mid-term variants. Even the lower variants are not cheap either.
• Skylights on higher decorations – This price point most cars have features overlooked, but Kia doesn’t.

Feeling very considerate and convenient

• Ventilated front seats – Most cars below 10 liters do not even consider features.
• Smart air purifier – Because Kia believes that clean air should not be a luxury.
• Wireless charging cooling pad – No overheating, no chaos, just put down your phone and go.

A truly provided music system

• Bose Premium Sound System on higher decorations – Soft bass, clear vocals, not the small number of speakers you expect in a budget car.
• Connected automotive technology – Remote start, climate control, and even tracking. Your phone talks to your car because why not?

A big little thing

• Rear AC vents (many subtype SUVs still skip these SUVs).
• The adjustable steering wheel is tilted for better driving position.
• LED sound lighting has no other reason to make the cabin feel cool.

You won’t buy the cheapest Kia car expecting luxury. But somehow, you can still taste it.

Safety – Cheapest Kia car, won’t bend

Price should not determine safety. But with a budget car, it usually does. Of course, you expect airbags. Maybe it’s the abdominal muscles. But beyond that, most brands think you don’t care or can’t afford to take care of. Kia SONET did not make assumptions. This is the cheapest car for Kia, but it is built like knowing that safety is not an optional thing.

More than just basic knowledge

Some functions are not negotiable. Kia got it.

• Six airbags (On the top decoration, everyone’s dual airbag standard)
• Abdominal muscles with EBD – Controlled, even on bad roads.
• Electronic Stability Control (ESC) – Keep the car stable when the road gets tricky.
• Hill Assist Control (HAC) – No turning back tilt.

Strong body, not just stickers

A good security suite doesn’t matter if there is no build structure to deal with the impact.

• Advanced high-strength steel (AHS) body – Strengthen important places.
• Impact sensing door unlock – Because a few seconds are important in an emergency.
• Rear parking sensor + camera – Standard, because reversal shouldn’t feel like a guessing game.

Crash Test Score – Reality Check

As of 2025, SONET is waiting for an updated crash test rating. However, with Kia’s trail, it is expected to hold a foundation in its safety benchmark.

Safety is not always a priority for cars at this price. But here, it is.

Read more: Kia SONET Global NCAP Rating: Security Analysis

Price – Cheapest Kia car, actually worth it

Price determines everything. That’s why you even look at Kia SONET in the first place. And, if you are looking for the cheapest Kia car, not only do you want to look at the numbers, but you are weighing the price you pay for.

Kia Sonet price in 2025

Kia SONET starts at Rs 7.99 lakh (ex-showroom). This makes it the cheapest car in the Kia lineup, but it doesn’t feel like an entry-level SUV.

You paid vs. What you got

When the car sits at this price point, you’ll expect trade-offs. Less functionality. Minimum comfort. Enough power can pass. However, SONET is not like a car built to achieve its goal. It feels like something designed first and then the price is lower than it should be.

• You paid Rs 8L but to get a design that doesn’t seem to be budget-friendly.
• When most competitors give you one, you will get multiple engine choices.
• When other budget SUVs cut features to reduce costs, you get the proper technical packaging interior.

That’s what makes it interesting. This is the lowest price for Kia cars, but it’s meant to make you forget that.

Redefine the cheapest Kia car to expect

Budget cars usually remind you that this is a budget car. It ensures that you know what you are not paying – missing features, compromises and limitations. Kia Sonet doesn’t do that. This is the cheapest car in Kia, but it doesn’t behave like it. Looks good. It drives very well. It comes with technology and security, and this situation is not an afterthought. As far as price is concerned, it’s hard to find something that matches it.

So if you’re looking for the cheapest cars in the Kia lineup, here’s what you need to know:

• Reasonable price, but not cheap.
• This is practical, but not the way to sacrifice comfort.
• It is safe, efficient and designed for longer than short-term purchases.

At this price, you not only want to buy the lowest Kia car, but you also get a wise decision that will pay off every time you drive.