Kia India To Drop The Diesel-manual Option From Sonet, Seltos And Carens’s Lineups

The diesel-manual combo will be replaced by the six-speed iMT (clutchless manual) option presently found on the turbo-petrol variants of the Sonet

• Our sources have confirmed reports about Kia dropping the diesel-manual combo.

• It will be replaced by the six-speed iMT (manual without a clutch pedal).

• Sonet to get the more powerful 115PS 1.5-litre diesel engine, same as Seltos and Carens.

• Six-speed AT with the diesel will remain limited to higher-spec variants of all three.

• The trio is currently priced in the range of Rs 7.69 lakh to Rs 19.15 lakh (ex-showroom Delhi). 

As carmakers are rolling out 2023 updates across portfolios for engines compliant with the upcoming BS6 Phase 2 emission norms, Kia seems to have a more significant change in the works. Our close sources in the know have confirmed that the carmaker is planning to axe the diesel-manual option from not just the Seltos, but the Sonet and Carens as well. 

What Comes In Its Place?

With the diesel-manual combination set to depart shortly, the Korean marque has plans to replace it with the six-speed iMT (manual without the clutch pedal) gearbox, which has already been on offer with the Sonet’s 1-litre turbo-petrol engine.

Also Read: Don’t Hold Out For A CNG Or Hybrid Offering From Kia Anytime Soon

Diesel Variant List Detailed

Based on the latest details brought to light, the diesel engine, with iMT and automatic transmissions, will be offered with the following variants of the three models:

Sonet Gets A Power Upgrade

For Kia’s sub-4m SUV, it won’t just be a change in the transmission setup but its diesel heart will get an upgrade too. It currently gets a slightly detuned version of the 1.5-litre diesel unit found in its bigger siblings, making 100PS/240Nm with the manual gearbox. But with the diesel-manual gone, the iMT option will get the same engine, although making 1PS of more power (116PS) with the same torque output (250Nm). This powertrain will also make its way to the Seltos and Carens.

Related: Kia Carens Completes Its First Year In India: A CD Recap

Current Price Range And Rivals

Kia currently retails the Sonet between Rs 7.69 lakh and Rs 14.39 lakh, with the diesel option starting from Rs 9.45 lakh. It fights it out with the Tata Nexon, Renault Kiger, Hyundai Venue, Nissan Magnite, Mahindra XUV300 and Maruti Brezza.

The Seltos and Carens are priced in the range of Rs 10.19 lakh to Rs 19.15 lakh. For the compact SUV, the diesel option starts at Rs 11.89 lakh, while for the MPV it starts at Rs 12.15 lakh. While the Seltos takes on the likes of the Hyundai Creta, Maruti Grand Vitara, and Skoda Kushaq, the Carens rivals the MG Hector Plus, Tata Safari and Hyundai Alcazar.

All prices, ex-showroom Delhi

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