Kia Sonet Diesel AT X-Line Long Term Review: Goodbye After 14,000km With The Fuel-Efficient Urban SUV

After 14,000 kms - It’s time we bid adieu to the office’s favourite Diesel AT!

The Kia Sonet in its diesel avatar proved to be one of the favourite cars in our office. Who wouldn't want a fashionable, frugal, and loaded diesel automatic SUV that's really easy to drive? So much so, there were usually "pre-bookings" for who would drive it home for the weekend!

I had my share of joy too, making around 4-5 trips from Pune to Mumbai, covering more than 3,500 km. This is how life was with the Sonet over a total of 14,500 km:

Kia Sonet X-Line Design: Striking Looks

The X-Line trim, which we got, seemed even more unique. The matte black graphite finish, small amount of chrome, and blacked-out trim made it sporty and upscale-looking.

But we did learn that although the matte paint does look great, it requires special attention. Even minor scratches and cuts are readily apparent, and frequent cleaning becomes necessary if you wish it to continue looking nice.

Kia Sonet X-Line Interior: Comfortable And Well-built Cabin

Step in, and the Sonet's cabin impresses at once with its quality of build and feel of premium-ness.

The padding is well done and supportive, so even Pune-Mumbai-Pune is not a strain. The steering feels chunky and wonderful to grasp, and the fit and finish levels are generally among the segment's best.

Add-ons such as ventilated front seats, a 10.25-inch infotainment display, wireless charging, and a sunroof actually made weekday drives and weekend rides more enjoyable. Bose audio system gets special mention as well, it further enhances highway drives with nice playlists.

Storage was also looked after, with room aplenty for bottles, wallets, and gizmos. And although the 392-litre boot is not the biggest, it's usable enough for two cabin-sized trollies and a pair of rucksacks, ideal for airport dashes and spontaneous excursions.

As an aside, some of those misses were particularly notable considering the cost: no wireless Apple CarPlay or Android Auto integration, and no passenger-side door request sensor, which seemed like odd things to leave out.

Kia Sonet X-Line: Performance

Under the hood, the 1.5-litre diesel engine with the 6-speed torque converter automatic worked out to be a great everyday buddy.

In urban traffic, the Sonet was smooth, elegant, and easy-going, with ample low-end torque that made overtaking a breeze and crawling in bumper-to-bumper traffic a piece of cake.

On the highway, it cruised with ease at triple-digit speeds, with the engine hardly complaining. The diesel rumble was well-behaved, so much so that most individuals who were inside did not even think it was a diesel initially!

The cherry on the cake was fuel efficiency. Even though it is an automatic, the Sonet delivered 15-16 kmpl in the city and an impressive 20-22 kmpl on the highway. A round trip from Mumbai to Pune and Back cost us approximately Rs 1500 worth of diesel, sheer value for money, considering the current fuel price scenario!

Kia Sonet X-Line: Ride And Handling

The Sonet's ride quality is on the firmer side.

At low speeds, you get to feel sharp bumps, potholes, and rumble strips inside the cabin. So if your daily commute is a lot of broken roads, you may find it a bit stiff.

But as soon as you get going at a good pace, the picture changes.

On highways, the Sonet is remarkably stable and calm. There's a reassuring feeling of control even at speeds of 100+ kmph, and the steering has a good weight that instils confidence.

In reality, the Sonet drives nearly like a hatchback in the city, but solid like an even larger SUV out on highways.

Generally speaking, the ride and handling are positives of grand proportions if you like highway cruises and spontaneous weekend excursions.

Kia Sonet X-Line: Practicality And Daily Use

The Sonet also fares well on daily practicality. The cabin is filled with ample storage areas for your everyday knick-knacks, phone, wallet, charger, sanitiser, water bottles, and so on.

The boot, although not enormous, is adequate for daily requirements and short holidays. We handled airport runs and short weekend getaways without ever missing a larger boot.

Rear seat accommodation, though, was a little compromise. Two adults will easily fit in at the back, but three up for extended runs isn't a good option. If rear space is high up on your priority list, then you may find it worth shopping higher up for more spacious fare.

Kia Sonet X-Line: Pros & Cons Recap

Pros:

• Matte graphite finish and blacked-out elements make it look sporty and premium.

• High-quality, well-built cabin with good seat comfort.

• Loaded with plenty of features.

• Diesel engine is smooth, punchy, quiet and very fuel-efficient.

• 6-speed automatic is refined and easy to live with.

• Stable and confident at highway speeds.

• Enough powertrain options with variants to suit everyone’s need.
  

Cons:

• Slightly expensive compared to rivals.

• Matte paint needs a lot of care.

• No request sensor on the passenger-side door.

• Rear seat space is limited for three adults.

• Stiff ride at low speeds over potholes and bumps.

• No wireless Apple CarPlay or Android Auto.

• No petrol DCT option in the X-Line.

Kia Sonet X-Line: Final Verdict

After spending over 14,000 km with the Kia Sonet Diesel AT X-Line, it’s easy to understand why it became such a favourite in our office.

If you’re looking for a stylish, feature-packed, fuel-efficient compact SUV that’s equally happy tackling city commutes and long highway drives, the Sonet Diesel AT X-Line is a fantastic choice.

But if you would like an even softer low-speed ride or more indulgent rear-seat space for family use, you may want to consider alternatives as well.

Briefly, the X-Line in particular offers style, efficiency, and technology in an easy-to-live-with and compact form. Just be sure to treat that matte paint with care!

Goodbye Sonet, the office will miss you!

Final Stats:

Kilometres When Received: 311 km

Kilometres Till Date: 14,876 km

Average City Fuel Efficiency: 15-16 kmpl

Average Highway Fuel Efficiency: 20-22 kmpl

Best Features: Diesel refinement, ventilated seats, premium looks

Issues Faced: Minor tyre pressure system warnings, some cabin rattles post 10,000 km

Service Experience: Smooth, no major costs