Kookhyun Shim, MD and CEO at Kia Motors India said “The aggressive pricing has been arrived at to bring delight and offer incredible value to the young and the young-at-heart customer of the Sonet. As our endeavour has been to ensure there is a Sonet for virtually all customers in this category, it is being offered with the widest choice in this segment.”

The SUV is available across 17 variants, including two petrol engines – Smartstream 1.2-litre four-cylinder and 1.0 T-GDi (turbocharged petrol direct injection), and two 1.5-litre CRDi diesel engine (WGT & VGT configurations). Available in two trim levels - Tech Line and GT-Line, the car comes with five transmission options - five- and six-speed manuals, an intuitive seven-speed DCT, six-speed automatic, and a new six-speed Smartstream intelligent manual transmission (iMT). A technological breakthrough from the company the iMT offers fatigue-free driving thanks to the absence of a clutch pedal, yet the same driver control as a conventional manual transmission. For the first time in this segment, the 1.5 CRDi diesel motor is also available with a six-speed automatic transmission.

According to Ho Sung Song, President and CEO, Kia Motors Corporation, the company has already grabbed a six percent market share in the passenger car segment in India. With the launch of the Sonet, the carmaker aims at becoming the segment leader not only in India but globally and make Kia the brand of choice. “With its aggressive and modern, design language, quantum-drive dynamics, and an array of the latest high-tech features, the Sonet puts an exclamation point on our ambition to make Kia the brand of choice, especially among millennial and Gen Z consumers. The Sonet fills a need in the growing SUV market,” said Song.

The interiors of the Kia Sonet is designed to offer comfort and luxury at the same time, with a well laid-out, easy-to-use connected infotainment and cluster interface along with high-quality materials all around. Despite compact exterior dimensions, the interior of the Sonet offers ample, ergonomic space for all the passengers. In addition to this, the Sonet comes loaded with multiple segment-first features offering complete comfort, convenience, safety and optimum driving pleasure to customers.

Design

The design team travelled to India before the project started and it discovered many elements that it implemented in the Sonet, said Karim Habib, Senior Vice President and Head at Global Design, Kia Motors Corporation. “The Sonet is inspired by the young, passionate and dynamic culture that you find in India. We were inspired by traditional architecture and the modern architecture that you find in the big cities in India. The silhouette, the presence of the vehicle, has a lot to do with what we believe the young people and young at heart in India would like to have. Other small details like material, light and colour that is very important in India,” said Habib.

The first thing anyone would notice is the distinctive bold profile of the car. Inspired by the baby elephant, the Sonet is compact but powerful. The car has got a powerful presence with long hood and bumper and powerful stance. It has black A-pillars that allow the dynamic silhouette for the hood to seem longer for such a compact car. “When you look at the car and look at the baby elephant, we see the link and believe power is visible from the inspiration to design,” added Habib.

At the front, the brand’s signature design trait – the Kia’ tiger-nose’ grille – is reinterpreted to suit the car’s personality. The company tries to evolve the tiger-nose grille to a bit more power with a tusk-like feature to it. The headlamps look like a tiger eye-line that gives a powerful concentrated look in daytime and night. Flanked by ‘heart beat’ LED DRLs and stylish front skid plates below, the wild nature of the car comes alive. Within the tiger-nose grille, with its classy chrome and diamond knurling pattern, is the distinctive grille mesh featuring a three-dimensional geometric design inspired by India’s iconic step-wells. The grille mesh design pays respects to India’s historic strengths in sophisticated mathematics, science and architecture. 

At the rear, ‘heart beat’ LED tail lamps and its unique reflector garnish give the car even more significant presence and impart a wider look. “At the rear too, Kia tries to create the same sense of power, and that’s why the car feels very wide for a compact car as it is and that’s why we have the wrapped -round glass that gives the car lot of width. The signature of the tail lamp is similar to the front and has a very continuous feature to it and gives it a lot of widths,” said Habib. Additional highlights at the rear include a sporty dual muffler design and diffuser fin rear skid plate.

For the interior, the company emphasises on keeping it natural and intuitive and establishing a strong emotional connection in the car. To appeal to young-at-heart and always-connected consumers, the Sonet offers a sophisticated and lively cabin with a smooth, flowing dashboard. The 10.25-inch (26.03 cm) HD touchscreen with infotainment and navigation system at the centre on the dashboard has 57 connected car features. The 4.2-inch (10.66 cm) instrument cluster gives turn-by-turn navigation instructions, Highline Tyre Pressure Monitoring System (TPMS) and drive mode and traction mode selection. The double-layer AC vents are ideal for the Indian weather. It also offers Kia’s UVO ‘connected car’ technology, Bose speakers, LED Sound Mood Lighting, a wireless smartphone charger with cooling function and Smart Pure Air Purifier with virus protection. 

“On the technology front, we offer many futures for our customers, including intelligent manual transmission, an air purification system that is the world’s first just mention a few. We make sure that our customers will benefit from the latest for their life at the very beginning as soon as we launch the model. I promise that there will be much more excitement in future from Kia for the Indian market,” said Lorenz Glaab, VP and Head of global product management, Hyundai Motor. He also added that in the future, it is not the ecosystem that will be built around the car, but the car will be part of the ecosystem of each customer. (MT) 

Comments (0)

ADD COMMENT

Link Copied!

Vietnamese automotive company VinFast has announced the signing of Memoranda of Understanding (MOUs) with 29 aftersales partners during its Global Business Conference held between 4 May and 10 May 2026.

The event gathered over 200 investors and partners from North America, Europe, the Middle East, India, Indonesia, the Philippines and Kazakhstan to discuss the company’s international service expansion.

The MoUs outline plans for international partners to establish electric vehicle (EV) service workshops that adhere to VinFast’s global standards. To maintain service quality, VinFast intends to provide standardised technician training, certification programmes and operating procedures. The company is also developing a parts supply network with a target of delivering common spare parts within 24 hours in major markets.

The automaker is building on its domestic aftersales foundation in Vietnam, where it operated nearly 400 workshops by the end of 2025. This contributed to a total global network of nearly 800 facilities at that time.

For 2026, the company aims to expand its global reach to more than 1,100 service workshops. This network will be implemented through several models, including – dealerships for retail customers, services for fleet and transportation business clients and partnerships with third-party local service workshops.

The expansion strategy includes specific support policies such as repair time commitments in Vietnam and the provision of replacement vehicles in international markets. VinFast also provides ongoing technical support, battery inspections and software updates for its customers.

Bui Viet Hung, Deputy CEO of Global Aftersales at VinFast, said, “Our goal is not simply to expand the network, but to build a customer-centric aftersales ecosystem that delivers an outstanding experience on a global scale. Through partnerships with experienced local operators and the application of VinFast’s global standards, we aim to provide aftersales services that are exceptional, responsive, and reliable”.

In addition to maintenance services, VinFast is collaborating with partners like V-Green to develop a global charging system. The company aims to establish more than 1.5 million charging ports worldwide to provide a comprehensive ownership experience for international EV users.

Comments (0)

ADD COMMENT

Link Copied!

Mumbai-headquartered automotive major Tata Motors is upbeat on FY2027. The company reported revenue of INR 3,355 billion, down 9 percent YoY in FY2026, as compared to INR 3,660 billion a year ago. The profit before tax saw a decline of 13 percent at INR 2,333 billion, as against INR 3,142 billion last year.

The impact was primarily on the back of several headwinds at Jaguar Land Rover, including cyber incidents, tariffs, China's luxury tax, VME pressures and adverse commodities. The Consolidated Net Debt stood at INR 307 billion, on account of adverse free cash flows primarily owing to production stoppages at JLR.

However, Tata Motors management is quite optimistic about transitioning into the new fiscal year. Shailesh Chandra, Managing Director & CEO, Tata Motors Passenger Vehicles, outlined a ‘stay the course’ philosophy backed by aggressive technological pivots. Despite macroeconomic volatility, the company is doubling down on its multi-powertrain strategy to insulate itself from global commodity shocks.

While FY2026 was a year of ‘outperformance’ (15 percent growth), Chandra has set a realistic yet ambitious floor for the mid-term.

"We are confident growth can be over 10 percent for FY2027. There is no question about changing the long-term plan. Unless there is a significant geopolitical impact on petrol and diesel prices that may have a 1-2 percent plus or minus effect on new car sales, we remain on track," Chandra stated.

Perhaps the most significant outlook provided was the expected reversal of the traditional cost structure. Chandra views the rising cost of Internal Combustion Engines (ICE) as an inevitability that will eventually make EVs the more profitable segment.

Interestingly, for Tata Motors’ alternative energy fuel mix (electric and CNG) now already accounts for 43 percent of passenger vehicle sales.

"ICE is going to be inflationary in the future," Chandra predicted. "Cost on the EV side has been disinflationary. If not equal, it will be better than ICE. We are not that concerned on profitability being impacted badly; there can be some pressure in the short-term, but it maybe for completely different reasons," he responded on the demand in the upcoming few months.

The automaker is also ramping up production to meet demand and expects to build on the strong momentum of H2 FY2026, and continue to deliver profitable and industry-beating growth in FY2027, supported by a robust demand pipeline, planned pipeline of new products and established multi-powertrain strategy.

By December 2026 or early CY2027, Tata Motors plans to enter the Flex-Fuel arena with at least one product to align with evolving government mandates.

"As far as Tata Motors is concerned, we are comfortable in terms of technology readiness," Chandra noted. "By end-December 2026 or early next year, we expect our first Flex-Fuel vehicle to be introduced. We are currently in discussion with the government through SIAM for E25 readiness."

Comments (0)

ADD COMMENT

Link Copied!

Maruti Suzuki India Limited has crossed a new threshold in its environmental logistics strategy, having now sent more than three million vehicles across the country by rail. The carmaker views this cumulative figure as proof of its deepening commitment to reducing emissions through supply chain innovation.

The share of trains in the company’s outbound vehicle movement has grown from just five percent in the 2014-15 fiscal year to 26.5 percent in 2025-26. The journey from two million to three million rail dispatches took only 21 months, setting a company record for the fastest addition of one million units moved by train.

Two of Maruti Suzuki’s manufacturing hubs, at Hansalpur and Manesar, are equipped with in-plant railway sidings, a distinction held by no other passenger vehicle maker in India. These facilities were built under the national PM GatiShakti master plan. The Hansalpur siding became operational in March 2023 and received a virtual inauguration from Prime Minister Narendra Modi a year later. In February 2026, it earned global recognition as the first modal shift transport project registered under Verra’s carbon standards. The Manesar siding, the largest of its kind in the country, saw its first train flagged off in June 2025 by Union Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw and Haryana Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini.

With a combined annual capacity of 750,000 vehicles, the two sidings feed a hub and spoke network covering more than 600 cities from 22 hubs. Popular models like the Swift, Brezza, Baleno, Grand Vitara and Ertiga, produced in Gurugram, Manesar and Gujarat, are moved through this system. Rail connectivity also extends to the ports of Mundra and Pipavav, supporting the company’s export shipments.

Hisashi Takeuchi, Managing Director & CEO, Maruti Suzuki, said, “Achieving three million cumulative vehicle dispatches through railways marks a significant milestone in Maruti Suzuki’s green logistics journey. Since 2014, our rail-based vehicle dispatches have increased ninefold in volume, now contributing 26.5 percent of the Company’s total vehicle dispatches. Maruti Suzuki has committed over INR 13,720 million towards dedicated green logistics infrastructure. This includes development of in-plant railway sidings at our Hansalpur and Manesar manufacturing facilities, rail yards setup at key logistics hubs, procurement of specialised automotive rakes and supporting multiple infrastructure upgrades.

 “We thank the Government of India for the visionary PM GatiShakti National Master Plan, which has created a strong enabling framework for integrated, multimodal logistics and has supported the industry’s transition towards efficient, rail-led and sustainable freight movement. Going forward, we aim to increase the share of rail-based vehicle dispatches to 35 percent by FY2030-31 and plan to establish an in-plant siding at our new Kharkhoda facility. This would further help reduce carbon footprint, lower fuel consumption and ease overall road congestion.”

Comments (0)

ADD COMMENT

Link Copied!

The 110th birthday of Ferruccio Lamborghini Cavaliere di Gran Croce OMRI, the famous Italian automobile designer and industrialist who created Lamborghini Trattori in 1948 and Automobili Lamborghini in 1963 was on 28 April 2026. The force behind the conceptualisation, design and development of some of the most iconic supercar models ever to come out of Italy, such as the Miura and Countach, Lamborghini was driven by an unceasing desire to improve and innovate. 
Born in Renazzo, a hamlet in the municipality of Cento (province of Ferrara), on 28 April 1916, Lamborghini – the eldest son of farmers Antonio and Evelina Lamborghini – was attracted to mechanics than to the land that his father harvested. At the very young age, he spent his afternoons in the farmstead workshop. 
Managing to get hired by the best mechanical workshop in Bologna, where he discovered the secrets of mechanics, Lamborghini was drafted and assigned to the 50th Mixed Maneuver Motor Fleet stationed in Rhodes at the outbreak of World War II.
He successfully repaired (and broke) vehicles belonging to the Italians, German and British. Founding his first company in Rhodes, a small mechanical repair shop, Lamborghini returned to Italy in 1946 and, taking advantage of incentives put in place to support the economic recovery, opened a machine shop in Cento to repair motor vehicles and build small utility vehicles. 
Observing the crisis suffered by local agriculture, he built inexpensive agricultural tractors within reach of small landowners, using the components of old military vehicles. The first was made from a Morris truck where he applied a fuel vaporiser of his own invention. He sold some eleven such machines, establishing himself as an entrepreneur.
Counted among the most important industrialists in Italy by 1963, Lamborghini decided to build the best grand touring cars in the world. An incident often told is that he complained to Enzo Ferrari about a broken clutch in his personal Ferrari. Ferrari reportedly told him: “Stick to making tractors and leave the sports cars to me.”
Determined to build a better car than his Ferrari 250GT, Lamborghini hired top talent, including former Ferrari engineer Giotto Bizzarrini, to design a new V12 engine, and Gian Paolo Dallara as technical director. The first prototype – the 350 GTV – was built in Sant’Agata Bolognese and shown at the 1963 Turin Motor Show. 
The refined production version – the 350 GT – debuted at the 1964 Geneva Motor Show. The Muira, launched in 1966, redefined the supercar segment like no other, establishing firmly Lamborghini and his car venture into the domain that Ferrari ruled. 
The emblem found on the bonnet of the Muira was a result of an exercise where Lamborghini contacted a well-known local graphic designer, Paolo Rambaldi, who asked him what personal characteristics he felt he possessed. “I’m tamugno (which translated from dialect means hard, strong, stubborn) like a bull,” was the reply. An emblem was born thus with a raging bull in it, popularly referred to as the world-famous logo of Automobili Lamborghini.
Retaining his spirit after he left this world on 20 February 1993, Automobili Lamborghini continues to make among the best and most desirable supercars today. They are made with his conviction that the best can still be improved and new avenues can be explored.
 

Comments (0)

ADD COMMENT

Link Copied!