2023 Kia Sonet

VEHICLE HIGHLIGHTS

Kia Sonet safety rating

Kia Sonet

Kia’s Sonet lands in a street fight where every rand counts, shoulder to shoulder with the Suzuki Fronx, Renault Kiger, and Nissan Magnite. It’s a subcompact SUV for buyers chasing that raised stance and chunky look, but who simply won’t pay big-SUV money. Here’s the reality: every Sonet listed now is petrol-powered, and forget about new-car shopping—there’s no fresh stock, only six used examples ranging from R208,500 to R324,900. That’s a shallow pool, so you’ll need patience or be ready to compromise on spec, especially since the average odometer reads about 58,150 km from 2021 to 2024 models. The median sits at R259,945, which is right in the SA sweet spot for this segment, if you pack smart. Now, for specs that matter: the 1.5 EX CVT and 1.5 LX CVT each show up twice, clustered between R239,500 and R269,900. The lone 1.0T DCT EX, topping the pile at R324,900, is your choice if you’re after that turbo kick and dual-clutch smoothness—on paper at least, it’s what the Sonet should have been from the start. Prefer a stick? The entry 1.5 LX manual sits at R208,500. The big draw over something like the Kiger or Magnite isn’t just the badge—Kia’s build quality and that seven-year warranty, which transfers to the next owner, carry real weight for South African buyers, especially when cars clock this kind of mileage. That’s the point.