Kia Sonet review: small SUV proportions, hatchback running costs
3.8/5MotorsSouq Editorial Team
Buy the Sonet if you want SUV looks and a commanding driving position without an SUV-sized fuel bill or price tag. The 1.5-litre CVT combination is unremarkable to drive but entirely adequate for city use, and Kia's five-year warranty removes most of the risk of buying something newer to the market than a Sportage or Seltos.
Pros
- SUV looks and seating position at a subcompact price
- Reversing camera and parking sensors standard on most Bahrain trims
- Easy to place in tight Manama streets and parking
- Kia's five-year warranty covers most of typical first ownership
Cons
- CVT works audibly hard under full-throttle acceleration
- Cabin and boot space are tight for five adults on longer trips
- Underneath, it is a tall hatchback rather than a true body-styled SUV
The Sonet is Kia's answer to a very specific Bahraini buyer: someone who wants the visual bulk and raised seating position of an SUV without paying Sportage money for it. Underneath the styling it is closer to a tall hatchback than a true SUV, riding on a shared small-car platform, but the execution is convincing enough that most owners will not care about the distinction.
What it is actually like to drive
The 1.5-litre four and CVT combination is unremarkable — adequate for city traffic and the occasional highway run, but it works audibly hard on a full-throttle overtake, which is the CVT's usual trade-off for smoothness at lower speeds. Around Manama it is genuinely easy to place, with good outward visibility that many taller SUVs lose to thick pillars.
Cabin space is honest about the car's small footprint: fine for four adults on short trips, tighter for five on longer ones, and the boot is usable rather than generous. Where the Sonet earns its keep is equipment level for the price — reversing camera and parking sensors as standard on most Bahrain-spec trims, which rivals at this price point do not always match.
As a new-car purchase it is straightforward value; as a used buy in a few years it should follow Kia's typical depreciation curve in the region, meaning steady but not alarming value loss provided the service book is intact.