Kia Sonet urban compact SUV is built in India and will be available globally

Kia has unveiled a new compact SUV that it calls a "smart urban compact SUV." The vehicle will be built in India and will be available globally. Kia says that the Sonet is its entry into the burgeoning compact SUV segment and promises a new benchmark with first-in-class features.The Kia Sonet shares the same styling as other vehicles the brand offers. It will come with multiple powertrain options to suit different requirements. Options include a choice of a pair of gasoline engines, including a Smartstream 1.2-liter four-cylinder, and a 1.0 T-GDi. Kia will offer a 1.5-liter CRDi diesel engine with the choice of five transmissions, including a five or six-speed manual along with a seven-speed DCT or six-speed automatic.

The six-speed Smartstream manual transmission is very interesting and has no clutch pedal while offering the same driver control is a conventional manual transmission. That will be perfect for people looking to save money who don't know how to drive a stick.

Sonet offers several features that Kia claim are a segment first, including:

Largest and best-in-class 10.25-inch (26.03 cm) HD touchscreen with navigation and live traffic

Smart Pure Air Purifier with virus protection

BOSE Premium seven-speaker audio with sub-woofer

Ventilated driver and front-passenger seats

LED Sound Mood Lighting

Remote engine start for automatic and manual transmission via UVO Connect and Smart Key

Over-the-air (OTA) map updates

Multi-drive & traction modes and grip control for automatic models

Wireless smartphone charger with cooling function

Pricing and availability are unclear at this time. Since Kia says the vehicle will be available for the world, it is expected in the US.