Kia Sonet 2024 vs Maruti Suzuki Fronx

After a month of waiting, Kia has finally launched the all-new 2024 Seltos Facelift, and we are as excited as you are. With a bunch of cosmetic changes along with exciting feature additions and a complete safety revamp, the Sonet facelift is a well-executed upgrade to the Sonet’s rich and glorious legacy. And now that the SUV has officially arrived in full glory, it will be exciting to see how it pitches against key competitors, including the likes of the Maruti Suzuki Fronx, which is one of the latest launches of the segment. Featuring under the NEXA badging, the Fronx being Maruti’s premium compact SUV offering will be a big threat to Sonet’s popularity, especially considering its affordable price tag. So for those wondering how the Sonet will do when pitched against the Maruti Suzuki Fronx, here’s what the head-on comparison of both SUVs looks like:

Kia Sonet 2024 vs Maruti Suzuki Fronx: Dimensions

As far as dimensions go, the head-on comparison above makes it clear that both SUVs despite sharing the same segment are rather different from one another, at least as far as dimensions go. Talking about the Kia Sonet 2024, the SUV comes in as a balanced and well-proportioned package that is better inclined towards the true-blue SUV stance. Despite sharing the same length as the Fronx, the Sonet with its 25 mm wider and 92 mm taller stance comes with a stronger SUV touch that looks more appealing. What’s more, is the Sonet’s 20-litre larger boot space that’s a charm to have, especially when you’re on a road trip with your family. Cosmetically, the Sonet facelift now offers a modern look that is topped with contemporary design elements. Overall, the Kia Sonet is a fun-to-drive SUV that is easy to park as well.

Coming to the Maruti Suzuki Fronx, the SUV’s narrower and shorter look makes it look more like a beefed-up crossover than a proper SUV. But with that said, Maruti has given the Fronx a good balance of muscular and modern-day design language with certain elements that make it show classic SUV attributes. With 190 mm of ground clearance, the Fronx performs well over bumpy roads, without any evident hassles. The boot on offer is large enough for all your luggage needs, despite being narrower than what’s offered on the Sonet. But if there’s one area where the Fronx shines, it is its 20 mm larger wheelbase that makes up for a slightly better shoulder and leg room when compared to the Sonet. Nonetheless, both SUVs offer a compact bodyline that is easy to manoeuvre and cruise throughout the city.

Overall, when compared head-on, both SUVs offer a balanced and compact stance that is bred for the city, with the Sonet offering an SUV-oriented look, while the Fronx comes in with a SUV-cum-crossover stance.

Kia Sonet 2024 vs. Maruti Suzuki Fronx: Engine and Transmission

One look at the engine comparison above and you’ll realise that the engine game is where things get rather exciting between the two SUVs. Talking about the engine, both the Kia Sonet facelift, as well as the Maruti Suzuki Fronx are offered with two petrol engines onboard including a 1.0-litre turbocharged 1.2-litre naturally aspirated petrol engine. However, when pitched head-on, the Turbocharged engine of the Sonet offers 20 PS of more power and 24 NM of more torque, offering punchier performance, especially when you need sudden bursts of power. Another factor that goes in favour of the Sonet turbo, is the bliss of driving around with the 7-speed DCT that offers exhilarating performance. In terms of mileage however, the Fronx’s 1.0-litre turbo engine with mild hybrid technology takes the lead, with up to 21.5 km/l of mileage offered with the manual and 20.1 km/l with the automatic, compared to Sonet’s turbocharged engine that offers up to 18.7 km/l with manual and 19.2 km/l with automatic.

Coming to the naturally aspirated engine, the Fronx dominates the game with its 1.2-litre DualJet engine, which is extremely well-refined and offers slightly better power and torque figures. What’s more is the convenience of having a 5-speed AMT by your side, which the Sonet’s 1.2-litre NA engine misses out on. Fuel efficiency is another area where the Fronx’s naturally aspirated engine shines, with up to 21.79 km/l of mileage offered with the manual and up to 22.89 km/l offered with the automatic which is substantially higher than the 18.83 km/l of mileage the Sonet offers. For extra savings, the Fronx also comes in CNG trims that offer a mileage of up to 28.51 km/kg with reduced power of 77.5 PS with 98.5  Nm of torque mated to a sole 5-speed manual.

Overall, when considering the petrol versions of both SUVs, for those who are looking to buy a turbo-powered SUV, the KIA Sonet Facelift is hands down the ultimate winner, with DCT automatic and better power and torque figures. But for those who are looking to buy the naturally aspirated petrol version, the Fronx comes in as a much better option in every way, be it mileage, power, torque or refinement.

The diesel engine arena is where the Kia Sonet facelift takes the unchallenged win since the Fronx fails to offer a diesel engine altogether. With that said, the diesel engine onboard the Sonet is a good one with ample power and torque at its disposal, offering balanced and punchy driving dynamics along with great mileage that goes as high as 22.3 km/l. This engine offers three transmission options including a 6-speed manual, a 6-speed iMT and a 6-speed AMT.

Kia Sonet 2024 vs. Maruti Suzuki Fronx: Features and Comfort

One look at the comparison above and one would realise that both the SUVs come with a plethora of onboard features and comfort. However, when pitched head-on, the KIA Sonet being the latest offering comes with additional features that the Fronx seems to miss out on, despite being rather new to the market. These include hot features such as an electrical sunroof along with other features such as bigger touch infotainment, a 10.25-inch digital instrument cluster, a 4-way powered driver’s seat, voice-controlled power windows, ambient lighting and front ventilated seats.

On the other hand, the Maruti Suzuki Fronx also comes in as a premium and modern-day offering that is topped with a variety of features. However, considering the Fronx’s affordable price tag, it does miss out on a few premium features. But with that said, features like paddle shifters and heads-up displays are still unique to the Fronx.

Overall, the feature game is where Sonet Facelift takes a considerable edge considering that it is the latest compact SUV offering in the market. The Fronx however does not disappoint in any way and is packed with great features onboard, that are justified considering its affordable price tag.

Kia Sonet 2024 vs Maruti Suzuki Fronx: Safety Features

When it comes to safety there is no doubt that Maruti has improved substantially offering great onboard safety features across trims. However, when pitched against the Sonet, the Maruti Suzuki Fronx seems to miss out on a lot, as the Kia Sonet does exceptionally well when it comes to safety. 

With 6 airbags as standard along with additional safety features such as all four disc brakes, front parking sensors and tyre pressure monitoring system, the Sonet shines high in the safety department. The cherry on the cake is the fact that the Sonet Facelift now comes with Advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS) onboard and offers advanced safety features such as:

• Forward Collision Warning
• Forward Collision-Avoidance Assist (Pedestrian, Car and Cyclists)
• Lane Departure Warning
• Lane Keeping Assist
• Lane Following Assist
• Leading Vehicle Departure Alert
• High Beam Assist and 
• Driver Attention Warning.

Thus, when compared head-on, the all-new KIA Sonet is miles ahead of the Maruti Suzuki Fronx, thanks to the latest and greatest safety offerings onboard including ADAS.

Kia Sonet 2024 vs Maruti Suzuki Fronx: Price Comparison

When it comes to the price comparison, the KIA Sonet Facelift comes with a seven-trim lineup that includes HTE, HTK, HTK+, HTX, HTX+, GTX+ and X-LINE. The trims are spread across 19 variants. On the other hand, the Maruti Suzuki Fronx’s variant lineup is spread across 5 trims, including the Sigma, Delta, Delta+, Zeta and Alpha which are spread across 14 variants.

While both SUVs have ample variants to choose from, it is the Maruti Suzuki Fronx that offers the overall price advantage in each trim. Starting from the base trim, the saving offered by the Fronx ranges between Rs. 53 thousand to Rs. 1.38 Lakh at the lower and upper ends respectively. Coming to the mid-level trims, this number ranges between Rs. 47 thousand to Rs. 1.67 Lakh. The upper mid and top-end trims are where the Fronx dominates the Sonet in terms of price with savings going as high as Rs. 2.56 Lakhs for the topmost trims. So for those who can do without the ADAS onboard, and are comfortable without features such as an electric sunroof, the Fronx offers unmatched value for money.

Thus as far as price is concerned, the Maruti Suzuki Fronx is undoubtedly better value for money, especially for those considering the upper-mid and top-end trims. But with that said, the Sonet Facelift does offer better in terms of safety along with better features across trims, making it highly value-for-money despite a dearer price tag.

Kia Sonet 2024 vs. Maruti Suzuki Fronx: Summary

Be it the Kia Sonet Facelift or the Maruti Suzuki Fronx, both cars offer a value-for-money package that has everything one might need in a compact SUV. While the Sonet Facelift offers a well-balanced SUV look, the Fronx on the other hand comes in with more of a crossover look, with an elegant design and muscular elements. Coming to the performance and engine, the Sonet Facelift offers three equally capable engines including a turbocharged petrol and diesel engine, Fronx on the other hand comes with naturally aspirated and turbocharged petrol engines along with efficient CNG trims. While the Sonet shines on its turbo power and diesel punch, the Fronx excels in the naturally aspirated petrol engine and the mileage game across engines.

Feature-wise, both SUVs are packed, but the Sonet offers a little more being the latest offering. Safety is where the Sonet completely shines, with almost all modern-day safety tech onboard, including ADAS. Finally coming on to the price, while the Fronx shines with its affordability and value, the Sonet Facelift justifies its price with a lot more offered in every trim.