Kia Sonet 2024 vs Renault Kiger

The wait is finally over, with the all-new 2024 Kia Sonet’s official launch. With attractive cosmetic changes offered along with a plethora of new features and an exceptional safety package, the all-new Kia Sonet has gotten us all excited. With so much onboard, it will be fun to see how the new Kia Sonet does against key competitors. Talking of which, it would be a sin not to mention the Renault Kiger, which is one of India’s most affordable compact SUVs, that has truly made the segment a lot more accessible, especially for those who are on a tight budget. With a package that offers unmatched value for money, the Renault Kiger poses a major threat to Sonet’s reign. With deliveries slated to commence in mid-January, it will be interesting to see if the all-new Kia Sonet’s feature game can overpower the Kiger’s value. Till then let’s see how both SUVs fare against each other head-on.

Kia Sonet 2024 vs Renault Kiger: Dimensions

As far as dimensions go, the head-on comparison above makes it evident that both SUVs despite sharing the same segment have come with a distinct package that is a bit different from each other, 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 has a strong SUV touch to it. With a 40 mm wider, 37 mm higher and 4 mm lengthier stance, the Sonet will appeal to those looking to bring home a modern-looking, elegant, sporty SUV. 

Coming to the Renault Kiger, the SUV’s narrower and shorter silhouette makes it look more like a grown-up hatchback than a true-blue SUV. But with that said, Renault has done a great job in giving the Kiger, ample elements that are reminiscent of the SUV vibe, which is evident from the Kiger’s 205 mm of ground clearance, which is a tad bit higher than what the Sonet offers. Despite its compact bodyline, the Kiger does not compromise on cabin comfort and space, in any way, which we feel is quite impressive. One area, however, where the Kiger absolutely dominates, is its 405 litres of boot space, which is much larger than what the Sonet offers. This makes the Kiger the perfect family car that is easy to drive around in cities as well as highways. 

Overall, when compared head-on, both SUVs offer a balanced and compact stance that is bred for the city. While the Sonet offers a modern, contemporary and muscular SUV-oriented stance, the Kiger on the other hand comes in with an elegant, well-proportioned, crossover-like look.

Kia Sonet 2024 vs. Renault Kiger: Engine and Transmission

One look at the engine comparison above and you’ll realise that the engine game is where the Kia Sonet 2024 gets an edge over the Kiger, at least on paper. Talking about what’s offered, both the Kia Sonet facelift, as well as the Renault Kiger are offered with two engines onboard including a turbocharged as well as naturally aspirated petrol engine. 

However, when pitched head-on, the Turbocharged engine of the Sonet offers 20 PS of more power and 12 NM of more torque, despite the same cubic capacity, offering a punchier performance, especially when you need to overtake. 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. But with that said, the Kiger too comes with a 5-speed CVT onboard, that’s equally responsive, efficient and fun to drive. Manual transmission mileage is where the Kiger’s turbo engine does well with up to 20.5 km/l on offer, compared to 18.7 km/l offered by the Sonet. In terms of mileage offered by the automatic transmission, the Sonet’s DCT returns 19.2 km/l while the Kiger’s CVT falls behind with 17.7 km/l. Overall, both the Sonet’s as well the Kiger’s turbocharged engines perform exceptionally well, with great driving dynamics and exhilarating, despite minor differences on paper. 

When it comes to the naturally aspirated petrol engine, the Sonet dominates the game with its bigger 1.2-litre engine, which offers substantially better power (11 PS higher) and torque (19 NM higher) figures. The engine itself is well-refined and performs well in both city as well as highway runs. The only thing that’s missing, however, is an automatic transmission that isn’t offered as of yet. Coming to the Renault Kiger, the smaller 1.0-litre naturally aspirated engine is better when it comes to mileage, but not the best in terms of performance. Nonetheless, with a 5-speed AMT onboard, the combo can be a great pick for those who are looking for a comfortable drive with great mileage of up to 19.3 km/l.

Overall, when considering the petrol versions of both SUVs, for those who are looking to buy a turbo-powered SUV, the KIA Sonet Facelift and the Renault Kiger are both neck-to-neck in terms of real-life performance. But with 20 PS of extra power and 12 NM of extra torque, the Sonet does beat the Kiger on paper. But for those who are looking to buy the naturally aspirated petrol version, the Sonet comes in as a much better option in every way, be it power, torque or refinement, despite missing out on an automatic transmission altogether.

The diesel engine arena is where the Kia Sonet facelift takes the unchallenged win since the Kiger 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 Renault Kiger: 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 Kiger seems to miss out on. These include hot features such as an electrical sunroof and 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, 360-degree camera and front ventilated seats.

On the other hand, the Renault Kiger also comes in as a premium and modern-day offering that is topped with a variety of features. However, considering the Kiger’s affordable price tag, it does miss out on a few modern-day features.

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 Kiger however does not disappoint in any way and is packed with great features onboard, which are justified considering its supremely affordable price tag.

Kia Sonet 2024 vs Renault Kiger: Safety Features

When it comes to safety there is no doubt that the Kiger offers all the basics that are needed for a safe and sound drive. This is evident from the SUV’s 4-star GNCAP rating, which is tough to achieve by several competitors. However, when pitched against the Sonet, the Renault Kiger 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 Renault Kiger, thanks to the latest and greatest safety offerings onboard including ADAS.

Kia Sonet 2024 vs Renault Kiger: 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, Renault Kiger’s variant lineup is spread across 5 trims, including the RXE, RXL, RXT, RXT(O) and RXZ which are spread across 21 variants.

While both SUVs have ample variants to choose from, it is the Renault Kiger that offers the overall price advantage with more trims to choose from. The price game is also where Kiger truly dominates not only this comparison but also the entire segment. The price-to-value quotient of the Kiger is one of the very best out there.

Starting from the base trim, the saving offered by the Kiger ranges between a whopping Rs. 1.99 to Rs. 3.79 Lakh at the lower and upper ends respectively. Coming to the mid-level trims, this number ranges between Rs. 2 to Rs. 3.39 Lakh. The upper-mid trim spread is where the Kiger comes in as an unignorable and value-oriented package, with savings ranging between Rs. 3.49 to 3.86 Lakhs in the lower and upper ends respectively. Finally coming to the top-end trim lineup, the Kiger hits the final blow to the Sonet with mammoth savings that go as high as Rs. 5.7 Lakhs.

Thus as far as price is concerned, the Renault Kiger 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 an alluring option, despite its dearer price tag.

Kia Sonet 2024 vs. Renault Kiger: Summary

Be it the Kia Sonet Facelift or the Renault Kiger, both cars offer a great package that has a balance of everything one might look out for in a compact SUV. While the Sonet Facelift offers a well-balanced SUV look, the Kiger on the other hand comes in with more of a beefed-up hatchback look that is highly inspired by the Kwid. Coming to the performance and engine, while the Sonet Facelift offers three equally capable engines including a turbocharged petrol and diesel engine, Kiger on the other hand comes with naturally aspirated and turbocharged petrol engines. The Sonet however, excels with its bigger 1.2-litre naturally aspirated engine and a turbocharged engine that comes with slightly better specifications. Feature-wise, both SUVs are loaded, 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 Kiger truly dominated with its affordability and value, the Sonet Facelift still manages to justify its price.