The debut of the 2023 Seltos, Sonet, and Carens in the local market with RDE-compliant engines and an upgraded feature list has been announced by Kia India today. The trio not only complies with BSVI stage 2 standards but also works with E20 gasoline. The 1.4L T-GDi petrol engine in the Carens has been replaced by a brand-new 1.5L engine, but the 1.2L petrol engine in the Sonet small SUV has been kept.
The newer, more potent engine produces a maximum of 160 PS and a maximum torque of 253 Nm between 1500 and 3500 rpm, compared to the previous 1.4L turbo-petrol engine’s 140 PS and 242 Nm. The 1.5L CRDi WGT diesel engine in the Sonet has been replaced with a 1.5L CRDi VGT, which has an increased power output of 116 PS from the prior 100 PS.
The power output of the identical engine in the Seltos and Carens is boosted by 1 PS to 116 PS. The South Korean auto giant has had great success in India over the past four years, and because to the positive response to the six-speed iMT, it is now standard on all Kia vehicles with turbocharged gasoline and diesel engines.
Only versions of the Seltos, Carens, and Sonet with 1.5L naturally aspirated gasoline engines and versions of the Sonet with 1.2L naturally aspirated gasoline engines come with a manual transmission. The ISG (Idle Stop Go) capability is included as standard across the range in addition to these upgrades.
As a connected car feature, the Kia Connect Skill for Amazon Alexa has been implemented, giving its consumers access to home-to-car networking technology. By enrolling on the Amazon Alexa app, consumers may link their Alexa devices to their automobiles. Users may use their log-in information to access “Kia Connect” under the “Skills and Games” area of the app and link their Kia Connect account there.
Customers of the EV6 can also have it. Although the Seltos starts at Rs. 10.89 lakh for the basic model and rises to Rs. 19.65 lakh for the highest-spec model, the 2023 Kia Sonet is priced between Rs. 7.79 lakh and Rs. 14.89 lakh. The sticker price for the Carens, on the other hand, starts at Rs. 10.45 lakh for the base trim and rises to Rs. 18.90 lakh for the top-of-the-line model (ex-showroom).
The Sonet also gets standard Electronic Stability Control (ESC) and ISOFIX in the 1.5L diesel iMT trim, as well as standard rear seat head rests that can be adjusted up and down and the Kia Connect skill for Amazon Alexa’s H2C function in trims HTX and higher. The MD & CEO of Kia India, Tae-Jin Park, said the following on the newcomers.
The 4.2-inch cluster is extended to the Premium trim and the leather-wrapped gear knob is available from Prestige Plus versions in the 2023 Kia Carens. Idle Stop & Go (ISG) is a standard feature. Idle Stop & Go (ISG) and the Kia Connect ability for Amazon Alexa, which enables home-to-car communication, are now available on the upgraded Seltos.
