Overview
- Spy photos published Tuesday, sourced from Instagram account @cartech_kannada and carried by multiple outlets, show heavily camouflaged Sonet prototypes undergoing public‑road tests in India.
- Reports confirm the model is being developed on Kia’s K1 architecture used by the Syros, a change that should allow a longer wheelbase to ease the current Sonet’s cramped rear seating.
- Visible exterior updates in the photos include split LED headlamps with Sorento‑style boomerang DRLs, a smaller grille, slimmer taillights, redesigned bumpers, and Seltos‑style 17‑inch alloys.
- Inside, images suggest a large curved dashboard with twin 12.3‑inch screens similar to the Syros, while powertrains are expected to carry over at launch and a strong‑hybrid is planned for about 2028–2029.
- Launch timing remains uncertain across outlets, with some reporting a second half of 2026 debut and others a 2027 arrival, and analysts expect Kia to price the new Sonet higher as part of its broader India growth push.