Kia Sonet vs Nexon vs Venue – The Indian market for SUVs under 4 meters in length is very much alive with the best-selling models being Kia Sonet, Tata Nexon, and Hyundai Venue. The Sonet and Venue have a little bit of each other in terms of their main components, while the Nexon, which is only in its second generation, comes with the Indian manufacturers’ “soft-roading” approach and an emphasis on safety, which is a strong point of the vehicle. In this article, the comparison will be made over safety, powertrain, features, and pricing to find out how these three most liked SUVs are placed in the competition.
Safety
Among the most critical features in the compact SUV selection, safety remains at the top of the list. The Tata Nexon is the winner in this regard, boasting a 5-star Bharat NCAP rating, making it the safest of the three, in fact. The Kia Sonet and Hyundai Venue also come with six airbags as standard in all variants, and their top trims are equipped with Level 1 or Level 2 ADAS features such as Forward Collision Warning, Lane Keep Assist, and Lane Departure Warning. The Sonet comes with cutting-edge safety technology along with ADAS and high-end features like cornering lamps, while the Nexon emphasizes on structural protection and high ground clearance, thus ensuring basic safety for everyday commuting. The Venue presents a safe car at the same time as a technological one offering advanced ADAS in selected trims and a pleasant driving experience.
Engine
The three SUVs are equipped with engines comprising of a 1.2L naturally aspirated petrol and a 1.0L turbo petrol motor. There are also diesel options on each model. To make it more versatile for city and highway driving, the Sonet comes with numerous automatic transmission options, i.e. a 6-speed Torque Converter and a 7-speed DCT for turbo petrol variants. On the other hand, the Nexon is the one with the most unique options such as CNG and EV, in addition to a 6-speed AMT automatic for the petrol engines. Just like the Venue, excellent and powerful performance is also included, like 1.5L diesel AT and N-Line turbo petrol for enthusiasts. When it comes to choosing among them, Sonet is preferred mainly for its diesel AT in the lineup, while Nexon is for versatility, and the Venue for performance-oriented driving.
Features
In terms of technological advancements and comfort, the Sonet and Venue are the undisputed front runners of the segment. The three models’ highest trims have a 10.25-inch HD touchscreen infotainment system and a 10.25-inch digital instrument cluster as standard. The Sonet is the single model that highlights the existence of ventilated front seats, a 360-degree camera, and a top-notch Bose audio system, which has seven speakers, in crafting the driver-focused cockpit. The Nexon provides ventilated seats on the higher versions and also offers the practical front parking sensors, thus having a modern and functional cabin. The Venue’s styling is clever and understated European while at the same time being modern as it includes 360-degree cameras and sportier N-Line interiors for performance enthusiasts. In the end, the Sonet wins slightly with its premium audio and driver-centric layout features.
Pricing
Pricing is completely dependent on the engine and model variant. The Sonet, Nexon, and Venue, all start their 1.2L petrol base variant at a price of ₹7.30 lakh, ₹7.32 lakh, and ₹7.90 lakh, respectively. As for the top-end automatic variants, the DCT of the Sonet is around ₹14 lakh, the Nexon AMT at ₹13 lakh, and the Venue N-Line variant at ₹14.50 lakh for the 1.0L turbo. Diesel AT variant prices stand at roughly ₹15 lakh for the Sonet, ₹14.2 lakh for the Nexon, and ₹15.69 lakh for the Venue. Pricing of the Nexon is generally more favorable compared to its rivals, particularly in the case of automatic trims where the Sonet and Venue are priced higher due to introducing a new premium feature along with the transmission.
