This Tastefully Modified Kia Sonet Is A Dealer Customized Special (Video)
The Sonet packs much value for its price and continues to be in great demand. In most cases, the SUV is used as a practical family car and is kept stock. It is rare to find a tastefully modified Sonet on our roads. Due to this exclusivity factor, a video shared by Incheon Kia, a dealer in Kochi, Kerala, has now gone viral. It shows a tastefully customised Sonet, which has a dark theme to it.
The video starts by showing the SUV rolling. This is, in fact, a fully customised version of the Sonet. It has both cosmetic and mechanical/functional changes. Incheon created it to showcase just how exciting a Sonet can get when the right modifications are made to it. The company says that 'loadings' worth over two lakh rupees have been installed in it.
The Sonet offers three engine options- two petrols and a diesel. These are 1.2L naturally aspirated petrol, 1.0L turbocharged petrol and 1.5L turbocharged diesel. These can be had with both manual and automatic transmissions. Incheon has chosen a petrol-powered (1.0 TGDi) Sonet as the base car for this project.
A lot of cosmetic changes have been made to the car. It has a completely dark/black theme. The body colour is Black. The headlamps have been smoked as well. Adding more spice to the design, bright Blue decals (partial wrap) can be seen on either sides.
The stock Sonet comes with White LED DRLs. On this build, however, these have been replaced with custom RGB units. Initially, in the video, they emit Blue light. Later, we also see them in red. A smartphone application can be used to choose these colours (and there are over 300 shades to choose from!).
The front bumper gets lips and side lips with a Carbon fibre finish. These give the car a menacing look. Side skirts can also be seen. Plus, the vehicle now rides on 16-inch aftermarket alloy wheels. Even the callipers have been painted Blue. The side view mirrors come with 'Batman-inspired' covers. The roof gets a pair of cross bars as well.
In short, the exterior now looks meaner and even more aggressive. The dark theme goes very well with the Sonet's lines, creases and the design at large. Kerala is known for its tasteful modifications, and many Sonet owners could get inspired by this build!
Changes Inside The Cabin
This build has been quite smart with changing the cabin experience. It has changed the colours of several components inside, to suit the overall theme. For example, parts of the door pads, seat covers and seat belts now wear a shade of Blue.
The next big change is in the ambient lighting. The HTX+, GTX+, and X-line variants come with this feature. In its stock form, the scope of these lights is rather limited. On this build, however, more ambient lighting strips have been placed in areas which ensure better illumination than the stock setup. These can be customised using a smartphone application.
Mechanical Changes
In most builds like this, the changes remain cosmetic. Here, however, Incheon has given the powertrain a notable upgrade. The engine now runs a custom map, which gives it a gain of 20% in usable power.
In its stock form, the 1.0 turbo-petrol engine makes 118 hp. In its current state of tune, this Sonet makes over 140hp! Plus, it also has a BMC air intake. To further improve the experience, a Valvetronic exhaust has also been added.
How Much Do These Cost?
If you're already considering these for your Sonet, here are the prices.
Cosmetic:
- Wrap & DESIGN: Rs 30,000
- DRL - Custom: Rs 16000
- Bumper Lips: Rs 4800
- Side Skirts: Rs 4400
- Alloys (16 Inch): Rs 46000
- Cross Bar (1 set): Rs 9000
- Caliper Paint: Rs 5000
- Mirror Cover: Rs 3000
Interior:
- Seat Cover- door pad colour matching: Rs 12500
- Ambiant Light: Rs 19499
Performance
- Mapping: Rs 35000
- Valvetronic Exhaust: Rs 26500
These loading have a combined worth of Rs 2.11 lakh. As an introductory offer, if you purchase the 'loaded car' instead of loading it piecemeal, the company will give a discount of up to 1 lakh rupees. Incheon has made 25 units of the spec shown here, all of which are now available for purchase. You can reach the dealer on 81118 79144, to book one...