Compact crossovers are becoming the go-to vehicle type for consumers in the crucial R300 000-R450 000 price bracket, with some truly impressive entrants. Kia recently introduced two 1.0-litre turbocharged variants to the Sonet line-up and we will be comparing the EX variant with similarly priced derivatives of the Chery Tiggo 4 Pro and Hyundai Sonet to determine which offers the best value for money.
Practicality
The Chery is the longest, tallest and widest product in this comparison, however, its boot is only the second biggest, with the 392-litres in the Kia besting its 340-litres. The Hyundai is the most compact product here, but its boot is slightly bigger than the Tiggo 4 Pro's at 350-litres.
Performance
In terms of performance, the Chery has the advantage with an engine that is 33% larger and therefore more powerful. In terms of efficiency, the Kia is the winner, on paper at least.
| Kia Sonet 1.0T EX | Chery Tiggo 4 Pro | Hyundai Venue 1.0T Fluid | |
| Engine | 1.0-litre, turbocharged, 3-cylinder petrol | 1.5-litre, turbocharged, 4-cylinder petrol | 1.0-litre, 3-cylinder petrol |
| Transmission | 7-speed dual-clutch automatic | CVT | 7-speed dual-clutch automatic |
| Power | 88 kW | 108 kW | 88 kW |
| Torque | 172 Nm | 210 Nm | 172 Nm |
| 0-100 km/h | 11.3 sec | 10.0 sec | 11.5 sec |
| CO2 emissions | 137 g/km | 162 g/km | 148 g/km |
| Fuel consumption | 6.0 L/100km | 6.8 L/100km | 6.9 L/100km |
| Price | R359 995 | R359 900 | R369 900 |
*This table was compiled with information sourced from www.duoporta.co.za as well as the official press releases of each model.
Specification
Both the Kia and Hyundai feature similar standard specification, with alloy wheels. airconditioning, multifunction steering wheel, LED daytime running lights, rear park distance control (PDC), 2 airbags, reverse camera, front and rear electric windows, front and rear USB ports and colour touchscreen infotainment systems.
The Chery shines in the specification department, sporting the largest alloy wheels at 17-inches, a colour touchscreen infotainment system, 6 airbags, climate control, cruise control, keyless entry, a sunroof, automatic wipers/headlights artificial leather seats, an electrically operated driver's seat and LED headlights, granting it the win in this category.
Safety
The Sonet received a 3-Star rating from Global NCAP while the C-NCAP programme rated the Chery at 4-Stars. The Hyundai received a 4-Star rating from the ANCAP assessment programme, including 91% for adult occupant safety and 81% for child occupant safety. Since the cars were tested by different organisations, it is difficult to compare their respective ratings, however, the Chery, on paper at least, offers the best safety features, with 6 airbags versus the 2 airbags in both of the South Korean contenders while all three feature stability control and rear ISOFIX child seat anchor points.
Warranty and maintenance
In the warranty department, the trio are all impressive. The Venue comes with a 5-year/150 000km car warranty as well as an additional 7-year/200 000km drivetrain warranty and a 3-year/45 000km service plan. The Sonet gets a 5-year/unlimited mileage warranty and a 4-year/60 000km service plan. The Chery again wins in this department with a 10-year/1 000 000km warranty and a 4-year/60 000km service plan.
Verdict
Looking at the data, one product emerges as the best value proposition, and that is the Chery, which has the best standard specification, the best aftersales offering and is the cheapest in this test.
