Citroen Basalt vs Kia Sonet: Which SUV Should You Pick?

Citroen recently launched the Basalt SUV-coupe on our shores and has priced it aggressively, keeping it in line with the prices of the subcompact SUVs in India. In this article, we will be comparing it with a rather popular subcompact SUV, the Kia Sonet, which is the preferred choice among many Indian buyers. It would be interesting to find out if the Basalt has what it takes to give the Sonet a tough fight on paper:

Price

* Prices of the Citroen Basalt are introductory

As we can see, the starting price of both SUVs is the same. However, the Sonet’s top-end X Line variant maxes out at Rs 15.77 lakh (ex-showroom), which is around Rs 2 lakh more expensive than the top-spec Basalt. Let’s find out if it's worth paying the premium:

Design And Dimensions

The Sonet’s design is in line with Kia’s modern styling for its new cars. Elements such as the aggressively styled grille, large LED DRLs and LED tail lamps make it look sporty and appealing. The Basalt on the other hand plays by its own set of rules. It borrows certain design cues from the C3 and C3 Aircross, but its coupe design is what makes it look unique and desirable. It also gets wraparound LED tail lamps as opposed to the connected tail lights that are being offered on most modern cars. 

Here’s a look their dimensions: 

As seen in the table above, the Basalt is the longer SUV, while the Sonet is slightly wider and taller. The Basalt also has a greater wheelbase which means it will have more space inside the cabin, at least on paper. The Basalt takes the point when it comes to boot space as well, as it offers 85 litres of extra space over the Sonet’s boot.

Features

In an era of feature-loaded SUVs, the Basalt seems to lag behind in terms of equipment. It misses out on some creature comforts and niceties such as a sunroof, push button start-stop, cruise control, and a 360-degree camera – all of which are offered by the Sonet, which make  it a more desirable and attractive option if you are in the market looking for features. That being said, most of the Sonet's premium features come with the top-spec variants, which means you will end up spending a lakh or two more in comparison with the Basalt. 

Also worth a mention, the Sonet offers ADAS features over the Basalt, which isn’t a must-have feature. But it is something that you’d appreciate if you have a lot of running on well paved and marked expressways.

Powertrain

As seen above, the Sonet is available with both petrol and diesel engines, while the Basalt gets petrol options only. The NA petrol engine of both the SUVs produce similar outputs, but the turbo-petrol engine of the Sonet is much more powerful than the Basalt.

Additionally, the Sonet’s diesel engine produces the most power and torque, and having the option of a diesel will allure people with high running. Out of the two, the Sonet also provides more transmission options catering to different needs. 

Verdict 

Both Basalt and Sonet have their own set of specialities and drawbacks, and are suited to different types of buyers. The Basalt triumphs in terms of its cabin and boot space, while offering an attractive coupe design which makes it unique and desirable. If you are okay with splurging an extra Rs 2 lakh or so, then the Sonet should be your pick if you are looking for a feature-loaded sub-4m SUV, which also has the option of a diesel engine.

That being said, you won’t go wrong with the Basalt either, as it will make sure you stand out from the herd of conventionally styled SUVs, while saving a couple of lakhs! 

Let us know your thoughts about these two SUVs. Which one would you pick and why?