The most important things to look for in family-friendly SUVs in India are space and practicality. Today’s buyers are looking for more than stylish looks and powerful engines—they want a comfortable, practical car loaded with safety and tech features to make the commute safer, easier, and more entertaining. Two of the compact SUVs attracting family car buyers are the Kia Sonet and Hyundai Exter.
The Sonet is popular for its tech-rich interiors and premium feel, while the Exter stands out for its smartly designed elements that enhance usability. Both have five seats, a suitably large boot, and plenty of features.
Seating & Cabin Comfort
The Kia Sonet and Hyundai Exter are both fairly spacious cars, but they appeal to families in different ways. The Kia Sonet, a popular name in the Indian automotive space, offers a premium and tech-loaded cabin experience ideal for those who want their SUV to double as a comfort zone. By contrast, the Exter is designed with an innovative layout to make smart use of space, making for greater convenience on family day-to-day drives.
Kia Sonet: Practical Highlights
The Kia Sonet can seat 5 passengers and comes with supportive seats designed for long drives. It has a boot space of 385 litres, suitable for a family’s weekend trip luggage. A 45-litre fuel tank is offered, ensuring fewer refuelling stops on highways. The car offers 120 PS @ 6000 rpm and 250 Nm @ 1500–2750 rpm, delivering strong highway performance.
● Safety Package (15 Standard Features)
○ Front dual airbags
○ Front seat side airbags
○ Side curtain airbags
○ ABS with EBD
○ Brake Assist (BAS)
○ Electronic Stability Control (ESC)
○ Vehicle Stability Management (VSM)
○ Hill-start Assist Control (HAC)
○ Rear parking sensors
○ Emergency Stop Signal (ESS)
○ Highline tyre pressure monitor
○ Speed-sensing auto door locks
○ Impact-sensing auto door unlock
○ 3-point seat belts for all passengers
○ Seatbelt reminder for all seats
● Tech & Connectivity
○ Next-gen Kia Connect with 70+ features
○ Smartwatch and Amazon Alexa connectivity
○ 26.03 cm (10.25”) HD touchscreen with navigation
○ Full digital cluster with 26.04 cm LCD MID
○ OTA maps and updates
○ Bose premium 7-speaker sound system
● Convenience Features
○ 360-degree camera with blind view monitor
○ Ventilated front seats
○ Smart Pure Air Purifier with virus and bacteria protection
○ Electric sunroof
○ 4-way power driver’s seat
○ All-door one-touch power windows with safety
Hyundai Exter: Practical Highlights
The car gets a 391-litre boot space (a little more than the Sonet), which adds slightly more luggage room for families. The SUV's fuel tank is 37 litres, which is small but sufficient for city and short highway travels. The micro-SUV promises a smooth driving experience as it offers 83 PS @ 6000 rpm power and 113.8 Nm @ 4000 rpm torque.
● Safety & Assistance Features
○ 6 airbags
○ ABS with EBD
○ Electronic Stability Control (ESC)
○ Hill-start Assist Control (HAC)
○ Vehicle Stability Management (VSM)
○ Tyre pressure monitoring system
○ Rear defogger and headlamp escort system
○ Automatic headlamps
○ Speed-sensing auto door lock
○ Impact sensing auto door unlock
○ Central locking and driver-only inside handle override
● Tech & Connectivity
○ 20.32 cm (8”) HD infotainment system with Bluelink
○ Multiple regional UI languages
○ Home-to-car (H2C) with Alexa
○ OTA updates for maps and infotainment
○ Voice-enabled smart electric sunroof
○ Android Auto & Apple CarPlay
○ Ambient sounds of nature for a relaxed in-car environment
Family-Focused Space & Practicality Comparison
● Boot Space: Exter inches forward with 391L when compared to Sonet’s 385L.
● Cabin Technology: The Kia Sonet goes a bit premium with larger screens and Bose speakers, while the Hyundai Exter tries to keep it simple with support for regional languages in addition to ambient sounds.
● Fuel Tank: Sonet’s 45L tank is larger than Exter’s, which means long drives without frequent refuelling.
● Safety Net: Both SUVs get a robust safety list, but Sonet's 15-standard safety pack and six airbags as standard can be appealing.
Which SUV Feels More Practical?
If you’re a family that needs more luggage capacity and city-friendly practicality, the Hyundai Exter might make more sense. Those who settle for nothing less than luxury on long journeys and desire premium creature comforts and cutting-edge safety tech will be drawn towards the Kia Sonet.
Conclusion
When it comes to the family space and practicality, the final choice depends upon preference between the Kia Sonet and the Hyundai Exter. Enter the Hyundai Exter, the intelligent urban SUV that provides everything that families require in order to optimise everyday usability.
For additional boot space, Exter is your choice. The Kia Sonet is more premium in terms of tech and safety features, and even gets a bigger fuel tank for long-haul trips. They’re both pragmatic in their own right, and families would have to weigh the trade-off of everyday practicality for a touch of upscale luxury before choosing one to park in their garage.
