Kia Sonet’s 1-litre three-cylinder turbo-petrol engine makes 120PS/172Nm (6-speed iMT/ 7-speed DCT)

Maruti Fronx’s 1-litre three-cylinder turbo-petrol with mild-hybrid tech makes 100PS/148Nm

To keep things fair, we tested the manual (5-speed MT Fronx and 6-speed iMT Sonet) variants

0-100kmph: Fronx took 10.38 seconds while the Sonet took slightly longer at 11.68 seconds

30-80kmph (3rd gear): Fronx took 7.63 seconds while Sonet recorded it in 8.47 seconds

40-100kmph (fourth gear): 13.28 seconds for the Fronx and 13.24 seconds for the Sonet

Fronx wins the test, thanks to a proper manual in contrast to Sonet’s clutchless manual

Fronx retails from Rs 7.47 lakh onwards, while the Sonet’s prices start at Rs 7.79 lakh (ex-showroom)

Both the Kia Sonet and Maruti Fronx are available with a turbo-petrol engine, and here’s a real-world performance comparison between the two