Having proved a comfy and able runabout, it was time for the Kia Sonet to show its practical side with some unconventional tasks
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Time spent: Four of six months
Distance covered: 3 568 km
Average fuel consumption: 7.3 L/100 km
We like: Surprisingly accommodating boot
We don’t like: Exposed seat hinge struts could scratch delicate loads
This month, I decided to put the Sonet’s practicality to the test with a couple of unusual load-carrying assignments. First up was a trip to a furniture shop to buy a headboard for a double bed. Falling into the Black Friday trap of buying a far grander item than originally intended, I found myself baulking slightly when the 134 x 147 cm box for my new purchase emerged from the warehouse.
With everything paid for, and in front of a chuckling audience of fellow customers, I grimaced at the potential eyes-bigger-than-my-stomach scenario I’d created for myself. Thankfully, after a spot of finessing the box around the load lip and moving the front seats forward a touch, the Sonet’s 868-litre boot accommodated this impromptu bargain.
Related: Road Test: Aston Martin Vantage Coupé
Next for the Sonet was a stint as the tracking car on a recent photo shoot; the boot accommodating our long-limbed photographer, Peet, and his kit. He remarked that the flat floor and high-opening tailgate were especially handy when it came to accessing and getting a secure position in, the load bay. His only criticism concerned the exposed steel hinge struts at the base of the folded seats, which could potentially scratch items placed against them. While wasn’t the most conventional load-carrying exercise, it does mark what’s possibly an automotive first… being able to interview the ‘luggage’!
Find the full feature in the February issue of CAR Magazine.
