Kia Soluto

The Kia Soluto comes with a dual-tone interior for an attractive touch to the cabin.

The front seats of the Kia Soluto get adjustable headrests. There is also an armrest for the driver seat, along with recline and slide functionality for both. The rear seat gets a fixed bench-type seat for three occupants. The base LX models get a cloth fabric as the seat covers, while the top EX models make do with a more premium Leatherette upholstery.

The Soluto gets a rear camera display with static guidelines as a standard feature. However, parking distance warning sensors are elusive to the top EX models. The remote keyless entry and power door locks are available in all the trim levels. The buyers will even get power windows with every trim.

The steering wheel can be adjusted manually with a tilt feature for better convenience. The steering wheel also gets mounted buttons and hand-free phone controls to ensure that the drivers do not take their eyes off the road. The air conditioner is, however, manual in all the models.

The Kia Soluto gets a smart approach to media and infotainment packages. All the features in this section are given as standard across all variants. There is a 7-inch touchscreen, which gets Android Auto and Apple CarPlay connectivity, along with voice controls.

Apart from that, the features in entertainment include FM, AUX-in, USB, and Bluetooth connectivity to play music through its 4+2 set of tweeters. 

There are plenty of storage spaces for all the occupants in the Kia Soluto, including a glove box, a console box, two cup holders in the centre console, and four bottle holders on the doors. There is also an illumination lamp in the luggage space, which is given as a standard fitment.

The Soluto is available in a total of five colour options across all variants. The shades include Clear White, Titanium Silver, Blue Stream, Aurora Black Pearl, and Mercato Red. The spacious cabin is all thanks to the generous exterior dimensions. The car is 4.3 metres in length and 1.7 metres in width. The small sedan is 1.46 metres high, which is an indication of the kind of headroom for the occupants.

The boot space is pretty good enough for weekend luggage on weekend getaways and picnics. After all, you could easily fit in two big trolley bags in the 475 litres of space.

Getting back to the dimensions, the minimum ground clearance that the Kia Soluto offers is 150 mm. This seems to be good enough for uneven and bumpy roads. And while a lot of the aspects of the sedan are generous, you could say the same about fuel tank capacity. An overall tank capacity of 43 litres makes it one of the best in terms of driving range.

Next up, the sedan gets halogen headlamps as standard, while fog lamps are limited to the EX variants only. The turn signal is attached to the fenders on the base LX models, while the higher trims get a rear-view-mirror-mounted indicator. The wheelbase of the model measures a standard 2,570 mm. The wheels’ size is the same 14-inch across the trim levels too.

However, the base LX models get steel wheels with a cap, while the EX gets alloys. As for safety, there is a rear-mounted camera for parking purposes, along with a distance sensor.

Given the economic engine capacity and power figures, the Kia Soluto excels in the mileage department. However, the manual transmission trims get a slightly higher mileage than the manual trim.

The Kia Soluto is not huge in terms of performance. In fact, it is much like a sedated small sedan that excels in the mileage. A maximum power figure of under 100 PS means it does a decent job on the highway, while the city roads are where it truly feels natural.

The McPherson Strut suspension in the front and V-beam on the Torsion axle are tuned to be suitable for city roads. The setup can take in much of the bump without much impact in the occupants, though the small 14-inch wheels limit the suspension travel in case of big bumpers.

The steering wheel gets the manual tilt feature, which makes it convenient for all types of drivers, be it short or tall. Plus, it also allows for switching positions during long drives.

The Kia Soluto is powered by a 1.4-litre 4-cylinder Dual CVVT engine under the hood. The engine can produce a maximum power of 95 PS, which comes at 6,000 RPM. The engine is not very torquey but gets down the peak 132 Nm at just 4,000 RPM, which evens out any steep bridge or a car full of occupants on the entry to an open highway.

The power is channelled to the front wheels via a 5-speed manual gearbox. However, the LX AT and EX AT trims get a 4-speed automatic in their place.

The Kia Soluto gets all the basic safety features you would expect from a car of this range. There are two airbags for the driver and front passenger as standard. The braking duties are done by discs up front and drums at the rear. However, ABS is given as a standard fitment. The top-of-the-line EX models get a vehicle immobiliser for anti-theft security.

Warranty

Kia offers a standard warranty of 5 years or 160,000 kilometres on the Soluto. Besides that, the buyers also get 24x7 roadside assistance in case of unforeseen circumstances.

The Kia Soluto competes against some affordable sedans in the low-price segment. Some of them are:

Kia Soluto vs Mitsubishi Mirage G4

The Mitsubishi Mirage G4 is priced on the same level as the Soluto for the base model. However, it is far less powerful with 76 PS and 100 Nm from its 1.2-litre engine. The Mirage is also offered in manual and automatic trims, though it gets CVT in place of standard auto.

Kia Soluto vs Suzuki Dzire

The Suzuki Dzire is also powered by a 1.2-litre engine, which puts out 82 PS and 113 Nm. And while this is lesser than the Soluto, a lot of buyers would prefer a Suzuki engine over Kia any day. Both cars have a 5-speed manual gearbox, while the automatic differs. The Swift gets a 5-speed AGS compared to the 4-speed auto of Soluto.

Kia Soluto vs Nissan Almera

Nissan Almera seems to be a better value for money proposition, though it is roughly PHP 15,000 costlier than Soluto. The turbocharged engine produces 99 PS and 160 Nm torque. This helps power the car to a higher top speed at a quicker time frame.

Final Words

The Kia Soluto is a good choice to go for people who are looking to buy their first car with a tight budget. The light chassis and easy steering make it easy for new drivers to get their hands set. Plus, considering a price of PHP 760,000 starting, it is well and truly one of the most affordable cars to own. The only difference here could be the Suzuki Dzire, which costs less but compromises the performance.

Over the years, Kia, a sub-brand of Hyundai, has created a reputation for being very reliable and quality-focused. And given the rise in the sales figures for the brand YoY, it is safe to say that buying it over others is a safe bet.

Plus, the features, specifications, and safety set indicate that the Soluto is worth the price tag.