KIA Soluto

Overview

To increase its market share in the mass-market segment, Kia has launched its first-ever sedan in the Philippines in all these years – the all-new Saluto. Based on the same platform as that of its smallest offering, the Picanto hatchback, the Soluto offers a more premium and practical approach with its overall packaging.

Interior & Features

The Kia Soluto might look a bit too soft and subtle on the outside, however, on the inside, the Korean carmaker has tried to infuse a bit of youthfulness in the cabin.

The three-spoke steering wheel with silver garnish and piano black inserts feels very premium, however, the instrument console looks a tad too simple. The center console looks very minimalist, but functional. It has a touchscreen infotainment system with all modern smartphone connectivity options and reverse camera placed on the dashboard and buttons for manual AC positioned below it. The toggle-like switches for the air conditioner look quite cool and are easy to operate as well.

Unlike its cheaper sibling, the Picanto, which is quite well-loaded with comfort and convenience features, the Soluto doesn’t get many of them. Still, one does get tilt adjustable steering, electrically adjustable and foldable rear view mirrors, height adjustable driver’s seat and steering mounted audio and Bluetooth controls.

The Soluto excels in the amount of cabin space it has on offer, with ample amount of knee room, shoulder room and boot space.

Exterior

Kia has tried to explain the fact that the Soluto has been aimed at pure practicality over form, which is why the overall design is quite sober rather than flashy.

At the front, the Soluto does get the “tiger-nose” front grille in an elongated and horizontal form, which does manage to give the car a wide front fascia. However, this is the only aspect of the design which makes it look individualistic. While the headlamps look quite plain and lack the presence of projectors or LEDs, the bumper looks quite elegant with fog lamps integrated on the sides of the air dam at the lower center.

From the sides too, the Soluto looks quite plain, but long enough to call it a proper sedan. While the alloy wheels look like they could have styled a bit better and modern, the only saving grace here is the presence of chrome door handles.

At the rear too, the Soluto lacks any prominent character line or design element to make it stand out of the crowd, with a very plain and no-frills boot design making it look even simpler.

Ride & Handling

Like all of its siblings, the Kia Soluto has got a perfect ride quality and handling balance on offer. While it doesn’t feel outright sporty and precise in terms of steering feel and suspension setting, it is decent enough to absorb all the possible undulations offered by the worst of tarmac. The brakes too provide decent feedback on the application, with a disc brake setup at front and drums at the rear.

Engine & Fuel Consumption

For the Soluto, Kia has plonked in a 1.4-litre four-cylinder petrol engine as the only mill on offer. The engine is decently powerful, with maximum power output rated at 95PS and peak torque rated at 134Nm. Kia has offered two transmission options to choose from – a 5-speed manual and 4-speed automatic gearboxes.

Braking & Safety

Given its basic appeal, the Kia Soluto packs only the basics when it comes to safety features. Things like dual front airbags, ABS, reverse parking camera with sensors and engine immobilizer make sure that the Soluto isn’t too bare basic in this aspect.

Verdict

Unlike its other mass-market offerings, Kia has made the Soluto a tad too basic when it comes to visual appeal and premium feel. While the build quality is unquestionable, it lacks the sense of desirability usually perceived from a car from this category, owing to its very simple styling and lack of many exciting features. However, it fulfills the needs of an average Joe’s family, by offering a perfect balance of ride quality, space, handling, and ease of driving, making it a viable choice for family oriented owners.