These two are everywhere right now.
Drive around Davao for an hour and you’ll spot at least one of each… probably more.
The Toyota Raize and the Kia Sonet are the most searched subcompact crossovers in the Philippines right now, and for good reason.
Both are practical, affordable, and genuinely good looking for what they are.
But which one should you actually buy?
The Numbers Side by Side
| Toyota Raize | Kia Sonet | |
| Starting price | ₱757,000 | ₱798,000 |
| Top variant | ₱1,074,000 | ₱1,218,000 |
| Engine options | 1.2L NA or 1.0L Turbo | 1.5L NA only |
| Top power output | 96hp / 140Nm (Turbo) | 115ps / 144Nm |
| Ground clearance | 200mm | 205mm |
| Transmission | 5-speed MT or CVT | 6-speed MT or IVT |
Toyota Raize
The Raize starts at ₱757,000 for the base 1.2 E MT and goes up to ₱1,074,000 for the turbocharged top variant.
That 1.0 Turbo CVT is the one worth talking about… 96hp and 140Nm through a CVT with paddle shifters, blind spot monitoring, Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, and LED headlights. It also gets two-tone color options which honestly look really sharp on the road.
The 200mm ground clearance handles city potholes and the occasional rough subdivision road without drama. At 4,030mm long, it’s compact enough to park almost anywhere in the city without breaking into a sweat.
I’ll have to be honest anbout my thoughts on the Toyota Raize… I’m not too hot for it.
My cousin and I had a lengthy conversation about this car and he could not sway me on my stand about the Raize.
It just looks too boxy, sharp, and angular for me. A bit small too.
If I was probably younger and I didn’t have a wife or a son, I’d probably be one to get this. After all, I was in love with the Nissan Qube and Toyota Scion XB…
Hmmm… who knows…
Kia Sonet
The Sonet starts at ₱798,000 and tops out at ₱1,218,000 for the SX AT, which gets ADAS safety features, a panoramic sunroof, and dual 10.25-inch screens for both driver and infotainment. That’s a premium feature at a price that doesn’t feel unreasonable.
The 1.5L engine puts out 115ps and 144Nm… smooth and predictable for daily use. Ground clearance is 205mm, slightly ahead of the Raize, and the IVT transmission is genuinely refined in stop-and-go traffic.
The Star Map LED headlights and Tiger Nose grille give it a face that’s hard to forget in a parking lot.
The first time I saw the SOnet, was probably a year or two ago. When I saw it, I stopped. I was curious. It was just too new and different from all the others on the road.
So yeah… I like this. But between the Toyota Innova Zenix, the Kia SOnet might not be my first choice.
So Which One?
If you want a lower entry price and the option of a turbocharged engine… the Raize is your car. If you want better safety technology, a more premium interior feel, and that Kia warranty at the top trim… the Sonet wins.
Both are great.
Really.
You can’t go wrong with either one for Davao family life.
