Kia Stonic Car Review
Kia is one of the fastest-growing brands in the world, and its expansion into new markets has been spearheaded by a range of affordable but well-equipped cars. One of Kia’s most recent launches is the Stonic, which was revealed as a compact crossover at the end of 2017.
The compact SUV was developed specifically for European tastes and will go on sale there next year before being launched in other key markets. So, what do we know about the Kia Stonic so far? Here’s everything you need to know about this new car from Kia.
A closer look at the Kia Stonic
The Stonic is a compact SUV that slots in just beneath the Kia cee’d in the Korean company’s model range. The name is a mash-up of ‘city’ and ‘tropic’, a nod to the Stonic’s all-weather abilities. It’s due to go on sale in the first half of next year, and we’ve already driven it ahead of that launch.
The Stonic is closely related to the Hyundai iX concept that was shown off at the 2018 Frankfurt Motor Show. The Stonic is the first Kia model to be built in Europe, with the company’s plant in Poland producing the crossover.
It’s offered with two engines, both of which are claimed to emit less than 100g/km of CO2 emissions. The base model makes do with a 1.0-liter three-cylinder turbo-petrol engine, while the higher-spec variant gets a 1.5-liter four-cylinder diesel.
Specifications
Any Stonic will be well-equipped with features such as air conditioning, cruise control, and a touchscreen infotainment system. It’ll be offered in either SE or GT-Line trims when it goes on sale, with the latter adding items such as leather seats, a panoramic sunroof, and a navigation system.
The Stonic is a truly versatile car, offering enough space in the cabin to fit a rear-facing child seat in the center row of seats.
Interior and Exterior
Kia has already showcased the Stonic in production form at various auto shows. From what we’ve seen so far, it looks like a crossover that neatly fits in with Kia’s current design language.
The Stonic adopts a more rugged-looking nose compared to the cee’d, with the frontal treatment split into two parts. The lower section houses the Stonic’s fog lights, while the upper portion forms a large grille.
The Stonic’s silhouette is typically SUV-like, with its sloping roofline and raised ride height making it obvious as to what segment this car is aimed at. There’s more versatility in terms of space thanks to the Stonic’s slightly larger footprint.
Engine and Performance
The Stonic is offered with two engine options. The low-end 1.0-liter three-cylinder turbo-petrol unit produces 95 horsepower and 133 pound-feet of torque, while the 1.5-liter four-cylinder diesel is claimed to output 134 horsepower and a healthy 258 pound-feet of torque.
The diesel engine is mated to a six-speed manual transmission, while the three-cylinder petrol engine is coupled to a six-speed automatic transmission. Kia hasn’t provided official performance figures yet, but it expects the Stonic to be able to accelerate from 0 to 62 mph in under 11 seconds.
What is unique about the Kia Stonic?
The Stonic is a car that aims to blend the best of both worlds: the space and versatility of a crossover, but with the agility and driving experience of a smaller car.
Kia has made sure that the Stonic feels more agile and responsive than other crossovers in its segment. The Stonic’s interior is a good example of this, with the crossover using a similar dashboard design to the cee’d.
This means that the Stonic comes with a floating touchscreen infotainment system that’s mounted high on the dashboard, giving the crossover a lower center of gravity and a more engaging driving experience.
How much will the Kia Stonic cost?
Kia hasn’t officially released Stonic’s UK price, but we can guess that it will cost around £19,000. The Stonic is likely to undercut the rest of the Kia range, with a fully-loaded Sportage costing around £27,000.
The Stonic will be Kia’s cheapest offering, but it will come with lots of standard features. It’s likely that the Stonic will be offered in an S trim standard with a higher-spec Advanced model available at a slightly higher price.
One thing to note is that Kia will most likely use an older engine in the Stonic’s entry-level engine. The larger and more powerful 1.6-liter engine is likely to be reserved for the Stonic’s more advanced variants.
Conclusion
The Stonic is a compact crossover that’s due to go on sale in Europe next year, but it won’t be coming to North America. The Stonic is a unique crossover for Kia on several fronts, but most noticeably, it’s the first crossover that’s built in Europe. The Stonic comes with a number of standard features, and it’s offered with two drivetrains, making it a compelling choice for anyone looking for a compact crossover.
