Soon after some leaked photos surfaced online, and just days following the reveal of the similarly sized Hyundai Kona, fellow Korean automaker Kia has pulled the wraps off their previously teased newest model, the Stonic compact crossover.
While the name still rings a little too much like an ill-informed committee decision to mash the words ‘Speedy’ and ‘Tonic’ (true story), the Stonic is the new model Kia is banking on to grab even more of the fast-growing small SUV segment, especially in European markets. With regard to its own portfolio, it will sit below the Sportage and larger-still Sorento.
Michael Cole, Chief Operating Officer of Kia Motors Europe, comments: “The Kia Stonic will be one of the most compelling new cars in this rapidly-expanding class, backed by Kia’s unique warranty, and the brand’s reputation for reliability, quality and contemporary design. As the segment expands, the Stonic looks set to become one of our best-selling cars.”
“By volume, the B-SUV market is expected to overtake the C-SUV segment by 2020, when more than one in ten new cars sold in Europe will be from the Stonic’s segment. The B-SUV segment attracts buyers from across the spectrum, with 21 per cent of all customers upsizing from a supermini, and another 15 per cent downsizing from their family hatchbacks. Cars like the Stonic also appeal to those looking to replace their compact MPVs.”
The Stonic does take certain key cues from other Kia products, incorporating the brand’s new ‘tiger nose’ corporate face and a more strake-like approach to character lines along the body. There’s a lot going on with the exterior here, even compared to the recently revealed Kona. Then again, it will be going head to head with the Nissan Juke, a car notorious for its unconventional and rather busy design.
Buyers will be able to choose from several combinations of primary and secondary exterior paint options (up to 20) for a standard two-tone look like the silver and orange in these initial pictures, which Kia says were inspired by their Provo concept from 2013.
Inside, the cabin carries over the accent colours from the exterior, but otherwise is an unsurprising layout with the exception of a floating central touchscreen instead of one integrated entirely into the dashboard. Clearly, it’s meant to appeal to European buyers, and it isn’t difficult to tracing parallels to this familiar set of ergonomic norms informed by products from automakers in that region.
While we cannot comment on the amount of room or guess at the level of occupant comfort, Kia’s measures the Stonic’s boot as being able to swallow up to 352-litres of cargo - not bad at all given its small size.
Kia is announcing the Stonic with a range of both petrol and turbodiesel engines, kicking off with a 1.0-litre turbocharged three-cylinder engine from the new Picanto that produces roughly 90kW. This is supplemented by a pair of naturally aspirated four-pots, displacing either 1.25-litres or 1.4-litres. Lastly, there’s a 1.6-litre turbodiesel that should appease the low-emissions chasers.
On the safety front, Kia will be integrating their DRiVE WISE active safety suite to certain variants, which adds Autonomous Emergency Braking (AEB), Rear Cross Traffic Alert, and Lane Departure Warning.
The Stonic will begin its showroom rollout somewhere within the third quarter of 2017, starting with major European markets. But there’s fading chances of an Australian debut to follow soon after.
For more on Kia cars, check out our Showroom.
