Kia has put the Stonic on the cutting table. The external differences with the original presented in 2017 are marginal, more interesting are the changes that Kia has made in the motor field.
The Stonic, which was introduced in 2017, was Kia’s answer to successful compact crossovers such as the Renault Captur and Peugeot 2008. The compact Korean, which shares its technology with the Rio, has been on the market for several years now, which means that the design department of Kia has recently been busy sketched, erased and drawn. At least, you would expect that. Only the connoisseur can distinguish the renewed Stonic from the original.
The exterior adjustments are limited to revised LED headlights, in which the LED strips are now cut up. Kia is also adding new 16-inch alloy wheels to its delivery list and is offering two new colors: Prennial Gray and Sporty Blue. In addition, the roof is now available in fresh contrasting colors, including Most Yellow.
More interesting is the introduction of the new 1.0 T-GDI engines with mild hybrid technology. The compact crossover gets the 48 volt system known from other models. The new 1.0s have the same power as their predecessors, which means that you can again choose from a version with 100 hp or 120 hp. However, the torque with 172 Nm and 200 Nm respectively is higher than before. Standard transmission is Kia’s iMT gearbox, a six-speed manual transmission with an electronically controlled clutch. The engine shuts down during the rollout, among other things. A seven-speed automatic is also available.
In the interior, Kia mounts a new infotainment system that is linked to an 8-inch display. The system can handle things like Android Auto and Apple CarPlay. There is also news regarding safety systems. For example, the Stonic now has Automatic Emergency Baking with pedestrian, vehicle and cyclist recognition, Lane Keeping Assist (LKA), Driver Attention Warning (DAW) and Blind-Spot Collision Warning (BCW). Blind-Spot Collision-Avoidance Assist (BCA), Intelligent Speed ​​Limit Warning (ISLW), Smart Cruise Control (SCC) and Lane Following Assist (LFA) are also on hand.
Dutch prices are not yet available. These will follow in the run-up to the market launch that will take place in September.