KIA HAS FINALLY revealed a first peek at its new compact crossover, with a design the Korean manufacturer hopes will rival other models in the crossover category, like the Nissan Juke, Peugeot 2008 and Hyundai Kona.
The B-SUV segment currently accounts for 1.1 million new car sales in Europe each year – around seven per cent of the market – and is forecast to expand to more than two million annual sales by 2020.
The Stonic was designed in Europe in collaboration with Kia’s Korean design studio, with the intention to make it more appealing to European tastes.
Sporting a signature ‘tiger-nose’ grille that is synonymous with Kia, along with a ‘Targa-style’ roof which buyers can have in a two-tone paint finish of their choice, the car is inspired by the design of the 2013 Kia Provo concept.
There will be up to 20 two-tone colour combinations to pick from, with an option of five different colours for the roof.
Inside, the cabin draws inspiration from the new Rio, featuring a large central touchscreen with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto as standard. Optional extras will include heated seats, cruise control and keyless entry.
Much like the exterior personalisation options, buyers will be able to choose from a range of colour packs for the interior.
In terms of space, Kia says the Stonic offers class-leading shoulder room and generous leg- and headroom. The boot can hold 352 litres, which is about average compared to the rest of the B-SUV market.
Again, to appeal to tastes on this side of the globe, the Stonic’s chassis has been ‘European-tuned’. The car is fitted with Electronic Stability Control and Vehicle Stability Management as standard. Buyers will also have the option of adding a selection of Kia’s driver assistance systems, like autonomous emergency braking and blind spot detection.
Powering the Stonic will be a choice of four engines all mated to a manual transmission. The petrol offerings are a 120 hp 1.0-litre T-GDI as well as a 1.25- or 1.4-litre naturally-aspirated MPI (multi-point injection) engine.
There will also be a 1.6-litre diesel engine but the Irish range for that has not yet been confirmed.
The Kia Stonic makes its world debut at the Frankfurt Motor Show in September and should be in Irish showrooms in early 2018.
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