Bold new look for Kia’s Ford Puma rival, which gets an upmarket interior but keeps ICE power and a manual option
The Kia Stonic has received a major update with new exterior and interior styling, and a choice of pure petrol and mild hybrid powertrains.
The Ford Puma and Nissan Juke rival has been revealed in Korean specification, with details of the European-spec model set to follow at a later date. The Stonic was launched in 2017, and this is effectively a second heavy facelift for the model, with updates for the European version in part likely to ensure it will be compliant with forthcoming EU7 regulations.
The Stonic has received a makeover to bring it in line with Kia’s ‘opposites united’ design, with a front end design brining it closer to the EV3 and other new models. The dimensions remain largely unchanged: it is 4165mm long, 1760mm wide and offers a 352-litre boot.
The two powertrain options that will be offered in Korea both use the 1.0-litre turbocharged engine that features in the outgoing model. In standard form it offers 99bhp and 127lb ft of torque, giving a 0-62mph time of 11.0secs and emissions of 125-133g/km of CO2, depending on specification.
The electrically boosted mild hybrid offers and 113bhp and 127lb ft of torque, with the 0-62mph spring trimmed to 10.7 secs and emissions of 120-129g/km of CO2. Both powertrains are offered with a choice of six-speed manual or seven-speed automatic gearbox.
UK specifications and figures are yet to be confirmed. The outgoing model offered here is available with two versions of the 1.0-litre T-GDi engine with varying forms of electrical assist, both of which offer 98bhp.
Depending on trim level, 16in and 17in wheels are offered, both of which feature new alloy designs.
Inside, the design changes also bring it closer in line with other Kia models, including a dashboard featuring twin 12.3in touchscreens and the multimode touch controls that can be toggled between heating and infotainment functions.
The Stonic also offers a range of new connected functions, including a digital key option, and driver assistance features including blind spot assist, forward collision avoidance assist and smart cruise control.
