Kia is decided to take its share in the booming small SUV segment with the new Stonic. The car is set to take on the current Nissan Juke, Renault Captur and peugeot 2008.
The new Kia Stonic will have five versions at launch, based on two trim grades (2 and ‘First Edition’) and three powertrains.
The Stonic will be available with a 98bhp 1.4-litre multi-point injection petrol engine, a 118bhp 1.0-litre T-GDi (Turbocharged Gasoline Direct injection) unit and a 108bhp 1.6-litre CRDi turbodiesel.
All models have a six-speed manual gearbox and feature ISG, Kia’s intelligent engine stop/start system to prevent fuel being wasted and CO2 from being pumped into the air when the car is stationary in traffic.
Pricing will start at £16,295 for the 1.4-litre petrol grade ‘2’, rising to £20,495 for the ‘First Edition’ 1.6 CRDi diesel.
Kia expects to sell 70,000 units across Europe in 2018, rising steadily to 100,000 a year during the car’s lifetime. The UK will contribute at least 10 per cent of the total. In the UK, B-CUV/SUV sales have risen by 50 per cent since 2014 and are expected to increase by another 40 per cent by 2020.
All models have 17-inch alloy wheels, air conditioning, all-round electric windows with an automatic function on the driver’s side, roof rails, rear parking sensors, remote locking, electrically adjustable heated door mirrors, a 3.5-inch supervision cluster, Bluetooth with voice recognition and music streaming, automatic light control, bi-function projection headlamps and cornering lights and LED daytime running lights. There are body-coloured bumpers, door mirror casings and door handles, steering wheel-mounted audio controls, 60:40 split rear seats and a six-speaker audio system.
