kia stonic 015
kia stonic 009
kia stonic 010
kia stonic 011
kia stonic 012
Feann Torr21 Jun 2017
NEWS

Kia Stonic revealed

Compact SUV to deliver affordable new option for Europe – but not for Australia

The Kia Stonic compact SUV has officially broken cover today in Europe, ahead of its October 2017 market launch there.

The compact crossover's name is a combination of "speedy" and "tonic" and it will be offered in Europe with a seven-year warranty.

But any hopes of the entry-level SUV coming to Australia have been dashed after the local importer confirmed it will wait for the next-generation compact SUV, expected in 2019.

"There are no plans for this model in Australia," Kia Motors Australia's general manager of communications, Kevin Hepworth, told motoring.com.au.

Kia Stonic shows off a fresh new Euro-inspired design

"We'd rather wait until something more suitable for our market arrives," he added, explaining a new compact SUV will arrive in 2019. He said it wasn't clear whether this new vehicle will be called Stonic or not.

Until then, the Kia Sportage medium SUV will remain Kia Australia's most affordable city-savvy SUV, priced from $28,990 in Australia.

The Kia Stonic has been dubbed a compact crossover by Kia Europe and the hook for buyers will be its "eye-catching, confident, SUV inspired" design.

Interior design is likewise modern, with colourful flourishes, a large colour screen as part of the infotainment system that will offer standard Android Auto and Apple CarPlay functionality.

All the mod cons are fitted to the new 2017 Kia Stonic

Other convenience features include heated seats, keyless entry and cruise control.

The vehicle is being pitched as an urban explorer and comes with plenty of optional safety tech including autonomous emergency braking (AEB) with pedestrian recognition, rear cross traffic alert for backing out of car parks, blind spot detection, lane departure warning and automatically dipping high beam headlights.

All these elements would seem to make a strong case for the car being offered in Australia, but it's understood that a four-speed automatic and low-power 1.4-litre petrol engine – the most potent offerings – were major turn-offs for the local importer.

There are also 1.0-litre three-cylinder turbo engines and a 1.6-litre turbo-diesel engine, most of them carry-over powertrains from the Kia Rio small car.

The Kia Stonic's Australian roadblock is powertrain options

Competition in the compact SUV segment in Australia is hotting up, and vehicles like the Mazda CX-3 ($20,000) and Mitsubishi ASX ($25,000) – the sales leaders in the segment – are keenly priced and packaged with more powerful 2.0-litre engines and six-speed auto transmissions.

Despite the lack of six-speed automatic gearboxes like its rivals and underpowered engines, Michael Cole, Kia Motors Europe's chief operating officer, said the Kia Stonic "...will be one of the most compelling new cars in this rapidly-expanding class..."

"As the segment expands, the Stonic looks set to become one of our best-selling cars," he asserted.

Aussies will just have to wait a few more years for the Kia best-seller.

Share this article
Our team of independent expert car reviewers and journalistsMeet the team
Stay up to dateBecome a carsales member and get the latest news, reviews and advice straight to your inbox.
Looking for a first car?Get the latest advice and reviews on first car that's right for you.
Explore the First Car Hub
First Car
Disclaimer
Please see our Editorial Guidelines & Code of Ethics (including for more information about sponsored content and paid events). The information published on this website is of a general nature only and doesn’t consider your particular circumstances or needs.

If the price does not contain the notation that it is "Drive Away", the price may not include additional costs, such as stamp duty and other government charges.
Download the carsales app
    AppStoreDownloadGooglePlayDownload
    App Store and the Apple logo are trademarks of Apple Inc. Google Play and the Google Play logo are trademarks of Google LLC.
    © CAR Group Ltd 1999-2024
    In the spirit of reconciliation we acknowledge the Traditional Custodians of Country throughout Australia and their connections to land, sea and community. We pay our respect to their Elders past and present and extend that respect to all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples today.