Kia Stonic review

Forget the Da Vinci Code; if Dan Brown wanted to write a book about mind-bending conundrums, he should have tasked his characters with choosing a new compact SUV, such as this Kia Stonic. There are dozens of these jacked-up hatchbacks on sale, from the diminutive SEAT Arona to the comfortable VW T-Roc and the roomy Kia Sportage.

Under the skin, the Kia Stonic shares plenty of components with the Hyundai Kona, but unlike its bold-looking cousin, it doesn’t really have what it takes to stand out from this ever-growing crowd; unless you pay extra for one of its snazzy two-tone paint jobs.

You needn’t stop there, though, because you can also deck the Kia Stonic’s interior with a few colourful inserts and details. These certainly help make the Stonic’s cabin easy on the eye, but they can’t disguise the fact that many of the interior trims are made from hard, cheap-feeling plastics.

Much nicer to touch is the Kia Stonic’s standard touchscreen infotainment system. Like the VW T-Roc, it comes with smartphone mirroring as standard, but it isn’t quite so easy to use on the move.

Unlike many other small SUVs, the Kia Stonic’s jacked-up body doesn’t result in it having a particularly practical interior.

The Kia Stonic also loses out to the likes of the larger VW T-Roc in terms of passenger space. Sure, you have enough space to stretch out in the front, but lofty passengers will wish there was a little more headroom and legroom behind.

There isn’t quite as much space in the Kia Stonic’s boot as you get in the T-Roc either, but you’ll find it’s just as easy to drive in town thanks to its raised seating position and large windows that give you a good view out.

The Kia’s 1.4-litre petrol engine isn’t particularly powerful, so the perkier 1.0-litre petrol is a better bet if you take in a mix of town and country roads. That said, it still isn’t quite as much fun to drive on a twisty road as a SEAT Arona.

If long journeys are more your thing, skip the petrol engines and go for the 1.6-litre diesel instead – it’s a little sluggish but uses much less fuel on motorways. Unfortunately, the Kia Stonic’s tyres produce a fair amount of noise at speed, but at least there isn’t a great deal of wind noise to worry about.

You can also get some upgraded driver assistance features for a little extra peace of mind, including automatic emergency braking, but you’ll find plenty of these features come as standard on many other small SUVs.

This theme runs throughout the Kia Stonic. It’s neither the most spacious, nor the most stylish small SUV on sale but it is easy to drive, relatively cheap to run and comes with a reassuring seven-year warranty.

If that’s an important consideration for you when buying a car, head over to our Kia Stonic deals page to see how much you can save, or read our detailed interior, practicality and driving sections for more information.

Common Kia Stonic questions

Is the Kia Stonic AWD?
The Kia Stonic is front-wheel-drive only, regardless of which engine and gearbox you pick. That said, it still has enough grip to deal with a slippery leaf-ridden country lane.

Where is the Kia Stonic made?
Unlike many other Kias, the Kia Stonic isn’t built at the firm’s factory in Zilina, Slovakia. Instead, it’s made in South Korea at Kia’s Sohari Plant in Gwangmyeong.

When did the Kia Stonic come out?
The Kia Stonic made its debut at the 2017 Frankfurt International Motor Show in Germany in September and went on sale later that same year.

Is the Kia Stonic available in automatic?
Yes. You can get the Kia Stonic with a six-speed manual or a seven-speed automatic gearbox. Like the ones used in many small SUVs, this automatic gearbox is of the twin-clutch variety, meaning it can be a little jerky at very slow speeds but changes gear more quickly than a conventional automatic gearbox.

Take a look at the latest Kia Stonic deals.