Kia Motors Europe has unveiled the latest addition to its sporty GT-Line portfolio – and it’s a little crossover.
The new 2021 Kia Stonic GT-Line has been revealed and will be introduced in Australia before the end of the year. It’s the first time Kia’s sport-themed trim line has been offered on its smallest crossover in Europe.
Speaking with CarExpert, a Kia Australia spokesperson confirmed the GT-Line will serve as the flagship variant for the Australian line-up when it arrives in December, using the same three-cylinder turbo petrol engine as the related Rio GT-Line hatchback.
“The GT-Line will be powered by the Smartstream 1.0-litre T-GDi coupled to a seven-speed dual-clutch transmission producing 74kW and 172Nm. We will not be introducing the mild-hybrid,” the spokesperson said.
Building on the facelifted Stonic, the GT-Line gets a more aggressive front grille, new bumpers at both ends, LED fog lights, a rear spoiler, unique 17-inch alloy wheels, and of course GT-Line badging.
The sportier trim level also gets a flat-bottom GT-Line steering wheel, carbon-look trimmings, cloth/leatherette seats embossed with GT-Line insignia, as well as contrast stitching.
Power in the European Stonic comes exclusively from a 1.0-litre three-cylinder turbo petrol available in two states of tune, as well as with and without 48V mild-hybrid technology.
For the GT-Line, the higher-spec 88kW trim with 48V tech is standard fit, available with the company’s new clutch-by-wire six-speed intelligent manual transmission (iMT) or a seven-speed dual-clutch auto.
Manual models get 172Nm of torque, while DCT versions bump that to 200Nm. Zero to 100km/h takes 10.4 seconds (claimed) for both transmissions, with top speed rated at 115mph (185km/h).
As noted previously for the MY21 update, the Stonic is available with a range of driver assistance and active safety features, including autonomous emergency braking with pedestrian and now cyclist detection, lane-keeping assist, high-beam assist, blind-spot monitoring, and intelligent speed limit assist.
There’s also a new, larger 8.0-inch touchscreen infotainment system with wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, along with UVO Connect online features in Europe.
Stay tuned to CarExpert for all the latest Kia Stonic news in the lead-up to its local launch in December.
