The Kia Stonic will offer two engines and three trim levels when it goes on sale around December of 2020, CarExpert can confirm.
A representative from Kia Australia said today the Stonic – which has been on sale in Europe and South Korea for some time – will be available in familiar S, Sport and GT-Line grades like the Rio hatchback upon which it’s based, with two petrol engines to be offered depending on trim level.
Pricing and full specifications are yet to be detailed, but the Stonic S and Stonic Sport will both be powered by the 1.4-litre MPI naturally-aspirated four-cylinder petrol developing 74kW of power and 133Nm of torque.
The S will come as standard with a six-speed manual transmission with a six-speed automatic available as an option, while the Sport will be six-speed auto only.
Meanwhile, the Stonic GT-Line revealed earlier today will feature a Smartstream 1.0-litre T-GDi three-cylinder petrol making the same 74kW of power but a healthier 172Nm of torque lower in the rev range, mated to a seven-speed dual-clutch automatic.
All Stonic models will be front-wheel drive in Australia.
Like the Rio, Australian-delivered Stonic models will miss out on the fuel-saving 48V mild-hybrid technology announced for the European market.
Expect the Sport and GT-Line versions to offer a range of active safety and driver assistance features as standard, with the S hopefully featuring AEB and lane-keeping assist as a minimum.
In Europe, high-spec versions of the Stonic offer autonomous emergency braking with pedestrian and cyclist detection, full-LED headlights, adaptive cruise control with Lane Following Assist, blind-spot and rear cross-traffic assist, and a rear occupant alert system that tells drivers if they’ve left a person or object in the back seats.
All models should come with six airbags as standard, as well as ISOFIX child seat mounts on the outboard rear seats.
The range should also feature an 8.0-inch touchscreen as standard, complete with wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, in addition to available items like climate control air-conditioning, alloy wheels, and vibrant colour options.
While pricing is yet to be confirmed at this point in time, we’re expecting the Stonic to start at around the $20,000 mark in entry-level S guise, climbing to around the low-$30,000 for the fully-specced GT-Line, neatly crossing over between the light and small SUV segments. The Stonic should launch with sharp drive-away deals as is Kia custom, too.
Further details will come to light in the lead-up to the Stonic’s Australian release December, so stay tuned to CarExpert for all the latest.
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