6 things Kia is proud of in the 2021 Stonic

MANILA: With the full-on official Philippine public reveal 2021 Stonic happening mid-October, Kia lets us in on a few of the features of this subcompact crossover that it hopes will be a major player its segment.

Styling

It was designed by Peter Schreyer who previously worked at Audi and has been credited for the design of various A models and the highly influential TT sports car.

Schreyer is responsible for the "Tiger Nose" grille design that’s seen on modern Kias, including the upcoming Stonic.

The subcompact crossover bears more straight lines and smooth surfaces, and comes with a sleek roofline to accentuate its compact and chic style.

Customers have the option of getting a two-tone variant with the EX trim.

While simplistic in its overall design, the Stonic has received  awards from iF Design and Red Dot Design Awards in 2018.

Entertainment

The smallest SUV in Kia’s lineup packs an eight-inch infotainment touchscreen system that’s loaded with modern tech features.

It comes with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, plus it’s hooked up to a six-speaker system so that you hear every nuance of your favorite song on Spotify.

Safety

The Stonic with the standard safety package was assessed three stars by the European New Car Assessment Program (NCAP) back when it was launched in 2017, and was given an 85% safety rating for adults and 84% for children.

Kia Philippines has not revealed the full suite of safety features the local Stonic will get but they did mention that it will have Reverse Parking Sensors, Hill Start Assist, and Electronic Stability Control in the EX grade.

Powertrain

The Stonic has four engines, a 1.0-liter turbo, a 1.2-liter gas, a 1.6-liter turbo diesel, and the one we’re getting, the 1.4-liter gasoline engine. Yes, Kia Philippines is only bringing in one engine, for now. Let's hope for more.

It comes with D-CVVT (dual continuous variable valve timing) and can be paired to either a five-speed manual transmission (LX MT) or a six-speed automatic transmission.

The engine in the LX MT has 94hp while the same engine in the LX AT and EX AT puts out 99hp.

Warranty

Kia gives each Stonic a five-year or 160,000-km warranty, as well as 24/7 roadside assistance free for five years

Roadside assistance includes emergency towing, personal assistance, minor onsite repair, medical assistance and information service.

Prices and promo

As the Stonic units we’re getting are assembled in China, Kia Philippines benefits from the China-ASEAN Free Trade Agreement (C-AFTA) and was able to price the units very competitively. Below are the three trims and corresponding prices:

• 1.4 LX 5-speed MT: P735,000
• 1.4 LX 6-speed AT: P835,000
• 1.4 EX 6-speed AT: P925,000

Out of all of the above, the Stonic’s best offering is an early-bird promo that takes off P60,000 from the price of the 1.4 LX MT and P50,000 off the price of 1.4 LX AT and EX AT for buyers who will reserve between now and October 15, 2020.

Photos from Kia

Also read: Kia to launch 7 electric vehicles in 7 years