2021 Kia Stonic

By Alex Forrest

The ever-present battle between car makers for consumers’ attention, and ultimately their dollars, in the baby SUV market has resulted in strong competition and therefore some highly appealing choices for buyers.

These vehicles are otherwise known as city SUVs – tiny hatchbacks with raised suspension and some extra cladding around the wheel arches. Most of them are front wheel drive only, and most cost several thousand dollars more than their lower-riding hatchback siblings. 

Nonetheless, city SUVs are the hot item right now, and the Kia Stonic, which is based on the Kia Rio, is right in amongst the main contenders.

The Stonic ticks boxes that are particularly important to buyers in this segment, such as its seven-year warranty, a good level of standard safety gear, cheap running costs and competitive pricing.

In the GT-Line, the 1.0-litre three-cylinder turbo only needs 91 RON regular unleaded fuel, which can’t be said of all small petrol turbo engines – many need 95 RON premium. 

Pricing for the Stonic starts at $22,990 for the entry level S manual, with the auto needing another $1000. The mid-spec Sport auto costs $25,990, while the GT-Line is $29,990.

Even though the 1.0-litre turbo makes the same power (74kW) as the larger 1.3-litre engine in the cheaper Stonic variants, the 1.0-litre produces significantly more torque and can do it from very low in the rev range. This helps make the Stonic better to drive in city traffic, and it uses less fuel too.

The Stonic’s interior is well laid out and practical. For example, rather than screen menus, there’s a physical button for changing the radio between AM, FM and digital audio.

In the GT-Line, the 1.0-litre turbo is connected to a seven-speed dual clutch transmission, which at low speeds can be slow to select the appropriate gear and get you going, especially when the engine start/stop function is turned on.

The Stonic’s styling is bold and modern, and well suited to this category where looks do count. However, we did find it amusing that there are two large fake exhaust outlets in the rear bumper, with the single small, real exhaust exiting surreptitiously under the bumper.