Kia Stonic 2021 Review

The 2021 Kia Stonic is the latest arrival in the booming Aussie mini-SUV segment. Sales actually went up 14.5 per cent in 2020, which says something considering it wasn’t a great year overall for the new vehicle industry.

First, the name. Apparently, it’s a made-up combination of ‘speedy’ and ‘tonic’. It’s a bit less weird than Seltos… maybe.

Otherwise, the Stonic pitch is absolutely orthodox: a five-door, five-seat, front-wheel drive hatchback that’s an SUV in name only. There is no all-wheel drive option; this thing is for the concrete jungle.

There are five different Stonic variants across three grades with two different petrol engine choices. They range in price from $22,990 drive-away for the Stonic S with a 1.4-litre four-cylinder engine (74kW/133Nm) and six-speed manual transmission, up to the $29,990 drive-away GT-Line we’re testing here, which comes exclusively with a 1.0-litre three-cylinder turbo-petrol engine (74kW/172Nm) and seven-speed dual-clutch auto.

Between the two bookends there’s an S six-speed auto ($23,990 drive-away), Sport manual ($24,990 drive-away) and Sport auto ($25,990 drive-away).

There are many competitors spread across what are officially known as the light and small SUV segments. They include the incredibly popular Mazda CX-3, the Hyundai Venue and the newly-introduced Toyota Yaris Cross. Among others, you can also add the Hyundai Kona, Mitsubishi ASX and Kia’s own aforementioned Seltos.

Kia Stonic S equipment includes cruise control (although no number is shown in the instrument panel when you set it), wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, multi-connection Bluetooth, 8.0-inch multimedia touch-screen, six-speaker sound system, 15-inch steel wheels and auto headlights.

The Sport upgrades with 17-inch alloy wheels, smart key with push-button start, the touch-screen adds navigation and loses the wireless smartphone connection. There are also 10-year Mapcare updates with SUNA Traffic, power-folding mirrors and a premium steering wheel and shifter.

The GT-Line gets a set of bespoke 17-inch alloys, idle-stop-and-go (also on manual S and Sport), an identifying body package, MFR LED headlights, two-tone colour or sunroof, cloth and artificial leather seats (replacing cloth), single-zone climate control, privacy glass and electrochromic mirror.

All Kia Stonic variants come with a ‘sounds of nature’ feature that projects nature-themed images and six soothing natural sounds… okay. Perhaps a little more soothing if you get a flat is a steel temporary spare wheel. Less soothing, all colours except white cost an extra $520.

The Stonic is protected by Kia’s seven-year/unlimited-kilometre warranty, a minimum 12 months’ roadside assistance and seven years’ capped-price servicing. While detailed breakdowns of the latter are yet to come, Kia says a 1.4-litre Stonic will cost $3038 to service over seven years and the 1.0 $3297.

As the 2021 Kia Stonic shares its technical base with the Kia Rio small car, it picks up the latter’s 2017 maximum five-star ANCAP safety rating.

That might sound a bit weird, but the alternative would be a less-appealing (from a marketing point of view) four-star 2021 ANCAP rating as the Stonic doesn’t have equipment such as a centre airbag for the top rating under current protocols.

Mind you, the five-star rating only applies to the S and Sport and not the GT-Line, for which ANCAP has requested further technical justification from Kia.

As we have reported, this five-star versus four-star debate has been circling ANCAP for some time now. Being able to promote Stonic as a five-star performer (even date stamped) probably plays better than four stars. It also saves Kia a lot of money subsidising a crash test of the Stonic for a new result.

It’s not like the Stonic is a safety pauper. Standard equipment includes six airbags, autonomous emergency braking (AEB) with pedestrian and cyclist recognition, active lane keeping aids, driver attention monitoring, park distance warning and an audible and visual warning to check the rear seat before exiting the vehicle.

There are also reversing sensors and a camera with parking guidelines, but no front sensors.

Intriguingly, while the Kia Stonic employs both a radar and camera for its AEB, it does not have adaptive cruise control.

Kia actually claims the Stonic body is stronger and therefore safer than Rio, in part because of the increased use of advanced high-strength steel. But that wouldn’t affect the safety rating as protocol updates focus on equipment levels.

We’re actually getting the 2021 Kia Stonic in Australia at its midlife update. It was originally launched overseas in 2017, which means the current generation might only have a two-to-three-year lifespan locally.

The GT-Line’s aluminium Kappa II engine is a sophisticated little beast including double overhead cams, four valves per cylinder with variably timed intakes and exhausts and a single-scroll turbocharger.

We miss out on a mild-hybrid boost introduced in Europe with the recent update that adds 14kW and 28Nm. In the lesser Aussie-spec, peak power comes in at 4500-6000rpm and peak torque at an attractively accessible 1500-4000rpm. Minimum 91 RON fuel is allowed.

The official fuel consumption claim is 4.9L/100km and we averaged 6.6L/100km across a couple of days of varied driving. The seven-speed DCT that combines with the engine is a Hyundai-Kia group development.

The Kia Stonic measures up as an attractive little rectangle at 4140mm long, 1760mm wide and 1520mm high. It has the same 2580mm wheelbase as the Rio and the two cars also share the same fundamental MacPherson strut front and torsion beam rear suspension. The steering is electric assist and the braking is by discs all-round.

Compared to the popular Mazda CX-3, the Stonic is 135mm shorter, 5mm narrower and 15mm lower. Its wheelbase is 10mm longer.

One Stonic number that thoroughly outdoes the Mazda is boot size: 352 litres versus 264L. Fold down the rear seat and Mazda fights back with 1174L. The Stonic figure is 1154L.

As is now expected of all Kia models, the Stonic comes with a unique suspension tune. The S and Sport get a more relaxed set-up while the GT-Line has been stiffened 20 per cent for a sportier character.

Steering, which has been a localised tune in the past, was based on European Stonic tune because of limitations imposed by COVID.

The 2021 Kia Stonic GT-Line is not a brand-new model, but it certainly doesn’t feel outmoded to drive.

The overall experience is cohesive and quite enjoyable. Yes, the terse edge of the suspension set-up is noticeable, especially at slow speeds. But it’s not especially intrusive and the damping and body control is excellent.

The Stonic’s small size, good visibility, light steering and 10.2m turning circle ensure it works well in tight spaces.

As speeds rise the Stonic retains its composure. That behaviour is aided by Continental Contipremiumcontact 18-inch rubber, which provides added driving confidence in return for a little too much road noise. I’ll take that trade.

There are imperfections; bumpy corners produce occasional and minor rattle and kick from the steering and an equally occasional scrabble for traction out of the rear.

The drivetrain is mostly up to the job as well. Sure, big hills slow it down, but more bothersome is traditional DCT tip-in throttle hesitation and a touch of tiddler turbo lag that equals some think time before acceleration really kicks in.

The DCT is more obvious doing its business than a well-tuned traditional torque-converter auto, but it’s not a pain.

The engine is at its best if you avoid the default eco mode and choose normal or sport and give it a good thrummy rev. Manual gear changes are handy for both acceleration and braking, but there are no steering-mounted paddles so you do that via the floor-mounted lever.

The lane keep assist function also defaults to on, which means switching it off every time the Stonic is started. That’s if you find it annoying. I did.

It’s easy enough to get comfortable in the Kia Stonic. The driver’s seat is supportive, the flat-bottom steering wheel adjusts for reach and rake and there’s a sizeable and correctly angled left footrest.

There aren’t too many controls or confusions. The Kia infotainment system works without any notable ergonomic atrocities. The surrounding dashboard area is hard to the touch, but the perceived quality and presentation of the Korean-built Stonic impresses.

Storage up front is looked after by generous door pockets, a small centre lidded bin, dual cup holders, a glove box and a couple of nooks and crannies for phones and the like.

By comparison, the second row is underdone. Headroom is excellent, but legroom is limited for one 180cm adult sitting behind another.

There are no adjustable rear air-con vents, no fold-down arm rests, one seat-back pocket and only bottle holders in the doors.

The 2021 Kia Stonic GT-Line is a thoroughly likeable addition to a segment bubbling over with a diverse and interesting bunch of entrants.

It’s great on price, warranty and servicing, drives well, looks good inside and out and has a decent level of comfort and safety equipment.

There’s nothing here that stands out as weird or strange. Except that name, of course.

How much does the 2021 Kia Stonic GT-Line cost?
Price: $29,990 (drive-away)
Available: Now
Engine: 1.0-litre three-cylinder turbo-petrol
Output: 74kW/172Nm
Transmission: Seven-speed dual-clutch automatic
Fuel: 4.9L/100km
CO2: 112g/km
Safety rating: Five-star (ANCAP 2017)