Its title seems like a little bit of Glasgow banter, as in “he wis pure stonic, so he wis.”
But it turns out the Kia Stonic will get its name – in accurate Much Jap automotive design and style – from combining the terms “stylish” and “iconic”.
That is a bit contrived but it is a wise compact car, the most up-to-date in the present craze for bigger-using, not-very SUVs, which look additional popular than at any time and have replaced the hatchback as the runabout of decision.
There is absolutely a good deal of selection in the showrooms with the likes of the Ford Puma, Nissan’s Juke, the Peugeot 2008 and the Kamiq from Skoda, so the Stonic has bought its get the job done slash out to contend.
It’s basically a beefed-up Rio supermini with greater wheels and tyres and pumped-up suspension to give it a larger journey along with some bulgy physique styling to make it look a little bit harder.
It is entrance wheel travel and the motor alternative is uncomplicated – there are just two 1. litre petrol models and a manual gearbox or a 7-pace DCT automatic manual transmission, which was in the examination automobile coupled with the a lot more effective engine. It is a moderate hybrid electrical set-up for better financial state and lowered emissions but no absence of electricity for the variety of responsibilities it’ll be requested to accomplish, many thanks to the electrical boost.
The 48-volt MHEV program provides electric power help underneath acceleration and when the automobile decelerates it switches to “generator” mode, recuperating electrical power to recharge the battery.
It is a very great procedure which can help continue to keep up the mpg, but you know there’s always the oomph in reserve if you need to have it.
I loved its performance and though its suspension is organization it is very well-altered to our doubtful highway surface area good quality and goes about its business nimbly and with confident footing.
The test car or truck was in top rated-of-the-assortment GT-Line S trim, and so was also remarkably perfectly-geared up like all of the Kia range. Looking spherical the interior, the cloth and faux leather-based seats are heated in the front and so is the steering wheel which bristles with controls. The tools is intensive, from intelligent cruise control to reversing camera, entrance and rear parking sensors, rear privateness glass and electrically folding doorway mirrors.
The 4.2-inch colour cluster show is crystal crystal clear when the eight-inch touchscreen which sits significant on the dashboard has large icons that make it effortless to use on the move and was very simple to obtain for the array of features and sat-nav when there’s still buttons and switches on the dashboard for other additional routinely-utilized programs.
The GT-Line comes with LED lights all spherical which include projection headlights with bending, welcome and observe-me-home capabilities and there’s a stack of protection features this kind of as blind-spot collision warning, lane-retaining help and ahead collision avoidance to defend pedestrians and cyclists.
The two top rated versions stand out in the array with two-tone paintwork. In the exam auto the roof, wing mirror casings and rear spoiler have been picked out in black to contrast with the shiny blue main human body color.
The Stonic has the finest shoulder area of any automobile in its course, as effectively as very good head and legroom in equally entrance and back, while the extended rear overhang usually means the boot is larger way too.
The maximize in overall peak means there is good all-round visibility and a higher feeling of protection which consumers give as their primary explanations for selecting an SUV.
The navigation program attracts on cloud-based mostly authentic-time details to predict website traffic degrees, to give a more exact photo of believed time of arrival. The new “last mile navigation” attribute lets motorists carry on navigating on their cellphone to their final destination, even just after they have parked up and still left their car guiding, helpful where parking is typically some length from stores and dining places.
A significant profit is that the seven-calendar year/100,000-mile guarantee is transferable to subsequent house owners, as extensive as it is however within just the time restrict and the mileage is beneath 100,000.
Car or truck: Kia Stonic GT-Line S T-GDi DCT
Rate: £23,750
Motor: 998cc 3 cyl petrol 48V Gentle hybrid ‘Eco-Dynamics+’
Electric power: 118 bhp
TORQUE: 200 Nm
Performance: Major pace 115mph -60mph 10.4 secs
CO2 EMISSIONS: 129g/km