The all-new Kia Stonic is an eye-catching and confident compact crossover, and it is set to become an important conquest model for Kia in one of Europe’s newest and fastest-growing vehicle segments and other markets.
The B-SUV segment currently accounts for 1.1 million new car sales in Europe each year – around 7 per cent of the market – and is forecast to expand to more than two million annual sales by 2020.
Michael Cole, chief operating officer of Kia Motors, Europe, said recently: “By volume, the B-SUV market is expected to overtake the C-SUV segment by 2020, when more than one in 10 new cars sold in Europe will be from the Stonic’s segment.
“The Kia Stonic will be one of the most compelling new cars in this rapidly expanding class, backed by Kia’s unique seven-year, 150,000km warranty, and the brand’s reputation for reliability, quality and contemporary design.”
Buyers have the choice of Kia’s lightweight 1.0-litre T-GDI (turbocharged gasoline direct injection) engine, producing 120 ps, as well as 1.25 or 1.4-litre naturally-aspirated MPI (multi-point injection) petrol engines.
Stonic is fitted as standard with electronic stability control (ESC) and vehicle stability management (VSM), ensuring the front-wheel-drive Stonic remains enjoyable and confidence-inspiring to drive in all conditions. Specific functions of VSM include torque vectoring by braking, straight line stability, and cornering brake control.
The car is built with advanced high strength steel accounting for 51 per cent of materials used. The body ensures driving confidence, passenger comfort and refinement in all conditions. Buyers can choose from a selection of Kia’s DRiVE WISE Advanced Driver Assistance Systems (ADAS) to further enhance active safety.
These technologies include autonomous emergency braking with pedestrian recognition and forward collision alert; blind spot detection with rear cross traffic alert; and lane departure warning system.
Backed by a new fusion camera system, Stonic offers high beam assist and driver attention warning to further satisfy the safety needs of customers.
Stonic will go on sale across Europe during the third quarter of 2017, before coming to Nigeria, where the brand’s products are assembled and sold by Kia Motors Nigeria Ltd.