It seems Hyundai and its sister concern Kia are in the race to launch each of their latest SUV offerings at the earliest. While Hyundai has revealed the pictures of its soon to be launched Hyundai Kona SUV recently, Kia Motors does not seem to be far behind and has unveiled its new Kia Stonic compact SUV.
The newly unveiled Kia Stonic will be competing in the busy SUV segment and will be rivalling models such as Nissan Juke, Renault Kaptur, Honda H-RV and its own cousin Hyundai Kona.
The design of the new Kia Stonic seems to be more toned down and realistic especially when compared to that of the newly released Hyundai Kona. Kia Motors seems to have pulled off a more ‘hatchback on steroids’ kind of look and for a SUV with the purpose of bullying the fellow vehicles on road, Kia Stonic seems to have a soft look and the small nose at the front does not help it either. The design though, overall is un-provocative and a bit subdued but do not fret, Kia Stonic customers will be given the option of choosing a two-tone paint finish from a list of 20 available combinations.
Like the outside, the dashboard design is more simple and straight forward inside dominated by the huge flat bottom steering wheel and the company’s latest touchscreen infotainment system with Android Auto and Apple CarPlay as standard.
The European models will get a more specifically tuned steering and suspension setup and the engine options include a turbocharged 120 PS 1.0 litre T_GDI mill along with naturally aspirated 1.25 and 1.4 litre units. Also available as an option is the 1.6 litre diesel engine which will have lowest emission across the range.
“The Kia Stonic will be one of the most compelling new cars in this rapidly-expanding class, backed by Kia’s unique warranty, and the brand’s reputation for reliability, quality and contemporary design. As the segment expands, the Stonic looks set to become one of our best-selling cars,” said Michael Cole, COO of Kia Motors Europe.
More notable features available in the new Kia Stonic include driver assistance systems such as Autonomous Emergency Braking with pedestrian recognition and Forward Collision Alert, Blind Spot Detection with Rear Cross Traffic Alert and Lane Departure Warning System.
Kia Stonic will be made available across Europe by late 2017.
[Source: Carscoops]