New tonic for Kia Stonic

KIA Australia has confirmed the MY25 Stonic small SUV will go all-turbo, with a range of new safety technology and convenience features set to see pricing jump up a level within the cost-sensitive segment.

The current Stonic starts at $22,290 plus on-road costs for the base model S 1.4-litre petrol manual, adding $1500 for the six-speed auto, while the 1.4-litre manual Sport grade lists from $25,290 + ORC (add $1500 for auto), and the range-topping GT-Line is $30,790 + ORC.

Aside from spec and trim changes, the main difference between the lower grades and the flagship is the fitment of a downsized 1.0-litre three-cylinder turbo-petrol engine, and that powertrain is soon to be rolled out across the line-up due to the existing 1.4-litre having been axed globally.

Kia Australia general manager of product planning Roland Rivero confirmed that the brand will continue to offer three grades in the revised Stonic line-up, and all of them will be turbocharged, with the seven-speed dual-clutch transmission as standard.

“Model year 2025 will go 100 per cent one-litre turbo, and we have taken advantage of that opportunity as well to just add some features like blind-spot collision avoidance, to keep in line with the competition,” he confirmed.

“It is still an important product for us to keep going strong,” he said of the budget-focused model, which currently accounts for more than 11 per cent of sales for the brand.

Mr Rivero lamented the loss of the Rio small hatch, upon which the Stonic is based, but said that the brand remains committed to offering small, affordable options for buyers in the Australian market – a sentiment supported by Kia Australia CEO Damien Meredith.

“We still want to sell Picanto, we still want to sell Cerato, and the Cerato replacement (K4) – and we want to expand our EV sales,” he said.

The Kia Stonic plays an important role in the brand’s range, as its most affordable SUV offering.

For the first two months or 2024, the Stonic had amassed as solid tally of 1322 sales, up 38.4 per cent on the first two months of 2023.