By Ian Strachan.
Almost every car that I’ve road-tested over the last couple of years has either been a hybrid or fully electric. So in a strange sort of way it was an unusual pleasure to drive a car powered by a conventional petrol engine.
Not that the Kia Stonic has much to be ashamed about when it comes to saving the planet. It’s emissions are low and it can return a respectable 50 miles to the gallon in mixed driving.
The Kia Stonic is pitched into the fiercely competitive compact SUV sector. So it needs to be good. Fortunately it is. This is a brisk, comfortable and well-specified car from the Korean manufacturer which was originally designed for the European market. Since launch a few years ago it has had a couple of uplifts and certainly compares well with its rivals.
I test drove the Stonic in “GT-Line S” 1.0 T-GDi specification. The 1.0 litre three-cylinder petrol unit gives you 98 bhp, has a top speed of 109 mph and will get you from 0-60 in just under 12 seconds.
Like most Kia’s, the Stonic is very competitive. Pitched against some well-established competition. The spec that I tested – the top of the range – comes in at not much more than £26,000. But despite its price it has high build quality, good interior trim materials, high levels of safety, a good specification and a roomy interior.
The Stonic has a quality feel to it inside and out, and it is certainly a good looker. It has a strong side-on presence, with a gently sloping roofline, roof rails and big windows. Handsome 17 inch alloys add to its side-on style. It also looks sharp and purposeful from the front with its black gloss radiator grille and door mirrors and modern Kia badging.
Inside the car has a lot of class about it. My test vehicle had black cloth and artificial leather upholstery of a surprisingly high quality. The dash is simple and attractive, with an eight-inch touchscreen DAB radio and satnav system, with controls mounted on the steering wheel.
Interior space is very good with plenty of cargo space which can be increased by lowering the fold-flat rear 60:40 split seats. Specification on the specification I tested includes heated, electrically adjustable, folding door mirrors, automatic headlight control, smart cruise control with speed limiter, automatic air conditioning and defog system, front and rear parking sensors, reversing camera, hill-start assist, lane keeping assist, driver attention warning and blind spot monitor.
Other standard features include all-round airbags, a six speaker sound system with Bluetooth, music streaming and Apple CarPlay, automatic stop/start and electronic stability control.
The engine is linked to a smooth seven-speed automatuc gearbox, This combination offers plenty of power with little noise or fuss. Acceleration is pleasingly brisk.
My only criticism is the lane keeping assist system which, in common with other manufacturers, can’t tell the difference between a white line and a tarmac seam in the road, so I spent much of my journeys wrestling the steering wheel as it tried to take me towards the kerb. The system can be turned off, but it has to be done at the beginning of every journey, which is a pain. A case of technology not quite sufficiently developed.
That’s my only criticism and there’s no doubt you get a lot of car for your money. You also get Kia’s industry-leading seven year 100,000 mile warranty
It’s difficult to fault this offering from Kia which is a welcome alternative in a competitive sector with a very keen price.
