2026 Kia Stonic Review, Specs, Dimensions

2026 Kia Stonic Review, Specs, Dimensions – By providing a supermini-sized vehicle in a more popular SUV bodystyle with the slightly rougher look and higher ride height that buyers of such vehicles desire, the 2026 Kia Stonic outlives its sibling, the Kia Rio.

It drives really well, has a lengthy seven-year guarantee, and is well-equipped. This guarantee can be sufficient for certain customers to complete the transaction. It’s not the most affordable small SUV on the market, and its inside isn’t particularly opulent or attractive. It rides jitterily even at low speeds. The Stonic performs well overall across a variety of activities, but it isn’t a particularly remarkable product in a class of really strong rivals. 2026 Kia Stonic Review

2026 Kia Stonic Redesign and Update Plan

Exterior & Interior

Although it is obvious that the 2026 Kia Stonic appeals to buyers looking for a small SUV with a little flair, it lacks the distinctiveness of some of its rivals, such the Hyundai Bayon and Ford Puma. If you don’t want a car that is too flashy, you could think it’s a good thing.

But the Stonic, especially in brighter colors, isn’t dowdy or unattractive. The crossover has swept-back headlamps and a “Tiger nose” grille like its Rio stablemate, but its bodywork is stronger and more muscular to match its SUV attributes. Standard-fit roof rails, black plastic wheelarch trims, and sill guards provide the exterior a little more daring look when combined with bright paint.

Along with a useful and fashionable design, the Stonic’s interior has exceptional fit and finish for its class. We would like to see a little more consideration given to decorating the interior with softer-feeling materials, even if the outside seems to be rather well-made and put together. Kia has employed a variety of rough, brittle-looking black and gray plastics. Sadly, color-coded internal packs are no longer supported by the Stonic. The additional elements you chose, whether they were gray, bronze, orange, or green, really enhanced the cabin’s ambiance.

The Renault Captur’s Google-based R-Link infotainment system is simpler to operate than Kia’s, even though it has one of the greatest eight-inch touchscreen infotainment systems available at this price range. The Stonic’s menu layout is simple to use and comprehend when on the go, and its graphics are decent.

Customers may opt to utilize Apple CarPlay and Android Auto for navigation on the basic 2 trim, even though sat-nav is available on GT-Line models and higher. Bluetooth, a six-speaker radio, a reversing camera, and connected services with TomTom live traffic and integrated navigation are all included in the price.

We’ve already discussed the Stonic’s ride quality problems, which mostly affect drivers in cities and on tiny roads. Another area where the Stonic may not meet the expectations of potential customers is the seat height. SUVs provide a more powerful and secure driving stance, which is why many buyers pick them even if the Stonic’s seats are lower than those of most of its rivals. However, if you like a sportier driving style, this car can be perfect for you.

Nonetheless, there are a few practical options for cabin storage. Two cup holders, a seven-liter glove box, roomy front door pockets, and useful storage built into the console and center armrest. There are also cupholders for the children’s water bottles in the back, a rear USB charging point, and shopping hooks in the trunk.

Naturally, the 2026 Kia Stonic’s taller body form means that rear passengers enjoy more headroom than those in the (now-canceled) Kia Rio. The rear seat legroom is adequate but not luxurious since wheelbase limits prevent it from having any more than in the Rio hatch. Additionally, the dark inside makes it seem more cramped than other small crossover competitors.

The Stonic has a load capacity of 352 liters, which is much less than some of its larger rivals but somewhat higher than the Rio hatchback. For instance, when the rear seats are folded forward, the Peugeot 2008 can accommodate 410 liters, whereas the Renault Captur can accommodate up to 455 liters.

You could have a level cargo floor and up to 1,155 liters when the seats are folded, even though the competition performs better once more. Although the Stonic’s large loading lip isn’t all that worse than a SEAT Arona’s, ingress is made simple by the tailgate’s wide opening. 2026 Kia Stonic Review

2026 Kia Stonic Specs

Engine & Performance

Kia engineers altered the comparatively subpar MacPherson strut front suspension and torsion-beam rear axle suspension system of the Kia Rio, which is the basic vehicle for the Stonic, to account for its higher center of gravity. As a result, they have created a car that reacts to situations calmly, feels more agile, and is relatively roll-free. The steering is light but impersonal, and the transmission is straightforward to operate and smooth.

Even with enough grip, the Stonic never feels totally at ease when moving. The suspension wobbles and is less capable of absorbing severe bumps than its rivals. Furthermore, compared to some of its competitors, the Kia isn’t as calm or pleasant on the highway. Even though the Stonic has little roll and can be driven fast around corners, it never seems as fun as a Ford Puma. It also lacks confidence since this shaky edge compromises many of the car’s other good dynamic qualities.

The 1.0-liter three-cylinder engine is an improvement over the previous generation, even if none of the engines that were previously available were really excellent.

99 horsepower is produced by the smaller turbo unit with no noise or inconvenience. It revs nicely and pulls smoothly, but when it is at idle, it is a little rattly. Once you’re on the road, the stylish Stonic can be rather silent.

The engine responds well to everyday driving demands, and the manual version’s top speed of 115 mph and 0-62 mph time of 10.7 seconds are not too awful. The automatic variant takes 11.7 seconds longer to reach 62 mph and has a lower top speed of 109 mph. 2026 Kia Stonic Review

2026 Kia Stonic Fuel Economy

Regardless of the model you choose, the 2026 Kia Stonic will be quite costly to operate; official figures indicate that the 1.0-liter turbocharged petrol engine, typical of small SUVs, may reach up to 51.4 mpg.

Due to their relatively low CO2 emissions, which start at 125g/km, all Stonic cars have similar Benefit-in-Kind (BiK) rates for business drivers. The models are all subject to the ordinary VED road tax rate and are not subject to the luxury car tax because none of them cost more than £40,000.

The somewhat subpar performance of the 2026 Kia Stonic does not result in excessively expensive insurance premiums. Group 8 has a two-trim automatic, while Group 10 includes the GT-Line S manual.

Kia’s awful depreciation history is to blame. Our experts predict that the Stonic will still be worth 45 to 48 percent of its initial purchase price after three years and 36,000 miles of use. More notable than that, but comparable to other small SUVs, is the Ford Puma, which is predicted to maintain an average of 52 to 54 percent during the same time period.

2026 Kia Stonic Safety Features

Independent crash testing company Euro NCAP gave the 2026 Kia Stonic a three-star rating in 2017 for the base model without the safety pack and a five-star rating for those that did. Since the exam has been changed and made more challenging, this rating is no longer valid. Unlike the SEAT Arona, which has a legitimate five-star rating, the Stonic still offers strong crash protection, despite the regrettable fact that it has not undergone retesting.

To help keep you out of danger in the first place, a number of safety aid technologies are standard, such as lane maintain assistance, automated emergency braking (AEB), high beam assistance, and a driver attention alert. An upgrade to the top-spec GT-Line S would be necessary for blind spot monitoring, a useful function that warns you of cars on your side when you change lanes on a freeway.

The 2026 Kia Stonic was placed 30th on our list of the 50 best cars to own, according to owner feedback from our 2024 Driver Power satisfaction survey. Furthermore, the Kia brand achieved an amazing result by placing third among the leading manufacturers.

Kia offers an unmatched seven-year warranty that covers all of their new cars for 100,000 miles. It has unquestionably increased the value of secondhand automobiles and improved the appeal of the Kia brand. Toyota offers coverage for up to 10 years and 100,000 miles; however, you will need to get the car serviced at a franchised dealer once a year to maintain the coverage for the full 10 years. To fix the cost of maintenance, you may buy a Kia Care Plan. The Stonic has to be serviced every 12 months or every 10,000 kilometers.

2026 Kia Stonic Release Date & Price

While the Stonic range starts at little over £21,000 for a manual gasoline in two trim levels, the GT-Line S automatic tops out at just under £26,000. A three-cylinder, 1.0 T-GDi petrol engine with 48V mild hybrid assistance and 99 horsepower powers each Stonic. This is the only version with a five-door body. This engine may be mated to a six-speed manual transmission or a seven-speed dual-clutch auto gearbox.

You may choose from the following four trim levels: 2, GT-Line, GT-Line S, and 3. Air conditioning, cruise control, rear parking sensors, LED running lights in the projector headlights, an eight-inch touchscreen with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, 16-inch alloy wheels, roof rails, and Forward Collision Avoidance are some of the features of the basic Stonic 2.

With its 17-inch alloy wheels, LED headlights, motorized folding mirrors, privacy glass, climate control, reversing camera, GPS, and a black fabric and fake leather inside, the sportier GT-Line is equipped with these features. The more luxurious 3 has a driving mode choice, heated front seats, and a steering wheel. The top-tier GT-Line S has technologies including blind spot collision warning, adaptive cruise control, front parking sensors, and a passenger seat that can be raised or lowered.

Conclusion

The opponents of the Stonic start rather close to home because the Hyundai Bayon, which is only available with a gasoline engine and has a bolder design than the Kia, shares a platform with a supermini (in this case, the Hyundai i20).

The Citroen C3 Aircross, Peugeot 2008, Ford Puma, Renault Captur, SEAT Arona, and Toyota Yaris Cross are some of the other vehicles that compete with the Stonic. The Nissan Juke dominates the small crossover segment elsewhere. Unconventional choices like the Dacia Duster and the Suzuki Ignis high-riding supermini provide greater room and robust simplicity at a lower price.

Note: The details included in this blog post are derived from pre-release material that was accessible when the article was written. If you want the latest information, you should check official sources or call your nearest dealership.