Kia Stonic review

The Kia Stonic is the Korean marque's take on the small SUV style that's now so irresistible to buyers who once drove handy little hatchbacks. 

The Stonic takes the bones of the now-discontinued Kia Rio hatchback and adds chunky wheels and tyres, a bit more height and tougher styling for a bit of SUV flavour. It has a straightforward engine line-up, allowing you to choose between two 1.0-litre petrols, one of which gets 48V mild-hybrid tech to improve fuel economy.

All versions have front-wheel drive, so if you're looking for extra traction, we’d point you towards four-wheel-drive versions of the Volkswagen T-Roc. And that rival is just the tip of the iceberg. There's also the Ford Puma, Renault Captur, Skoda Kamiq and more.

In other words, the Kia Stonic has a tough fight on its tyres. How does it stack up against the best small SUVs? Let's find out...

How fast is it and which engine is best?

The cheapest Kia Stonic engine, which is only available with the entry-level Pure trim, is the 98bhp 1.0 T-GDi. Performance-wise, it'll officially get from 0-62mph in 11.0sec with a manual gearbox and 12.1sec with the seven-speed automatic. 

So far, we’ve tested the manual version. The engine and gearbox are a good match for each other, with the engine being nippy enough when driving in town. You do have to work the engine and gearbox hard to get up to speed, though. 

The two more expensive trims – GT-Line and GT-Line S – get the same engine but with 113bhp and mild-hybrid assistance. We’ve tested this engine with the automatic gearbox; while performance is marginally better on paper than the entry-level engine, it’s not really noticeable in the real world. We’re yet to try it with the manual gearbox, but we’ll report back once we have. 

Is it agile and is the ride comfortable?

Despite having a raised ride height, which can easily make things feel top heavy, the Stonic’s stiffer ride means it’s one of the more agile small SUVs you can buy.

We’d stop short of calling it fun, but it responds surprisingly eagerly to steering inputs and stays upright through corners that would cause the softer Citroën C3 Aircross to lean markedly. Even if you’re mid-corner and the road suddenly becomes bumpy, the Stonic remains impressively composed and controlled.

The steering isn’t exactly feelsome but it’s precise and well-weighted enough, making it easy to stay in your lane on motorways. The Ford Puma is much more enjoyable to drive. If you want a small SUV with four-wheel drive take a look at the Suzuki Vitara or VW T-Roc.

The Stonic’s ride is well controlled but on the firm side. It’s never uncomfortable but the firmness means its wheels tend to follow little road undulations, causing the suspension to send a shimmy through the interior as they do so.

If you pass over a ridge, there’s a thump. Again, it’s not too harsh, but it's enough to make you notice. At motorway speeds, the Stonic fidgets a little on asphalt that looks flat. You’ll experience an altogether smoother ride at all speeds in a Skoda Kamiq or VW T-Roc.

Is it quiet and how easy is it to drive smoothly?

The Stonic's petrol engine is decently refined. Sure, you hear it thrumming away when you rev it, but it emits a pleasant rasp rather than an intrusive clatter. All Stonics suffer from wind and road noise at motorway speeds. For a quieter ride, try the T-Roc 1.5 TSI.

The six-speed manual gearbox you get as standard is slick and precise, making it more pleasant to use than the notchy set-up in the C3 Aircross. The seven-speed automatic changes gears pretty seamlessly, but it can be a bit slow to kick down when you ask it for a sudden burst of speed. 

The mild-hybrid system fitted to the 113bhp engine makes for smooth engine restarts when the stop-start system is working, and a clever clutch system allows the car to coast when left in gear to save fuel.

It can make slowing down tricky to judge, though, because you don't know whether the regenerative braking system will cut in to charge the battery. When it does, the car slows far more quickly than at other times.

“I was impressed by how well the Stonic could tackle a rural B-road. It corners confidently for a small SUV, and the manual gearbox really enhances the driving experience, allowing you to get much more out of the engine than the sluggish automatic.” – George Hill, Used Cars Writer

What does the interior look like and is it well made?

After its recent facelift, the Stonic’s interior looks very modern. It now features the same touchscreen and digital driver’s display as other Kia models, including the Kia Sportage, bringing it bang up-to-date. It also gets a new twin-spoke steering wheel for the entry-level Pure model and a three-spoke design for GT-Line and above. 

The Stonic feels solidly made inside. When you press and prod the dashboard, nothing wobbles, and all the switches and stalks feel well-damped. There is a "but" here though. As with many other small SUVs in this price bracket, many of the surfaces are made from unyieldingly hard plastics, including the upper door trims. It’s a similar story with the Citroen C3 Aircross, but the Skoda Kamiq and VW T-Roc feel more plush, thanks to the addition of soft-touch plastics.

As you might expect, premium-badge wearing rivals like the Lexus LBX have the best interiors in the class but you’ll pay more for the privilege – even the cheapest LBX costs more than the top-spec Stonic.

Is the driving position comfortable and is it easy to see out?

When behind the wheel of the Kia Stonic, it feels more like you’re in a family hatchback than a small SUV, because you sit low down with your legs stretched out. This might disappoint those looking for a high driving position, which you’ll find in the Dacia Duster and VW T-Roc. 

Still, there’s no doubt that you’ll find a comfortable posture in the Stonic, because there’s standard seat-height adjustment and plenty of in-and-out steering wheel adjustment to suit drivers of most sizes. The seats themselves are comfortable – it’s just a shame that you don’t get adjustable lumbar support (even as an option) like you do in the T-Roc.

The Stonic's relatively slim windscreen pillars make it pretty easy to see what’s in front of you from behind the wheel. The view backwards isn’t too bad, either – the rear pillars are a bit wide but the rear screen is deep. To make parking even easier, every Stonic comes with front and rear parking sensors and a rear-view camera as standard.

All Stonics get automatic headlights but you’ll need GT-Line or above if you want bright LED headlights. Likewise, if you’d like automatic windscreen wipers, you’ll have to upgrade to either GT-Line or GT-Line S trim.

Is the dashboard and infotainment system easy to use?

The Stonic’s 12.3in touchscreen infotainment system is pretty good. It has a simple layout, crisp graphics and a reasonably quick response, making it as easy to get along with as the system in the VW T-Roc. As a bonus, it comes with built-in sat-nav, DAB radio, Bluetooth and wired Android Auto and Apple CarPlay smartphone mirroring as standard.

While the screen is positioned high on the dashboard, making it easy to see from the driver’s seat, it can be difficult to reach certain functions while driving. Flicking through the list of radio stations, for example, requires you to reach to the far left hand side of the screen. Connected to the 12.3in touchscreen is a digital driver’s display, which together form a giant screen. The driver’s display is easy to read, with clear icons for your speed and revs, but it’s not very configurable.

Unfortunately, the physical climate controls have been removed with the facelift. Instead, you get a touch-sensitive panel with shortcuts for the climate-control system and other commonly used functions below the touchscreen. It’s more fiddly to adjust the temperature than the switches in the Dacia Duster and Renault Captur, but it’s still easier to use than the touchscreen-based controls in the Ford Puma. 

“The Stonic’s interior is filled with lots of hard plastic. But then, this is one of the cheapest small SUVs in the class, so I’m not entirely surprised by this.” – George Hill, Used Cars Writer

How much space does it have for people?

You won’t be short of space in the front of the Kia Stonic – there's plenty of head and leg room, even for taller occupants. Interior width is generous for a small SUV too, so the driver and front passenger won’t be clanging elbows. However, the Skoda Kamiq and VW T-Roc are even more spacious here.

The Stonic's rear space is below par by class standards. Head room is fine, but leg room is tight compared with that offered by the Seat Arona or the much larger Kamiq, especially if there’s someone tall sitting up front. What’s more, while the interior width is fine up front, it doesn’t translate to the rear, and trying to seat three adults in the back is a bit of a squeeze. 

Overall storage space is respectable. There's a decent-sized glovebox and a tray for your phone in front of the gear lever, plus two cupholders and a cubby under the centre armrest. By contrast, the rear isn’t quite as accommodating; you get a couple of small door bins and map pockets on the backs of the front seats but that's about your lot.

How much room does it have for luggage?

The Stonic’s boot is on the small side. While there’s enough space for a decent weekly shop or five carry-on suitcases, having only 352 litres of storage space means it has one of the smallest boots in the class. That becomes more apparent when you put the Stonic up against its rivals, with the Seat Arona, Skoda Kamiq and VW T-Roc swallowing seven of the same carry-on cases in our tests, and the Ford Puma managing eight.

There’s no ski hatch, which would be handy for when you’re loading long items, but at least you have more space once you’ve folded the rear seats. The seat backs don’t drop completely flat, however, so you’ll have to contend with a step up in the extended boot floor. 

The Stonic is average in this respect, with no height adjustment for the front passenger seat unless you opt for top-tier GT-Line S trim. That’s something that rivals including the Renault Captur and the T-Roc both get as standard. 

While you get 60/40 split folding rear seats for those occasional trips to the tip, the Stonic does without the flexibility of sliding or reclining rear seats, which the Captur does have.

“I’m 6ft2in and I struggled to fit behind my driving position in the back of the Stonic. On the plus side, the footwells are a good size and my feet could fit under the front seat.” – George Hill, Used Cars Writer

How much does it cost and what equipment do you get?

As a cash purchase, the entry-level Kia Stonic will cost you a little more than the Citroën C3 Aircross, but less than the Ford Puma, Seat Arona and Renault Captur. 

The entry-level petrol engine managed an average of 46.1mpg when it was put through our Real MPG testing. The mild-hybrid version of the engine should get close to 50mpg but you'll have to do a high mileage to justify the extra cost.

If you want to keep costs down, we can certainly see the appeal of the Stonic’s entry-level Pure trim. Indeed, it comes with a good level of standard equipment, including 16in alloy wheels, a 12.3in touchscreen infotainment system, automatic headlights, cruise control and air conditioning.

Jumping up to GT-Line gives you more kit and access to the mild-hybrid engine, offering sportier styling, 17in wheels, LED headlights, automatic windscreen wipers, automatic air-con, ambient interior lighting, aluminium pedals and rear privacy glass.

At the top of the range is GT-Line S. It gets the same sporty styling and 17in wheels as GT-Line, but adds keyless entry, heated front seats, a heated steering wheel, a sunroof, a wireless phone-charging pad and two rear USB-C charging ports. We don’t think it’s worth the additional cost, though. 

Is it reliable and how long is the warranty?

The Stonic came 12th out of 38 small SUVs in the 2025 What Car? Reliability Survey, which places it above the Ford Puma, Nissan Juke and Renault Captur, but below the Peugeot 2008 and Volkswagen T-Roc. 

As a brand, Kia came eighth out of the 30 manufacturers ranked. For context, that's below Suzuki and Toyota, but above Ford, Seat, Skoda and Volkswagen.

Kia gives you a seven-year warranty, which is one of the most generous available (most car makers give you three years). UK and European roadside assistance is free for a year and available at a reasonable cost beyond that.

How safe is it and is it easy to steal?

The Stonic scored a full five-star rating when it was tested for safety by Euro NCAP, but this was back in 2017, so the result is no longer valid. On the plus side, you get a good amount of safety equipment as standard, including automatic emergency braking (AEB), lane-keeping assist, a tyre-pressure monitoring system and driver attention warning. GT-Line trim adds blind-spot warning.

“I think it’s a shame you can't have the entry-level 98bhp 1.0-litre petrol engine with mid-spec GT-Line trim. It’s all the engine you really need.” – George Hill, Used Cars Writer

Buy it if

-You’re looking for a cheap, well-rounded small SUV

-You want a long warranty

-You want a small SUV that genuinely feels small 

Don’t buy it if

-You like a high driving position

-Space is a priority

-You want a plush interior

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