There are two faces that the Kia Stonic subcompact crossover brings: one in South Korea, the other as the KX1 in China. The former may have passed on as one of Kia’s failures in its home market (though few and far between), but the model is alive and well in the mainland, built through a joint venture between Kia, Dongfeng, and Yueda Group.
The Kia Stonic is the newer subcompact crossover in Kia Philippines' stable
Sharing a platform with the fourth-generation Rio, the late South Korean Stonic came with a selection of four engines (including a diesel), distilled into a single option for Chinese customers and, consequently, the Philippine market. It’s the same story with the available gearboxes, ranging from five on the home model to two on the Chinese- and Philippine-spec versions.
The biggest news on the Stonic so far is that it has been granted as one of two brand-new steeds for Olympic weightlifter Hidilyn Diaz, who secured our country’s first gold medal in almost a century. But while you won’t need Olympic-level training to take home your very own Stonic, your budget does have to be in shape.
Kia Stonic LX 1.4 MT
The entry-level Stonic variant comes with projection-type halogen headlamps and fender-mounted turn signal indicators. Its tiger nose grille on the fascia seems to fit perfectly with its youthful image, along with the vestigial skid plate at the bottom of the front bumper. Black cladding all around is generous but not overly so, matched with a pair of roof rails.
Body cladding is standard across the range
An understated black dashboard trim greets occupants climbing into the cabin that offers cloth seats for five occupants and space for 325 liters of cargo out back. There’s a standard glove box along with up to six bottle holders for storage. Twisting the ignition key brings the 1.4-liter DOHC engine to life, with 94 hp and 132 Nm of torque shunted to the front wheels through a 5-speed manual transmission. Dual airbags and anti-lock brakes are standard.
Priced at Php 735,000, the base Stonic only requires 36 monthly installments of Php 20,556 on a 20 percent downpayment or Php 147,000. Bumping up the payment to 30 percent or Php 220,500 and extending the loan term to 48 months returns a recurring bill of Php 14,476, while going all the way to 60 months only requires a regular bill of Php 12,403.
Kia Stonic LX 1.4 AT
The midrange variant brings body color power-adjustable exterior mirrors, black beltline moulding, and a sharkfin antenna up top. A high-mount stop lamp complements the rear combination lamps, while the vehicle sits on 16-inch alloy wheels. Interior features include a 3-spoke polyurethane steering wheel with audio controls along with standard airconditioning and an 8-inch touchscreen head unit.
Apple CarPlay and Android Auto handle communications and infotainment
This variant upgrades to a 6-speed automatic transmission, which also brings up the engine output to 99 hp while soaking up the bumps with a MacPherson strut front suspension and a coupled torsion beam at the rear. Seatbelts with pretensioners secure passengers, while ISOFix anchors provide latching points for child seats.
Carrying a sticker price of Php 835,000, the Stonic LX AT carries a 48-month payment of Php 18,795 on a 20 percent downpayment or Php 167,000. Doubling the initial cash-out to 40 percent or Php 334,000 results in a monthly payment of Php 12,077 on a 60-month contract.
Kia Stonic EX 1.4 AT
The range-topping Stonic offers LED daytime running lamps, while the exterior mirrors now feature the turn signal indicators. Black and silver moulding grace the grille, while the beltline and door handles are rendered in chrome. Smart entry allows ingress into the cabin, where drivers benefit from seat height adjustment in addition to recline and slide. Climate control is now automatic, with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto for infotainment and communications.
Powering the Stonic is a 1.4-liter gasoline engine
Motor driven power steering makes the crossover agile on urban and highway runs, with disc brakes all around providing stopping power. Parking distance warning sensors accompany the rear camera, while electronic stability control and hill-start assist are included.
The Stonic EX carries a price tag of Php 925,000, with a monthly rate of Php 25,870 for 36 months with a 20 percent downpayment or Php 185,000. Doubling this to 40 percent or Php 370,000 and extending the contract to 48 months brings down the amortization to Php 15,615, or even lower at Php 13,379 on a 60-month term.
As always, these are all estimates, exclusive of other costs such as maintenance, fuel, insurance, and registration at the end of the first three years of ownership. Your nearest Kia dealer will be able to give you a more accurate computation based on your current budget.
Find more tips that add up to a great car ownership experience at Philkotse.com.