BORN from the Kia Rio, the compact Kia Stonic Sport gives you all the visual perks, safety features and peace of mind you need to hit the road. It comes with 17-inch alloys and ground clearance of 183mm.
Sitting in the middle of the range, between the base model S and more aggressive GT-Line, the Stonic Sport features an array of safety features, including lane keep assist and the handy leading vehicle departure alert, for when day dreaming at traffic lights.
Powered by a 1.4-litre petrol engine outputting 74kW. Combined fuel economy is 6.7-litres/100km. It’s a little more than ideal and leaves us wondering why there’s not a hybrid or EV version of this stylish oversized hatchback.
Sitting nicely in the centre of the console is a rectangular gear selector, which controls a 6-speed automatic transmission that performs best when the accelerator is half way in. Push it any further and you’ll think you’ve made a wrong turn down struggle street.
Great for small families or those wanting just something a little bigger than a hatch, the Stonic is great for running around, day trips, and the urban dweller. The exterior design is nice too, with its satin silver tiger nose grille surround.
Fitted are halogen headlights to keep costs down, although stepping up to the GT-Line will unlock LEDs. Standard across the range are roof rails, and heated electric and folding mirrors, which are especially handy for colder mornings.
Inside the cabin is a tablet style 8.0-inch LCD touchscreen infotainment system, although it misses out on the wireless Android Auto and Apple CarPlay that can be found on the base-model S. For the Sport and even GT-Line, you’re relegated to wired connectivity.
The Stonic has a basic, yet simple interior, with manual air-conditioning, a six-way driver’s seat and a comfortable cloth trim. In the front is a single USB charging port and 12v power outlet, with an upper deck to sit phones, and a lower for any other random items.
Back seat passengers score a single USB charging point. Along the centre console are two small cup holders and a small storage compartment with sliding arm rest, although it doesn’t hold in a raised position.
The steering wheel is decent, with plenty of options in front of you to shortcut audio controls and cruise functions. You can also access settings for the 4.2-inch driver supervision cluster, nestled in between the driving instruments.
At the rear is an acceptable sized 332-litre boot, which expands to 1132-litres with the 60:40 split seating folded down. Under the floor, you’ll find a real life spare tyre – which feels like a rarity these days.
At $28,190 drive away, the 2022 Kia Stonic Sport is priced at a $2,500 premium above the base model Stonic S. There’s seven paint schemes to choose from, including Clear White and our test vehicle’s Sporty Blue.
If you do select the GT-Line over this model, four of those colours can be had with a Black Pearl roof. It comes with Kia’s 7-year unlimited kilometre warranty and 7-years capped price servicing.
Providing you continue to have your vehicle serviced with Kia, you can get up to 8-years complimentary road side assistance too. You can find out more, and build your own Stonic Sport on the Kia Australia website.
Our test vehicle was provided by Kia Australia. To find out more about the 2022 Kia Stonic Sport, contact your local Kia dealer.
ground clearance of 183cm. hahahaha 183 millimeters.
Yep. That too lol. We’ve corrected that.