Kia is co-developing a new compact crossover along with Hyundai which would be their take on the B-Segment crossover segment. Kia has trademarked the vehicle with the name Stonic. And we have managed to lay our hands on these first spied images of the car undergoing cold weather testing in northern Sweden.
The Stonic will be Kia’s new global model and will look significantly different from the Kia KX3 currently sold in China. With some styling cues from the Kia Provo Concept showcased back in 2013, the Stonic will carry a bold styling with all the crossover traits. So expect all around body cladding, skid plates high ground clearance and roof rails. However, it is unclear what platform the Stonic would employ. If it shares the same underpinning as the Kia KX3, it will be front-wheel driven, but Kia can offer the Stonic with all-wheel-drive as well, just like Nissan Juke. The Stonic is likely to be powered by a 1.0-litre turbocharged petrol engine pushing out anything between 100-120bhp and 171Nm. The diesel variant will have a 1.4-litre engine with two states of tune producing 76bhp or 89bhp. The petrol and diesel engine from the Rio line-up can also find its way underneath Stonic’s hood.
The Stonic is expected to make its global debut at the Frankfurt Motor Show this year and would go on sale right after that. When launched, it would compete with the likes of Honda HR-V, Mazda CX-3, Fiat 500X, Chevrolet Trax, and a similar car developed by Hyundai which is yet to be named.
