Written by sir @fazalwahab11375
๐๐๐ ๐ฟ๐ฒ๐ฎ๐ฑ๐ ๐๐ผ ๐ถ๐ป๐ท๐ฒ๐ฐ๐ ๐ง๐ข๐ก๐๐ ๐ถ๐ป๐๐ผ ๐ฒ๐ป๐๐ฟ๐ ๐น๐ฒ๐๐ฒ๐น ๐ฐ๐ฟ๐ผ๐๐๐ผ๐๐ฒ๐ฟ ๐๐ฒ๐ด๐บ๐ฒ๐ป๐ ๐๐ถ๐ฎ ๐ฆ๐ง๐ข๐ก๐๐
The Crossovers/ Sports Utility Vehicles segment is the name of the game and has taken the market by storm all across the globe. Globally every car brand has numerous offerings in this regard, but it seems like markets still have a huge appetite for more. When it comes to Korean brands like KIA, the situation is not different either.
KIA global has a wide range of offerings from a small compact to large three row. KIA has some serious fantasy and love for the letter โSโ and maybe because the SUV has โSโ and Crossover has double โS-esโ . Sonet, Soul, Seltos, Sportage , Sorento and yea yea.... Telluride donโt start with S and just an additional info, it is LHD market only/ not a global model and made exclusively at West Point Georgia /USA and as of now for North America ONLY.
I left one model from the โSโ list and that is what we are going to discuss, the โSTONICโ. By now everyone who follows the local auto scene knows that it is coming soon at your nearest KIA dealers as the next PK domestic model. Letโs quickly go over what we know so far.
๐ฆ๐ง๐ข๐ก๐๐:
As per KIA, the STONIC is derived from the word SPEEDY and TONIC, which are the first and last notes on musical scale . Take S and combine with the Tonic and you get the STONIC. The current Stonic is the first generation model and was introduced back in September 2017. It got a facelift in October 2020.
STONIC initially was targeted for the European market and thatโs the reason it was designed and developed by the KIA Europe design team alongside the KIA Korea which was led by Peter Schreyer . Back in 2017, the crossover segment was already on fire and KIA added Stonic as an entry level smallest crossover for Urban/ City consumers.
STONIC is still the smallest KIA global crossover , if we donโt bring in the SONET into the equation, which is specific to Indian market only as far as production, although KIA India is planning to export it to some emerging markets . As of now , Stonic is assembled in South Korea and China [ where it is known as KX1 ] only and exported to various countries.
In-fact KIA was planning to discontinue the model in its home country last year. Pakistan will most probably be the third country where it will be assembled for the local market. Stonic sits two steps down under Sportage on the KIA global model portfolio ; Seltos , yet another famous small crossover model slots in between the two. Stonic will be the third and most probably the last domestic model crossover offering from KIA Lucky motors Pakistan at this time.
๐๐ข๐ข๐ง๐ฃ๐ฅ๐๐ก๐ง:
Stonic is a sub-compact , B-segment crossover. Itโs on the smaller side when compared to other vehicles in the same segment. It is based on KIA-Hyundai GB platform which it also shares with previous Hyundai i20 hatchback or current generation of Kia Soul . The GB is replaced by a newer K2 modular platform. Under the skin, Stonic is identical to KIA RIO hatchback and in-fact we can say Stonic is actually a RIO hatchback on steroids, a taller and lifted in other words with some exterior differences in styling to differentiate it.
Stonic is 4140mm long, 1760mm wide , 1520mm tall while it has a wheelbase of 2580mm. Just for comparison and understating, the Sportage is 4485mm long,1855mm wide,1635mm tall and have a wheelbase of 2670mm. Stonic rides @ 165mm above ground as far as clearance although in some markets, it is reported as 185mm for top of the line GT line trim level.
So, we need to wait for official numbers from KIA Pakistan. At 185mm, it will be approx. half an inch [13mm] more than the Sportage. As of other B-segments currently we see in our markets; the MG ZS is 4323mm long, 1809mm wide, 1653mm tall while it has a wheelbase of 2580mm. So, MG ZS is overall longer and wider but has same size wheelbase as of Stonic.
If you remember, KIA did import some RIO hatchbacks for market research few years ago and we saw it at number of KIA dealerships. Although RIO hatchback didnโt become reality, a sibling with alot similarities is coming.
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Stonic is available in multiple engine options depending upon the market and basically same as found in RIO hatchback.
A 1.4L [1368cc] MPI, naturally aspirated inline 4 cylinder DOHC engine is the most standard engine across the globe. This makes around 100HP @6000 while the top torque figure of 133NM is achieved @4000.
Stonic is also offered in 1.2L naturally aspirated 82hp engine, a 1L Turbo GDI , 3 cylinder engine with 100HP while it is also available in 108HP , 1.6L Diesel. The 1L T-GDI is also available with a 48V mild hybrid variant with power output of 118HP.
KIA Pakistan has concentrated widely on MPI offering and it is safe to guess and bet that we will see a 1.4L MPI engine in Pakistan. As of transmission , the 1.4L is available both in 6 speed manual as well as 6 speed conventional automatic. For us, an automatic is confirmed while there is a possibility KIA might offer a base version with the manual. AWD is not an option and neither is it available on Stonic anywhere in the world .
EPS/ Electric power steering with tilt and telescopic will be standard as well as the 4 wheel disc brakes [ 280mm on front and 260mm on the rear ] . There will be McPherson strut on front while a more basic torsion beam suspension on the rear. As per KIA, the Stonic suspension is designed for firmer feel and to minimize the body roll, keeping in mind the taller vehicle.
Stonic shock absorbers have hydraulic rebound stoppers on the front axle, for smooth ride quality on the rough surfaces although it is tuned to limit the floating/ sway effect on high speeds over rough surfaces. Stonic also comes with torque vectoring by braking, which basically brakes the inside wheels around the corner to reduce the understeer while accelerating and keeping the vehicle on the cornering course for an improved handling and driving dynamics.
Stonic overall suspension geometry is designed for European roads and customers so, you may or may not like it depending upon your preference unless KIA Pakistan did a local R&D and optimized it for local conditions. Stonic comes with a 45 liter tank. On the Australian fuel economy cycle, the combined [ urban +highway ] is around 6.7 liters per 100 kilometers. Donโt expect that in real life and we might see slightly higher liters to cover 100.
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First , Pakistan will be receiving the facelifted Stonic which got minor updates inside and out over pre-facelifted model. Styling wise like any other small crossover in the segment, there are design elements which make it look rugged; like black plastic cladding around bold wheel arches, side skirts, roof rails , bigger wheels , lifted body gives an impression of a SUV for a compact body.
Stonic has been designed with urban living in mind and thatโs why you also see the messaging โ SUV for the Cityโ printed on the wraps on KIA Pakistan Stonic on marketing campaign. NO, it is not your off-road vehicle nor it is designed for that purpose. There is a typical previous generation of tiger nose grill upfront with chrome surround. The Stonic has horizontal character lines upfront with parallel lines down the bonnet giving it a wider look.
The Stonic spotted multiple times on public roads in Pakistan had 4 strip horizontal LED DRLโs ( on each headlight) . These DRL come with LED headlights on the GT line overseas. It looks like that we will see these lights on our Stonic although the rest of the vehicle is not the GT line as seen outside Pakistan.
There might be standard projector halogen headlamps with DRL on the basic model and most probably auto ON/OFF . There will be round fog halogen lamps [ again the GT line gets the rectangular shaped LED fogs on the lower valence of the bumper , so we donโt have a GT line]. Signal indicator on the side view mirrors while body colored door handles.
On the rear big tail lights which copies the design theme of headlights. There will be stain silver cladding on the lower portion/ diffuser on the front and rear bumper and again giving it a SUV look. Rear high stop brake lamp with rear spoiler and rear screen wiper with washer and defroster/defogger will be standard. The wide, bigger C pillar can compromise your rear visibility.
As of wheels, we will see 16โ alloys with a 195/55 size . There are 15โ and 17โ wheel options on the overseas model depending upon trim level. We might see 185/55/ 15โ on the basic model although I donโt expect a 17โ wheel option which is specific to GT line. The spare wheel will be a steel version. Stonic in the overseas market is available in two tone , contrasting roof color. We may or may not see this option on our local assembled Stonic. Expect a compact shark-fin or pole type antenna .
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Well, as for the interior, it might not look fancy compared to the current newer generation vehicles obviously, the Stonic arrived almost 4 years ago. Hard plastics everywhere but we can expect a better built quality as we have seen with the other KIA local products. Like exterior, a contrasting color pattern option on certain interior trim panels is possible as available on overseas model.
Although the vehicle is smaller in size, interior designed packaging will give enough space on the front seats. Rear seats might be tight for 3 adults, kids will just do fine. The dashboard is again with horizontal lines and surfaces to give a wider look and openness. The dashboard is angled towards the driver and there will be a standard 8โ floating infotainment system with apple carplay/ android auto and possibly, 6 speakers.
The multi-function steering wheel is typical KIA and have a feel of Sportage. The cluster is a conventional analogue with 4.2โ MID LCD display. Power side view mirrors and possibly heated, vanity mirror, map lights , power windows will be standard. Total 3 USB, one on front+ 12V socket and two USB on the central console [ one inside and one on the backside for rear passengers] will be available.
Fabric seats all around while 6 ways manual driver seat adjustment with height . There will be 60:40 folding rear seats with parcel shelf over the cargo space. With seats up the volume is 352 liters [as per VDA ] while once folded, the cargo area can be increased to 1155 liters. The fuel tank is under the rear seats and the spare wheel cargo area is designed to stow lower in the hatch for ample storage. You will also get sunglasses holder on overhead compartment above rear view mirror.
All doors have decent space for storage while central console can slide front and back for optimal comfortable position. The rear hatch is manual and no option for auto tailgate. Push button start with keyless entry will be available along with the cruise control. On overseas models, auto rains sensing wipers are available, letโs see if we get this feature. As for HVAC, there are two types of climate control systems available. Both are singe zone but one comes with digital control and is an automatic while the other is basic knob type manual controls. Picture of both systems attached for reference with this post.
On overseas model the digital automatic climate control is only available on top of the GT version in most countries, I hope we get the automatic system on our top variant locally at least. Sunroof is also an option but on the GT Line trim on overseas model, there is a low probability that we will get it on PK domestic model. Heated seats and steering wheel are some of features available on overseas model BUT we will skip it on local model.
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Compact vehicles are sometimes a challenge for car makers to make them excel in overall safety. Stonic uses high strength steel at strategic locations and the energy flow path are designed to dissipate collision forces away from the passenger compartment. The chassis use advanced high strength welding to increase the stiffness.
Although 6 airbags are available as standard on overseas models, we might only see 2 frontal airbags only. ISOFIX child seat anchors will be available. Traction control, stability control as well as ABS will be available. I hope KIA doesn't skip stability control on the basic model as they did in case of Sportage Alpha. Hill start assist will be available.
The overseas model also gets active safety features like lane keeping assist, lane following assist, driver attention alert, autonomous emergency braking, I think we might not see any of these in our local model. Backup camera will be standard while expect parking sensors as well.
As a side info, KIA Stonic initially scored only 3 stars on European NCAP crash testing and that model also has side and curtain airbags. On the facelift model KIA introduced active safety features as standard, which improved the rating to 4 stars. So, our local model with just 2 airbags, might not even pass any Euro or other crash testing protocols.
๐๐๐ก๐๐ ๐ง๐๐ข๐จ๐๐๐ง๐ฆ, ๐๐๐จ๐ก๐๐ & ๐ฃ๐๐ฅ๐๐:
Good news is, the arrival of STONIC in Pakistan is just around the corner as the shadow image has now appeared on KIA Pakistan website > https://kia-luckymotorcorp.com/showroom/coming-soon/ . I think in next few weeks we will have some official announcement on this subject. As per available information, local assembled Stonic are ready for shipment to dealership displays and test drives.
As for price, there had been a lot of confusion a few months ago and especially when some people started placing it next to the C โsegment sedans like Corolla, Elantra or Civic. STONIC is a B-segment entry level model and neither it competes with C segment nor it should be priced like that as a replacement.
KLM played a smart move by bringing Sportage which in-fact was the right product competing with the C-segment vehicles and we have seen statistically that many sedan buyers switched to Sportage. KLM actually invented the Pakistan domestic model crossover trend. It was Sportage who took this bold move and succeeded and thatโs the reason, you now have MG HS, Tucson, models from Haval as well as upcoming model from Chery or possibly Changan.
There had been a lot of rumors about KIA CERATO but KLM never wanted to bring that model for local customers and compete with existing players neither they could price it competitively . KIA invested in the new segment and that is what they are doing again in the shape of the B-segment crossover , STONIC. This time the target is the entry level small sedans; The Yaris, The City and we can pull Alsvin as well into the game.
I personally think that STONIC pricing should remain under 3.5 Million and possibly we might welcome three variants. I suspect the base model Stonic might be hovering around 3 Million, a mid-level around 3.2 while the top variant around 3.4 Million +/- . Again we can expect more features even on the base model comparing a Yaris or City and as people are crazy for these high riding hatchbacks or so called crossovers, STONIC will hurt the competitors sedans sales . Maybe some entry level Corolla buyers also shortlist STONIC and save some money. Please keep in my mind, the prices and 3 variants is just my opinion ONLY. Nothing is official yet.
Another reason I feel that STONIC will slot under 3.5 Million for the fact that Lucky Motors is almost ready for the Peugeot 2008, yet another B-segment crossover. Lucky motors will fill the 3 Million to 4.3 Million bracket with two models, the STONIC and the 2008. Stonic will be an entry level while 2008 will be priced between 3.5 Million and 4 Million.
Lucky Motors will market 2008 as first ever locally assembled European brand model in the country and basically will cash in the "Euro/ Premium tagline" although both 2008 and Stonic compete each-other in Europe and are priced similarly. Again Peugeot 2008 is not the direct rival of the C segment sedans but Lucky Motors will give consumers two options to choose from under 4 Million, a European or Korean.. To add further, Lucky Motors will not price 2008 close to Sportage, as it can cannibalize their own model line.
As I mentioned earlier in this post, a RIO hatchback is actually a technically identical vehicle to STONIC and a few years ago many people wanted a RIO hatch. Yes It would have costed around the same price as what a STONIC would cost now and I am sure no one would buy a 3 Million + locally assembled hatchback. KLM is smart, they are bringing the 3 Million+ RIO and people will buy it because it is a STONIC.
Lastly; STONIC success will also depend on after-sales service, parts availability, and maintenance cost. The main point of discussion among Sportage owners is the expensive spare parts and high maintenance cost. Expensive service/parts cost, especially after the lapse of warranty, can impact the resale value. Keep in mind, KIA parts availability from third party vendors like even in the used parts market, might not be easy or cheap. In other words, parts availability might mostly remain exclusive to dealerships. STONIC being an entry level crossover should have an affordable routine maintenance.
I hope KLM MUST make sure that once the model is launched, the black-marketers donโt interfere like we have always seen in our market that Premium mafia comes into action before the availability of the product to genuine customers. I hope KLM does all the measures to tackle this serious issue and make sure that genuine consumers are entertained well in time. The global chip shortage will for sure cause delays as we have seen already with other locally produced models.
One thing is very clear and must be appreciated and that is, KIA Lucky Motors presence across country via 3 dozen dealerships + launching the 4th domestic model within 3 year of working . This should be an example for all new entrants and especially existing players with over decades of operations .
Stay Tuned!
