Is Kia PH Launching The Stonic Small SUV In Q4 2020?

Kia Philippines has invited the media to a virtual round table discussion with the media today. The discussion tackled how the Philippine automotive industry will fare in the coming months, among other topics. However, the Ayala-backed South Korean automaker has also teased that they will be unveiling a new model by Q4 2020. Is it the Kia Stonic subcompact crossover SUV?

Based on this teaser photo, it clearly shows the design cues of the front fascia of the Kia Stonic. First unveiled in Europe, the Kia Stonic made its ASEAN debut at the 2019 Singapore Motor Show, in which we were able to get a first look. While the Kia Seltos is also a subcompact crossover SUV, the Stonic is slightly smaller at 4,140 mm in length, 1,760 mm in width, and 1,500-1,520 mm in height. It also must be noted that the Kia Stonic–along with the Seltos–shares the same platform as the Hyundai Kona subcompact SUV. After all, Kia and Hyundai are under the Hyundai Motor Group.

Whereas the Seltos looks more upright, the Kia Stonic is sleeker and lower. Its stylish and dynamic design is a design effort between its European and South Korean design studios. The main highlight of the Stonic’s design is its ‘Targa’-style roof, which lets buyers have a wide range of single and two-tone paint schemes. At least in Europe, this lets the Stonic have a total of 20 two-tone color combinations.

Also in Europe, the interior is available with a wide range of customization options to choose from. Various colors can be configured, in which the overall interior color scheme can be color-matched to the exterior design elements. There’s also a free-standing 8.0-inch infotainment screen featuring Apple CarPlay and Android Auto.

In Europe, the Kia Stonic is powered by a plethora of petrol and diesel engines. There’s a 1.0-liter inline-3 turbo gasoline engine that produces 120 hp and 172 Nm torque. There’s also a naturally-aspirated 1.25-liter gasoline engine that produces 84 hp and 122 Nm torque, while another naturally-aspirated 1.4-liter unit produces 100 hp and 133 Nm. The most efficient engine in the Stonic range is Kia’s 1.6-liter diesel engine, producing 110 hp and torque of 260 Nm. Transmission options depending on the engine choice include a 6-speed manual or a 7-speed dual-clutch automatic.

If confirmed, then the Kia Stonic should further intensify an already highly-competitive subcompact SUV segment by Q4 2020.