Hyundai and Kia have been co-developing a compact crossover for quite some time now. The B-segment crossover has been trademarked as Stonic by Kia and the car has been spotted undergoing cold weather tests in northern Sweden.
The Stonic will be the Korean manufacturer’s new global model. It will look significantly different from the Kia KX3 currently sold in only a few countries. 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 like the 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 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 the 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. It would compete with vehicles like the Honda HR-V, Mazda CX-3, Fiat 500X, Chevrolet Trax, and a similar car developed by Hyundai which is yet to be named.
