2021 Kia Stonic GT Line FULL Review

Kia Stonic went on sale a little while ago, and its numbers, though already impressive, are set to explode once supply is sorted out.
See Full Review HERE: wp.me/pCMun-bTH
Last month, Kia moved 745 Stonics, a great total by any measure. That is still a fair way off Seltos’ 1097 and Cerato’s 2711. Numbers are good, but more Stonics would feature on driveways if only Kia could sort out the supply. Covid has strip-mined the auto industry with delivery promises left in tatters. You might well ask then why I was so impressed, and the answer is simple: Stonic is cute, fun, and cheap, like her be-hatched siblings.
When you walk into a Kia showroom, you’ll notice a demarcation right down the middle, and on one side is Sorento, Seltos and Carnival basking in a halo techy goodness. Everything else is on the other side, trying their level best not to look slightly depressed. Perhaps that’s unkind, because they don’t look bad, but they don’t cut quite the same dashing Darcy-esque silhouette as the shiny new things.
We recently reviewed the Niro, and came away slightly downcast. It wasn’t about design, but more about price, and it was too soft and squidgy. Stonic however, leaves us with no such misgivings. It is young and fun, and at a price commensurate with its quality. In fact, I’d go so far as to say that it is excellent value even with one or two nifty knickknacks a no-show.
with Alan from gaycarboys.com

[@jordie98]

Thanks so much for going through the small buttons down the side and on the steering wheel. This review is very in depth, I'm always curious about those things 😁 Thanks guys!

[@gaycarboys]

we try to be thorough without being boring:)

[@LifeSgreeaat]

finally a good review!! thank you

[@gaycarboys]

hope it was helpful to you. sadly there isn't enough time to go in to more detail in the reviews.

[@kmuinde]

I love how Kia game has improved over the years, they've come a long way

[@gaycarboys]

they've had a rise and rise up the charts too.

[@MrChriss000]

My Dad (79 yrs now) bought a 6 speed manual 1L turbo near 3 years ago, everybody in the family LOVES it. Plenty of room, bowls along GB motorways at what speed my father knows he can get away with no problem all day long. It is not a hot hatch but that actually impacts journey times fxck all these days. The ride height and rear camera means my Mum has never even scratched it. He is chopping it in for another on M.O.T. day . What else do you do at that age after a lifetime of maintaining cars yourself and spending almost as much per year? I had to say to him; ffs, you are retired. It wont even dent your balance? Buy a new one ! He's never looked back. Gone are the days of being 'Nickel and Dimed' to death by a VW Golf.

[@gaycarboys]

i reckon the new one will be even better! you're right, once you're retired, buy something that isn't going to cost the earth

[@Paul-fv4no]

Alan, really like your reviews. You touched on the lack of power. Those lovely people at Kia reduced the power of the engine in this car (and Picanto GT and Rio GT Line which use same turbo engine) when they introduced hybrid versions of Stonic/Rio for European markets. This would be a much better deal if Kia introduced the hybrid version of these vehicles in Australia. I wouldn't mind paying the extra. Those cars destined for Europe also have lots of additional tech we don't get in Oz eg blind spot monitoring. Kia lift your game in Australia please.

[@gaycarboys]

i'll ask the product manager about the plans for stonic. he did tell me that stonic is not all that far from replacement so i'm assuming then there'll be a new engine range

[@Paul-fv4no]

@@gaycarboys I hope that conversation offers some hope for a better spec'd replacement. Kia calls the system in Europe "mild hybrid". The current Stonic 3 pot here in Australia is too mild at 74Kw in my view.

[@gaycarboys]

They did tell me their first steps in to hybrid (in OZ) will expand. They've been very careful about their release of models. Also other factors such as fuel quality (believe it or not), and which factory OZ cars come from. Not all options are available from all factories. The Kia boss has a pretty clear plan:)

[@waynegercovich4277]

Good review Allan from wayne

[@gaycarboys]

not bad for a lockdown review:)

[@ajaybk809]

I am from Finland and I have clear white with black roof Kia stonic GT line mild hybrid model 2021with 88Kw power and it has Blind spot monitoring system. Just to correct u that it isn't available anywhere else ;)

[@gaycarboys]

This review does not refer to Hybrid models. The info came directly from Kia's product manager so one assumes hybrids are differently equipped?

[@ajaybk809]

@@gaycarboys yeah that might be the difference. But yeah anyways, very good review and nice color selection of the car for review.

[@marq3125]

what color is that? thanks

[@gaycarboys]

i think it was silky silver, but the video was some time ago now

[@robertceroli3512]

Kia should have dropped the 1.6T from the Cerato gt and called it a gt not this gt line with a measly 74kw or at the very least the na 2.0 from the seltos

[@gaycarboys]

they aren't making any changes to it now. KIA tells me there might be one more minor update, but nothing until the new model. the GT grades do have more power in the models that have them but this wasn't meant to be that kind of car. i get it, i guess.