Behind the wheel of the New Kia Stonic 2026: more attractive, safer, more technological... and with an ECO label from €19,190!

The Kia Stonic, the second best-selling model of the Korean brand in our market after the Sportage (together they account for almost 50 percent of all Kia sales in Spain), receives an aesthetic and technical update that suits it perfectly. Since its launch in 2017, 83,000 units of this model have been sold in the Spanish market, when the B-SUV segment accounted for 12% of the total market, while in 2025 it will represent double that, reaching 25%.

That 2025 is set to be the best year in the Stonic’s history in Spain, closing with around 12,000 units, is clear proof that the Korean SUV is in magnificent form. But with the “reinforcements” that come with this restyling, Kia hopes to keep achieving success against increasingly strong competition, and to reach 16,000 units in 2026. This is how it intends to do it.

Completely renewed exterior and interior design

Externally, the Stonic now aligns with the brand’s latest launches, especially at the front, with new lighting units, grille and bumpers. The rear lights are also completely new. It grows 2.5 centimetres in length due to the new bumpers, yet maintains very compact dimensions: 4.16 metres long, 1.50 metres high and 1.76 metres wide. There are also new alloy wheel designs – 16 inches on the Concept and Drive trims, and 17 inches on the GT Line versions – and the Yacht Blue and Adventurous Green body colours join the palette.

In addition to the wheels, the GT Line stands out thanks to a different bumper design, LED fog lights and black exterior mirror caps. The result is very eye-catching. The changes are far from minor, yet when you see the new Stonic it feels like a completely new car, even though it isn’t at all.

This sensation is even greater upon entering the cabin, where we find a dashboard that, once again, recalls that of the latest Kia models to reach the market, with the dual panoramic screen as the centrepiece. Behind the steering wheel sits the digital instrument cluster, followed by the multimedia system screen, both 12.3 inches and with very good resolution. A touch control bar is also adopted, allowing functions to be switched to manage both the climate control and the infotainment system. Overall it gains considerable presence, although the predominance of hard plastics remains.

Other interior changes – the roominess is unchanged and boot capacity remains good at 352 litres – affect the upholstery, the steering wheel designs (with two or three spokes) and the gear lever. It now also features ambient lighting, fast-charging USB-C ports and wireless smartphone connection. As notable technological novelties not present on the previous model, the Stonic can also be equipped with a wireless charging pad for mobile devices, an electric parking brake with Auto Hold system (standard only on the GT Line with automatic gearbox) and the Key 2.0 Touch digital key, which removes the need for a conventional physical key, allowing a smartphone to unlock and start the car. These two items are standard on the GT Line trim.

More safety: fully loaded with ADAS

The new Kia Stonic also gets an update in terms of safety, expanding the available ADAS driver assistance systems. It can now also be fitted with the Highway Driving Assist (HDA), which operates between 0 and 160 km/h and helps the driver keep the vehicle centred in its lane, maintaining the speed set on cruise control and the distance to the vehicle ahead. Another novelty is the Multi-Collision Brake (MCB) system, which applies the brakes in a controlled way after an impact to avoid or reduce the consequences of possible secondary collisions.

All trims come as standard with lane keeping assist, driver fatigue detection, forward collision assist and speed limit recognition. The Drive and GT Line trims add blind-spot assist and rear cross-traffic collision prevention.

1.0 Turbo petrol engine with and without hybridisation

The Stonic 2026’s engine line-up is simplified compared with the version launched in 2021 as an update of the model presented in 2017, which at one stage had an entry variant with a 1.2 naturally aspirated engine. Now only the 1.0 T-GDi is offered, a three-cylinder with a turbocharger that comes in two versions: with 100 CV and a CERO label; or with 48 V MHEV mild hybridisation, which raises output to 115 CV and carries the ECO label from the DGT.

With the 100 CV engine the Stonic is only offered with a manual gearbox and in the Concept and Drive trims, while the 1.0 T-GDI MHEV is available with the GT Line trim and can be fitted with a seven-speed dual-clutch automatic gearbox for an extra €1,500 over the manual, though only on the Drive and GT Line versions. These are the range prices including all available discounts.

• Stonic 1.0 T-GDI 100 CV Concept: €19,520
• Stonic 1.0 T-GDI 100 CV Drive: €20,920
• Stonic 1.0 T-GDI MHEV 115 CV Concept: €19,190
• Stonic 1.0 T-GDI MHEV 115 CV Drive: €22,220
• Stonic 1.0 T-GDI MHEV 115 CV GT Line: €24,620

Regarding prices, it is worth understanding how discounts work at Kia. There are several cumulative discounts: a customer discount of up to €3,800, another €450 from the Kia Plan, a further €400 for trading in a car and €1,230 for financing the purchase. In total, the maximum discount amounts to €4,470 for all versions… except for the 1.0 T-GDI MHEV 115 CV Concept, which can reach a total discount of €6,105, at least in this first launch phase. This explains why this version has a starting price with all discounts applied lower than the 100 CV 1.0 T-GDI in the same Concept trim, which has no mild hybridisation.

While that offer lasts, the most interesting Stonic is precisely the 1.0 T-GDI MHEV 115 CV Concept. Once it ends and conditions equalise across the range, my recommendation is to opt for the Drive trim, which compared with the Concept adds noteworthy features such as climate control, rain sensor and LED headlights. Personally, if the budget allows, I would also recommend making the effort to choose the dual-clutch gearbox.

Behind the wheel of the Kia Stonic

As for the driving experience, the best news is that nothing has changed: the Stonic remains a very pleasant car to drive, with suspension that strikes a suitable balance between safety and comfort, and performance – especially in the 115 CV version – that makes it suitable not only for urban use but even for motorway journeys.

The small three-cylinder engine has long demonstrated what it can deliver, especially with the help of a hybridisation system that works wonderfully. It pulls strongly from low revs and can comfortably cope with deliberately long gear ratios designed to favour economy, which can be very low if you drive smoothly; but, as with most engines of this type that combine small capacity and turbocharging, consumption rises more than you might expect if you travel “light”.

Kia Stonic 2026 – Photo gallery

Technical specifications of this car

CrossoverKIA Stonic7 versions · from 24,210 €