Kia gears up to challenge compact SUV market with 'STONIC'

By Park Sae-jin Posted : June 27, 2017, 17:44 Updated : June 27, 2017, 18:19

[Courtesy of Kia Motors]


Kia Motors, a subsidiary of South Korea's leading Hyundai Motor Group, introduced a new compact SUV model, "STONIC", that would work as a possible double-punch duo with Hyundai's new compact SUV "KONA" to boost their share in the oversaturated domestic market.

"STONIC is a compact SUV with all the essentials -- economic feasibility, safety and style," a Kia official told reporters at a research center south of Seoul. while STONIC's size is similar to its brother with a wide range of options, the Kia model offers no other powertrain options but a 1.6 VGT engine equipped with a double-clutch-transmission (DCT).

Kia would take pre-orders this week. STONIC will come with a price tag ranging from 18.9 million won (16,627 US dollars) to 22.9 million won. While the range is almost identical to Kona's, Kia pointed out STONIC is cheaper by up to two million won than SsangYong Motor's "Tivoli" of an equivalent trim.

Unlike Hyundai, the latecomer in the domestic compact SUV market, Kia's compact SUV models including Sportage" and "Niro" are popular and in competition against Tivoli, Chevrolet's "TRAX" and Samsung Renault's "QM3".

STONIC targets single-family households and newly-married young couples, Kia said, citing a variety of safety features. A Hyundai-developed safety system, VSM+, ensures stable driving in peril on-road situations such as skidding or when encountered with unexpected obstacles such as a pedestrian and a stray deer.

STONIC's total strength of the chassis can withstand up to 4.36 times its own weight and protections of the passenger cabin was its priority, according to Kia.

Park Sae-jin = swatchsjp@ajunews.com
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