Kia Stonic SUV - Reliability & safety
The Kia Stonic should prove as reliable as Kia's other cars, though safety is spec-dependent
The Stonic is a completely new model but it borrows some of the tried-and-tested parts from elsewhere in the Kia and Hyundai ranges. This proved to be a good move, as the Kia Stonic scored highly in our 2021 Driver Power owner satisfaction survey. The news isn’t quite so good on the safety front, as Euro NCAP gives a different score to cars with and without the safety pack.
Kia Stonic reliability
The Kia Stonic finished 34th out of the top 75 cars in our 2021 Driver Power survey, with owners giving the car good scores in most areas. You say the engines are a little too noisy and the gearboxes should be smoother, while value for money is only rated average. It looks smart according to our respondents, and some owners commented that they prefer the useful physical buttons instead of relying on the touchscreen for everything.
Being based on the Kia Rio has no doubt helped the Stonic; the Rio came second overall in our survey, with outstanding scores across the board. Kia, meanwhile, was only ranked below Porsche in our manufacturer satisfaction list, suggesting that any of the brand’s models will be easy to live with on a day-to-day basis.
The seven-year/100,000-mile warranty is undoubtedly a big selling point for Kia’s cars and while it offers fantastic peace of mind for owners foreseeing problems, it also demonstrates how confident Kia is in its products.
Safety
The Kia Stonic has been given two ratings by Euro NCAP, and cars with the optional safety pack get the full five stars. Without the pack, the car only received a three-star rating, which may be enough to put some buyers off, as most rivals have five-star scores.
The Stonic comes with six airbags, ISOFIX points for rear seats, hill-start assistance and stability control as standard. Only the ‘Connect’ and ‘GT-Line S’ trims come with auto emergency braking and lane-keeping assist - these are standard on most new cars. GT-Line S also gets additional features such as blind-spot warnings and smart cruise control, although you'll also need an automatic gearbox for the latter.
