Small Kia crossover prepares for launch

While Hyundai is readying its first compact crossover, which is called Kona, sister company Kia prepares the launch of its own Nissan Juke rival. Baptized Stonic – a combination of the words Speedy and Tonic, this newcomer slots below the successful Sportage. It is key to further growth of the brand in Europe, where small SUVs like the aforementioned Juke, the Renault Captur, the Fiat 500X, the Peugeot 2008 and Opel Mokka X are thriving, to the detriment of mainly C-segment hatchbacks and estates.

Kia claims its Stonic hides an exceptionally spacious interior underneath its sporty skin that features clean horizontal lines and a gently sloping rear end. The Korean carmaker also mentions a floating human-machine interface that links smartphones seemlessly with the car's many functions. The Stonic is expected to make its debut during the upcoming Frankfurt motor show in September, with sales starting shortly after.

Picture copyright: Kia, 2017