Kia Stonic Small SUV Spied For the First Time
The 2018 Kia Stonic has been spied for the first time, confirming that the Korean brand is working on a subcompact crossover, which has been a rumor up until now.
The 2018 Kia Stonic should compete with vehicles like the Honda HR-V, Mazda CX-3, and Chevrolet Trax when it arrives and is being developed in conjunction with a similar vehicle from Hyundai that hasn’t been named yet. In fact, the Kia Stonic name hasn’t even been officially confirmed yet either, but the name was recently trademarked.
Spy photographers caught the Kia Stonic for the first time testing on a frozen lake in Sweden wearing some sharp-looking wheels. The subcompact crossover should look like a lifted version of the Rio but with more body cladding, ground clearance and roof rails.
ALSO SEE: Kia’s Upcoming Compact SUV Finally has a Name and It’s Kind of Odd
It is expected that the Kia Stonic and its Hyundai cousin will debut with some sort of turbo four-cylinder engine and front-wheel drive as standard, while all-wheel drive will be optional. Both cars should also be available with all the latest safety and driver assistant technology.
The Kia Stonic is rumored to debut later this year at the Frankfurt Motor Show in September and to make its North American debut at the L.A. Auto Show in late November.
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Jodi has been obsessed with cars since she was little and has been an automotive journalist for the past 12 years. She has a Bachelor of Journalism from Ryerson University in Toronto, is a member of the Automobile Journalists Association of Canada (AJAC), and a jury member for the prestigious North American Car/Truck/Utility Vehicle of the Year (NACTOY). Besides hosting videos, and writing news, reviews and features, Jodi is the Editor-in-Chief of AutoGuide.com and takes care of the site's day-to-day operations.
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1.6 Turbo?