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In-depth reviews

Kia Stonic SUV - Reliability & safety

The Kia Stonic should prove as reliable as Kia's other cars, though safety is spec-dependent

Carbuyer Rating

3.6 out of 5

Owners Rating

4.3 out of 5

Read owner reviews
Reliability & safety Rating

4.0 out of 5

The Stonic is a fairly 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 2022 Driver Power owner satisfaction survey. Added to this, the owner reviews we have received since the vehicle has been on sale have been positive. 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 35th out of the top 75 cars in our 2022 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.

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Being based on the Kia Rio has no doubt helped the Stonic; the Rio came third 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, because when it first launched, only cars with the optional safety pack got the full five stars. Without the pack, the car only received a three-star rating, however, this safety kit is now fitted as standard to UK cars.

The Stonic comes with six airbags, ISOFIX points for rear seats, hill-start assistance and stability control as standard. While they were optional previously, auto emergency braking and lane-keeping assist now come as standard, with blind spot warnings and intelligent speed limit alerts added to the GT-Line S trim.

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Andy is Carbuyer's managing editor, with more than a decade of experience helping consumers find their perfect car. He has an MA in automotive journalism and has tested hundreds of vehicles.

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