Guided by Kia’s ‘Opposites United’ design philosophy, the new Stonic embodies a stronger, more expressive character. It introduces a refreshed front fascia featuring Kia’s Star Map Signature Lighting, a sharper more structured grille, and a striking, updated front bumper design. At the rear, a redesigned tailgate, enhanced taillight signature and cleaner bumper profile further modernize its dynamic appearance. New wheel designs, including 16-inch and 17-inch alloy options, give the model a more confident presence.

Inside, the 2026 Stonic introduces features typically reserved for higher segment vehicles. The new panoramic dual display layout combines two connected 12.3-inch screens for full digital instrumentation and advanced infotainment, setting a new benchmark for compact crossovers.

Like the EV6, EV9, Carnival, and Sorento before it, the Multimode Touch Display replaces traditional HVAC controls with a sleek interface that enables users to seamlessly toggle between climate settings and infotainment menus.

Additional updates include a redesigned steering wheel, a re-sculpted gear knob, an updated dashboard, and a new center console. Convenience features such as USB-C fast charging ports, wireless smartphone charging and ambient lighting further enhance the in-car experience.

Measuring 4,165 mm in length and offering up to 352 liters of cargo capacity, the 2026 Stonic combines compact proportions with versatile interior space. With 1,070 mm of front legroom and practical rear passenger dimensions, it delivers comfort and usability within a smart, urban-friendly footprint.

Powertrain options for the Stonic include a turbocharged 1.0-liter T-GDI engine producing 100 horsepower and 172 Nm of torque. This is enough to deliver a 0 to 100 km/h time of 11 seconds (12.1 seconds for the DCT). A mild-hybrid version of the same powertrain that bumps the outputs to 115 horsepower and 172 Nm (200 Nm for the DCT) and this helps drop the acceleration times to 10.7 seconds (10.8 seconds for the DCT).

And about transmissions, the Stonic comes in either a six-speed manual or seven-speed dual-clutch automatic.

The new Stonic now offers one of the most comprehensive Advanced Driver Assistance Systems (ADAS) packages in its class with features such as Blind-spot Collision Avoidance Assist (BCA) with Safe Exit Warning (SEW), Forward Collision-Avoidance Assist 1.5 (FCA 1.5), Navigation-based Smart Cruise Control, Highway Driving Assist (HDA), and Lane Following Assist (LFA) all available.

As cool looking as the Stonic is, the chances of it arriving in the Philippines are unlikely. The local Stonic, which was sourced from Kia’s JV plant in China, was discontinued in favor of the Sonet. Since then, the Sonet has accounted for 75 percent of Kia Philippines’ sales.