The 2026 Kia Stonic will be up to $3260 more expensive than the outgoing model, though it has been extensively updated.
The overhauled light SUV, a rival to the top-selling Mazda CX-3, will start at $28,180 before on-roads – up $2020 on the outgoing model. The Stonic Sport has climbed $2000 to $32,290 before on-roads, while the flagship Stonic GT-Line is up $3260 to $35,740 before on-roads.
Kia Australia may have released list pricing (if not drive-away pricing), but it hasn’t yet published a full specification list. This is expected to be available soon, given the Stonic will arrive in local showrooms this month.
The company has confirmed the Stonic will gain Kia Connect connected services and support for over-the-air updates, as well as the range-wide standardisation of 48V mild-hybrid technology.
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This is the second facelift for the Stonic, which launched here early in 2021 but had been on sale in Europe since 2017.
Now sporting the Korean brand’s new ‘Opposites United’ design language, the Stonic trades the old model’s more fluid and organic lines for a more angular look shared with the likes of the EV3 and K4.
This exterior refresh includes the new corporate ‘face’, plus a redesigned tailgate and tail-lights and new wheels and bumpers.
It has grown slightly, to the tune of 25mm in length (to 4165mm) while boot capacity has expanded by 30L (to 352L).
The light SUV will continue to offer a turbocharged 1.0-litre turbocharged three-cylinder petrol engine in Australia, but it now gains 48V mild-hybrid technology – something previously off-limits to the local-market Stonic.
Per European specifications, the mild-hybrid powertrain boosts outputs to 84.5kW (up from 74kW), though torque is unchanged at 172Nm.
Like the outgoing Australian-market Stonic, a seven-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission is available. We expect this to be the only transmission offered Down Under, with the six-speed manual transmission being axed for the 2025 model year.
Kia quotes a 10.8-second 0-100km/h time for the new mild-hybrid Stonic when hooked up to the dual-clutch auto, versus 12.1s for the outgoing version.
According to the German-market spec sheet, fuel consumption is unchanged from the non-mild-hybrid Stonic 1.0T at 5.6L/100km. CO2 emissions are essentially unchanged, dropping almost imperceptibly from 127g/km to 126g/km.
The interior has received a glow-up too, with dual 12.3-inch digital instrument and infotainment touchscreen displays.
However, they appear to be running Kia’s older user interface as currently seen in the Niro crossover rather than the new connected car Navigation Cockpit (ccNC) that is filtering out across the brand’s new EVs and larger models.
Still, the new displays bring Kia Connect services to Australia – already available in the Stonic in overseas markets – which should bring cloud-based services, real-time vehicle diagnostics, and remote vehicle integration via the Kia Connect app.
Kia has brought in ‘Multimode Touch Display’ touch-capacitive switches for climate control and media adjustment, which will be familiar from other Kias like the Sportage and Sorento.
Other interior changes include a revised centre console, a new steering wheel and gearshift, and USB-C outlets.
Safety and assistance technology have also seen a boost, with the new Stonic gaining Kia’s semi-autonomous Highway Driving Assist, which combines adaptive cruise and lane centring functions while also integrating navigation data to adjust speeds for corners.
It’s unclear, however, how much additional equipment the updated Australian-market range will receive.
To the end of October, Kia has delivered 5491 Stonics this year in Australia. That puts it narrowly behind the Hyundai Venue (6619), though both Korean SUVs are outsold by the Toyota Yaris Cross (9197) and the dominant Mazda CX-3 (13,266).
Stay tuned for more refreshed Stonic information, including a detailed price and specs, when this becomes available.
Pricing
| Model | Price before on-road costs |
|---|---|
| 2026 Kia Stonic S | $28,180 (+$2020) |
| 2026 Kia Stonic Sport | $32,290 (+$2000) |
| 2026 Kia Stonic GT-Line | $35,740 (+$3260) |
