2026 Kia Stonic gets major facelift, in Australia by year's end with mild-hybrid

The Kia Stonic city crossover SUV has been given a substantial reskin and technology upgrade, ahead of an Australian launch during the fourth quarter of 2025 that will see it move to electrified powertrains.

Now sporting the Korean brand’s new ‘Opposites United’ design language as seen on its latest models, 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.

It has grown slightly, to the tune of 25mm in length (to 4165mm) while boot capacity has expanded by 30L (to 352L), with the sole powertrain confirmed at launch to be the brand’s 1.0-litre three-cylinder turbo-petrol engine – which in Australia will be offered with 48V mild-hybrid technology across the range for the first time.

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Above: Stonic Base Line (left); Stonic GT-Line (right)

Further to the new corporate design philosophy – which includes Kia’s ‘Star Map’ lighting signatures and upright motifs – there are other changes including new wheels and bumpers, a redesigned tailgate, as well as new colours such as the Adventurous Green pictured here.

Both ‘Base Line’ and ‘GT-Line’ appearance packages will be offered globally, with wheel sizes ranging from 16 to 17 inches in diameter.

Inside, the Stonic’s dashboard has been redesigned to be more aligned with Kia’s larger and more expensive models, bringing “upper-segment influence” to the more budget-focused city car market.

Dual 12.3-inch displays incorporate the digital instruments and touchscreen infotainment unit, though 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.

Above: Stonic Base Line (top); Stonic GT-Line (bottom)

Still, the new displays offer Kia Connect services – already available in the Stonic in overseas markets – which in Australia should bring cloud-based services, real-time vehicle diagnostics and remote vehicle integration via the Kia app. Depending on market and specification, the Stonic will also be compatible with a Digital Key.

Kia has brought in ‘Multimode Touch Display’ touch-capacitive switches for climate control and media adjustment, which will be familiar from the Niro and Sportage SUVs.

New steering wheels also debut, as does a new gearshift, revised centre console and USB-C fast charging ports. Other available features include wireless smartphone charging and ambient interior lighting.

Safety and assistance technology has 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.

Further details of the local lineup will be detailed closer to launch, but as noted earlier Kia Australia has confirmed the introduction of its fuel-saving 48V mild-hybrid tech in the Stonic “across all trims”.

Currently, the Kia Stonic is available in three distinct trim levels all powered by the non-48V 1.0-litre turbo-petrol engine, exclusively teamed with a seven-speed dual-clutch transmission (DCT).

A six-speed manual is available overseas with both regular and mild-hybrid (MHEV) versions of the 1.0T, depending on market.

The 1.0T MHEV boosts power to 84.5kW (up from 74kW), though torque is unchanged at 172Nm. Kia quotes a 10.8-second 0-100km/h time for the new DCT-equipped Stonic MHEV, versus 12.1s for the ICE version with the DCT.

While fuel consumption hasn’t been detailed in the global spec sheet, the 48V system cuts a claimed 4-5g/km of CO2 in addition to the performance improvement. No doubt urban-cycle claims will post greater differences.

Above: Stonic Base Line (left); Stonic GT-Line (right)

Expect Kia Australia to retain a three-strong range, though expected equipment upgrades and the addition of Kia Connect should see prices rise somewhat.

Since going turbo-only, the Stonic ranges from $28,290-$34,090 drive-away based on a New South Wales postcode.

CarExpert speculates the new base model with mild-hybrid should just scrape under the critical $30,000 barrier with some of the fancier tech features left off the roster, or resigned to an optional ‘Safety Pack’.

The flagship GT-Line with all if not just about all of the fruit detailed in the global press release could be punching $36,990 D/A or more, subject to just how much of the global featureset Kia’s global team intends to include, keeping in mind the price-conscious section of the market the Stonic competes in.

It’s unclear whether Kia might expand the range to four variants for a greater spread of equipment, perhaps bringing a ‘Sport+’ to sit between the current Sport and GT-Line à la the larger K4. Alternatively, an S with Safety Pack could allow the base model to go harder on price and bridge the tech gap between the S and the Sport.

Stay tuned to CarExpert for the latest, and let us know what you think of the new Stonic in the comments!

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