Stablemate scuffle: Kia Sonet vs. Kia Stonic

Kia Philippines introduced the Sonet crossover not too long ago. It replaced the now-delisted Stonic and is touted as a vehicle aimed at young “practical indulgers.”

But how does it stack up against its predecessor?

Today, we pit both nameplates together and find out which crossover is better. Join is to see if the Kia Sonet is a worthy successor to the Stonc in this stablemate scuffle.

Tale of the tape

The Kia Sonet measures 4,110 millimeters (mm) long, 1,790 mm wide, and 1,642 mm tall. It has a wheelbase of 2,500 mm and clears the ground by 205 mm.

On the other hand, the Kia Stonic has an overall length of 4,100 mm, an overall width of 1,735 mm, and an overall height of 1,533 mm. Its wheelbase measures some 2,570 mm and its ground clearance is at 185 mm.

Clearly, the Kia Sonet stands slightly larger than its older brother and therefore offers a tad better presence, whether standing still in a parking lot or moving fluidly on the road.

Here are some of the features that further separate the two crossovers.

Exterior

Outside, the Kia Sonet wears an aggressive-looking fascia thanks to an abundance of straight lines and sharp angles.

At its fore is a modern take on the brand’s iconic tiger grille flanked by Kia’s Star Map signature LED multi-reflector headlamps accompanied by Star Map signature LED daytime running lamps (DRL) and a pair of LED fog lamps.

It also wears a charming chin that has the same chrome finish as the borders of its glossy black radiator grille.

The side profile of the Kia Sonet boasts is bedecked with sport utility vehicle-like features that come in the form of black front bumper trims, black wheel arches, black claddings on each of its doors, blacked-out pillars, and black rear bumper appliques.

It also gets roof rails and a set of 16-inch two-tone alloy wheels.

Rear-end appointments include LED taillamps, a spoiler with an integrated high-mount stop lamp, and reflectors on each of the lower front bumpers.

As for the Kia Stonic, its bodywork has softer lines with plenty of curves that give it a sleek and sexy look.

The front end of the discontinued crossover is fitted with a seamless take of the tiger grille and is flanked by projector-type halogen headlamps coupled with front fog lamps. The lower portion of its fascia has a durable-looking bumper and skid plate paired with a meshwork that uses a modern design.

Its sides get black wheel wells, decent claddings on its doors, roof rails, and blacked-out pillars. The top-of-the-line variant has chrome door handles that pair well with its two-tone 16-inch alloy wheels.

The hind part of the Kia Stonic is endowed with a discreet spoiler, a high-mounted third brake lamp, and standard rear combination lamps.

Overall, more modern looks of the Kia Sonet will win the hearts of many car buyers who are not only looking for a daily city car but also a vehicle to take them on spontaneous adventures during the weekends. And because the Sonet clearly fits the bill, we call it the winner of this round.

Interior

The cabin of the Kia Sonet looks and feels like a modern crossover.

The driver is greeted by a leather-wrapped multi-functional steering wheel and seats swathed in leather. A similar hide covers the boot of the gear shifter as well as some trims on the door of the vehicle.

Past the aforementioned steering wheel is a 10.25-inch thin-film transistor LCD instrument cluster accompanied by a 10.25-inch touchscreen infotainment system with Wireless Apple Carplay, wireless Android Auto, and voice recognition capabilities.

Other notable features include a single-zone automatic air conditioner, a neatly-tucked wireless charging dock, and a decent-sized sunroof.

Meanwhile, the Kia Stonic gets a standard instrument panel that combines analog and digital gauges and an eight-inch infotainment screen with wired Apple Carplay and Android Auto.

Its three-spoke steering wheel is covered in polyurethane material and the seats are covered in cloth. Some leather can be seen inside its cabin in the form of the gear shifter boot.

While it lacks some of the modern amenities slapped in the Kia Sonet, the Stonic gets a single-zone automatic A/C.

For obvious reasons, we give this round to the Kia Sonet.

Powertrain

Under the hood of the Kia Sonet is a 1.5-liter four-cylinder gasoline engine mated to the brand’s intelligent variable transmission, which is said to facilitate a smoother and more responsive driving experience while maintaining good fuel economy.

The setup produces some 113 horsepower (hp) with 144 Newton-meters (Nm) of torque.

Stopping power comes from disc brakes front and back. Suspension is facilitated by MacPherson struts at the front and a coupled torsion beam axle arrangement at the rear.

The Kia Stonic is propelled by an engine with a similar displacement size. The 98-hp gasoline-fed engine is mated to a six-speed automatic transmission with a decent shifting feel — the said setup dishes out 132 Nm of pulling power.

Deceleration is handled by disc brakes on all four wheels while a MacPherson strut and stabilizer takes care of the front suspension. A coupled torsion beam axle does the work for rear-end shock absorption.

With a better power output and a smoother transmission, we give this round to the Kia Sonet.

Safety

Safety-wise, the Kia Sonet offers a robust list of safety technologies. Standard ones include airbags and seatbelts as well as electronic stability control, hill start assist control, a rear camera, and parking sensors.

The top-tier SX variant gets additional features through the Kia Drivewise advanced driver assist technology, which adds cruise control, lane keeping assist, lane following assist, forward collision avoidance assist, downhill brake control, high beam assist, and driver attention warning.

The Kia Stonic does its best to keep its occupants safe on the road with a handful of features like an anti-lock brake system, electronic stability control, hill start assist, a rear camera, and parking distance warning.

It’s no surprise that we grant this round’s win to the Kia Sonet. Its safety features make it an ideal car for first-time owners.

Pricing and variants

Kia Sonet:

• LX M/T: P758,000
• LX A/T: P868,000
• EX A/T: P978,000
• SX A/T: P1.138 million

Kia Stonic:

• LX M/T: P835,000
• LX A/T: P900,000
• Style Edition: P940,000

Verdict

The Kia Sonet outclasses the Stonic in all four rounds, proving itself a worthy successor to the Stonic. It has a more modern look, a more luxurious interior, a more powerful engine, and a bolstered list of safety features.

Photos from Juan Paulo Papa, Jirehl Kent Flores, and Kia Philippines

Also read:

Kia Sonet vs. the competition

Here are the Kia Sonet's poetic hues

Spec-checking the Kia Sonet's 4 variations