The Kia Stonic is the latest entry into a market teeming with crossovers of all shapes and sizes. Slotting beneath the Seltos in terms of size, the Stonic is charging into subcompact-car territory with its attractive pricing and standard equipment list. But don’t let the car’s small size fool you. The Stonic may have cozy dimensions, but there is plenty to love about this cute Korean runabout.

The Stonic is 4,100mm-long, 1,735mm-wide, and 1,532mm-high – making it almost identical to the Rio as far as external dimensions are concerned. But the 2,570mm-wheelbase should make the cabin a spacious one even for tall passengers. And speaking of space, the Stonic has 325L of luggage capacity which can be further increased by folding the 60:40-split rear seats flat.

Tech-savvy buyers will be extremely happy to know that all Stonic variants come with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto for seamless phone integration. The eight-inch touchscreen infotainment system sings through six speakers so Spotify tunes are as clear and crisp as they can be. The top-end EX grade also comes with a push-to-start button and automatic climate control.

All Stonics are powered by a 1.4-liter four-cylinder gasoline engine mated to either a five-speed manual or a six-speed automatic transmission. Power outputs differ for each gearbox: 94hp for the stick shift and 99hp for the slush box. Torque figure is identical though, with the 132Nm of twist more than adequate to propel the compact and lightweight body.

Kia is particularly proud of the fact that the Stonic’s ground clearance is 185mm which makes it a better alternative to low-slung sedans and hatchbacks when the weather turns nasty. All variants come with a reverse parking camera while the range-topping EX are equipped with parking sensors, stability control, and hill start assist.

Prices for the Stonic are as follows:

• 1.4 LX 5MT – P735,000
• 1.4 LX 6AT – P835,000
• 1.4 EX 6AT – P925,000

Kia is currently offering a pre-launch discount for the Stonic. Customers who place reservations before October 15 this year can get as much as P60,000 off on the LX manual and P50,000 off on the LX and EX automatic. All cars are covered by a five-year (or 160,000km) warranty.