And it’s official! The new Kia Stonic has arrived in the Philippine market.

The unveiling was done via digital launch to the members of motoring media. Of course, the unveiling was spearheaded by the triumvirate of equally-dynamic and active executives for the local arm of the Korean automaker, namely AC Industrials Chairman and CEO Arthur Tan, AC Motors automotive group President Antonio “Toti” Zara III and Kia Philippines President Manny Aligada.

Tan expressed his firm confidence on the new Stonic, claiming that it will be a frontrunner for Kia in its bid to be one of the key players in the industry—alongside other volume sellers from its stable such as the Soluto, Seltos and K2500.

Meanwhile, Aligada said that their latest model is designed to set a new trend in the local automotive arena. “For over 70 years, Kia has been innovating the way we design vehicles. Today, we are proud to launch the Kia Stonic—which has Style that’s Iconic,” he expressed.

“With a vehicle like this, we hope to be a driving force for you, the Filipino youth, who are on your way to where you want to go,” Aligada added.

Kia prides the car as it is equipped with trendsetting features. The chic crossover—as envisioned by Kia Chief Designer Peter Schreyer— has expressed its European Design Language through its compact footprint and sharp lines that blended quintessentially with the signature Tiger Nose Grille. This groundbreaking design earned recognitions from globally-renowned iF Design and Red Dot Awards.

Size-wise, it measures 4,100mm long, 1,735mm wide and 1,533mm high with a 2,570 wheelbase as well as a ground clearance of 185mm. The new Stonic has the right size to grab attention on the road, yet still makes it a comfortable, daily-driven vehicle on urban roads. A real head turner, the 16-inch alloy wheels complete its sporty look.

Equipped with a 1.4 dual CVVT engine that is mated to either a five-speed manual or a six-speed automatic transmission, this powertrain can provide 95 PS and 100 PS, respectively. Not only that, the engine-transmission combo makes it very efficient in terms of fuel consumption.

The engine and the interior engineering of the new Stonic are bound to carry huge hauls as it is designed to easily transport more than 325 liters of cargo, giving owners more freedom to bring what they need for work or leisure purposes. The said cargo space is applicable when the seats are in an upright position —and even more if the rear seats are folded flat.

Inside, the new Stonic has an 8-inch touchscreen infotainment system compatible with both Android Auto and Apple CarPlay to make every trip lively—be it in the middle of traffic jams or long journeys to the beach. This multimedia player delivers the sounds you need with friends and family through its six audio speakers that are packaged as standard for all variants.

The new Stonic puts safety as top priority. The projector headlamp design plus the LED Daytime Running Lights for the EX (front fog lamps for the LX) –which complement the overall appearance of the front fascia—provide ample illumination for the driver to ensure that the view is not compromised. Aside from the dual front airbags, three-point seat belts with pretensioners and anti-brake lock system, Rear Camera with Dynamic Guidelines, ISOFIX child anchors and child lock come as standard, making sure that the little one will stay firmly secured while in transit.

The introductory price for the new Stonic—which varies from P675,000 for the LX MT, P785,000 for the mid-range automatic (LX AT) and P875,000 for the top-grade EX AT—will be extended until the end of November .