Used Kia Stonic 2017-present reliability
Category: Small SUV
The Stonic is a fine and capable small SUV with a long warranty and plenty of equipment, but the firm ride is an acquired taste
What should I look for in a used Kia Stonic estate?
When viewing a used car, always follow our used car buying checklist.
Aside from the usual checks for parking dents and dings and kerbed alloy wheels, there isn’t much to look out for. The interior is pretty tough, too, but uses lots of hard and scratchy plastics that might show scratches if it's been abused.
If you are looking at a Stonic that's less than 18 months old from an approved used Kia dealership, then make sure they top the warranty back up to the full seven years as part of the brand's approved used scheme.
The suite of driver assistance technology fitted to 3 models and above was improved in the latter half of 2018 to include lane keep assistance, so if you're after all the latest safety tech, you'll need to keep this in mind.
What are the most common problems with a used Kia Stonic estate?
There is a potential fault that could result in decreased braking ability. Number of recalled vehicles: 20,781. Years applicable: 2019, 2020.
Click here for more information. Contact your local Kia dealer if you believe your vehicle is involved in a recall.
Is a used Kia Stonic estate reliable?
Kia Stonic reliability is mixed. Although it was absent from our 2024 What Car? Reliability Survey, it appeared in our 2023 survey and ranked 19th out of 22 cars in the small SUV class. Its reliability rating of 88.8% is subpar.
Just one in four Stonic owners reported a fault with their car, but it scored only fractionally better than the rival Skoda Kamiq overall. Why? Well, it’s partly down to cost. Some respondents reported paying as much as £750 to fix a single fault, although a majority (71%) were still put right free of charge. Stonics also tended to spend longer getting fixed, too; 71% took more than a week to repair.
In our 2024 survey, Kia ranked 12th out of 34 manufacturers featured. Its reliability rating of 93.4% is a bit more confidence inspiring. Kia ranked above Ford, Mazda and Skoda but below Hyundai and Toyota.
Used Kia Stonic: owners' reliability data
As part of our 2023 Reliability Survey, What Car? readers described the Kia Stonic as generally reliable, but issues have been reported. Several owners of both petrol and diesel models mentioned the car running smoothly without faults for extended periods. However, there were some concerns around engine warning lights appearing unexpectedly, which led to trips to the dealership.
In terms of dealer service, experiences varied. Some drivers reported efficient and timely service from Kia dealerships, praising the quick resolution of any issues. Others, however, mentioned delays in getting repairs completed and noted the cost of certain repairs as being higher than expected. One reader pointed out that while minor faults were addressed promptly, more significant issues like engine-related problems took longer to fix.
