STONIC’S A STUNNER!

speed limits are virtually non-existent. The gearbox is slick and there is a constant supply of power on tap to make light work of overtaking.

The driver benefits from excellent all-round visibility and there is ample room for a couple of adults to stretch out in the back seats with good leg, head and elbow space.

Next up was the 1.0-litre three-pot model again in trim level ‘2’ which Kia believes will be the biggest seller. And after a few minutes behind the wheel it’s easy to see why.

It’s a little fire-cracker of a car that’s bursting with life and whizzes through the gears as it zips along at speeds of up to 115mph.

It can accelerate to 60mph in 9.9 seconds (it feels faster) and has combined fuel economy of 56.5mpg with CO2 emissions of 115g/km.

I particularly liked the car’s exciting character and the raspy engine note was also a plus factor. The road holding was confident and assured and it is a car that can be pushed enthusiastically into tight bends.

Kia has worked hard on improving the suspension set-up on the Stonic and it is very noticeable as it makes light work of bumpy road surfaces.

We had a short run in the 1.4-petrol model which is only expected to account for about eight per cent of sales and although we had no complaints, it certainly wasn’t as exciting to drive as the 1.0-litre car or as efficient fuel-wise as the diesel variant.