2021 Ford Puma v Kia Stonic GT-Line comparison
Each of these hard-hitting small SUVs packs a value punch, but does the Kia Stonic have what it takes to topple the reigning Drive Car of the Year Best Small SUV? Tom Fraser finds out.
Though they share a $29,990 price, before on-road costs, the 2021 Ford Puma and Kia Stonic GT-Line are two different takes on what a small SUV should be. On the one hand, the Ford Puma is an entry-level variant, while the Kia Stonic GT-Line is the top-tier specification of its range. The Ford Puma is a relative newcomer, having launched in 2019 overseas, while the Kia Stonic has been around for four years in international markets, launching in Australia in late 2020.
We've got a lot of love for the Ford Puma at Drive - it won our 2021 Drive Car of the Year: Best Light SUV award. But that was crowned before the value-packed Kia Stonic arrived on the scene in Australia. Does the newcomer have what it takes to knock off the segment's best?
There's a lot to discuss, so let's get stuck into it.
Introduction
Ford Puma
The Ford Puma is the smallest SUV the brand offers and starts off from a $29,990 list price for the eponymous base-level Puma specification, or a current drive-away offer of $31,990.
Our tester came fitted with the $1500 optional parking pack, which allows the car to park itself (among other tricks including adaptive cruise control and blind-spot monitoring), and the $2000 optional panoramic sunroof.
The base-level Ford Puma is pricier than many of its light-SUV rivals, such as the Mazda CX-3, Hyundai Venue, Nissan Juke and Volkswagen T-Cross, but it does come with some neat features as standard.
You do feel as if you’re getting a valuable deal with features such as native satellite navigation, wireless phone charging, auto high beam, rain-sensing wipers, LED ambient interior lighting, digital radio, and some nifty LED puddle lamps that display a puma cat.
There are also 17-inch alloy wheels, an 8.0-inch SYNC 3 infotainment system with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, as well as massage seats – certainly an oddity at this pricepoint.
Kia Stonic
On face value, it might look as though Kia has entered the light-SUV class a little late to the party and a bit half-baked. The city-sized Stonic was introduced to the world in 2017, but its Australian launch only occurred at the start of this year.
Since its international launch, several light SUVs such as the Ford Puma, Toyota Yaris Cross, and Hyundai Venue have joined the Australian market stocking modern styling, swathes of up-to-date tech, and a strong set of baseline features. Even the older segment pillars including the Mazda CX-3 and Honda HR-V have been continually updated to keep pace with their newer contemporaries.
The Kia Stonic is designed to slot in as the entry-level crossover from the Korean brand, bolstering Kia’s SUV portfolio Down Under. It’s smaller and more affordable than Kia’s Seltos, the Sportage, and the Sorento, though with the four of them Kia covers a diverse range of needs for Australian buyers. It was the missing piece of Kia’s Australian line-up, shall we say.
The Stonic GT-Line comes with standard equipment including a sunroof, automatic single-zone climate control, LED daytime-running lights and LED headlights, 17-inch alloy wheels, sporty styling and the option of a funky two-tone colour scheme (though this option deletes the sunroof).
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So, has Kia done itself a disservice by launching late with an older product? We’ve picked up a top-spec 2021 Kia Stonic GT-Line automatic, which starts from the same $29,990 marker before on-road costs, but a sharper $30,490 drive-away, to see how it compares to its more established competition.
Interior Comfort
Ford Puma
The interior space of the new Ford Puma is a modern, functional space with a suite of neat features and cool tech. Cloth upholstery adorns the seats, which feels robust and built to last the distance (not to mention features a cool design), while the seats themselves are firm and supportive – especially around the shoulders.
Though it’s a $2000 option, the panoramic sunroof works to lift in-cabin ambience, filling it with light and the sense that it’s a larger space than it actually is. There’s a good amount of space to get comfortable with in the front row, and the seats have a good level of adjustment to provide the driver with a good perch to see clearly out of the cabin.
Ford has employed a series of soft-touch fabrics to cover most touchpoints, which is a point of difference for the segment, as many rivals tend to make do with hard plastics on the door cards and dash tops, for example.
The plush leather-covered steering wheel is nice to hold and contains a series of button shortcuts to operate different infotainment functions. The touchscreen is just a short reach away and placed at the forefront of the dash for easy-access operation.
Back seat passengers will have no trouble getting in and out of the second row thanks to a large door aperture, and once inside, the space on offer is commendable for the segment. Small to average-sized passengers should have no trouble folding their legs in behind the seats, while there’s a good amount of shoulder and foot room too. Headroom isn’t fantastic for taller occupants – we’d be curious to try a Puma without the sunroof to see if it’s any better.
Storage-wise, there’s a small cubby behind the centre console for rear passengers to use, as well as two map pockets and door bins. There are no rear air vents, though that’s par for the course in this light-SUV segment.
The Puma has deep and wide door pockets to store a number of items, as well as a slot in front of the shifter for wireless phone charging and keys, for example. There’s a couple of cupholders next to the shifter, though storage between the seats is limited.
Ford says the Puma’s boot capacity is rated at 410L. It’s a respectable size for a small SUV, and a very useable space thanks to a false floor that allows for easy loading, a sneaky plastic-lined sub-floor cavity over the space-saver spare wheel, and a wide aperture to shove in bigger items. The cargo blind is also a neat unit that connects to the hatch rather than the back seats, which means the back seats can be folded down (60:40 split) without having to remove the blind.
A manual handbrake features in the front row - just a sole aberration from an otherwise technologically focused space.
Kia Stonic
Step inside the cabin of the Kia Stonic GT-Line and you’ll immediately question whether this is, in fact, the range-topping model. While it’s not an offensive place by any means, the interior of the Stonic does present as an old and a bit of a drab place to spend time.
There are swathes of black plastic on the door cards where some rivals would use softer materials, and while Kia has done its best to spruce up the looks with carbon-effect trim accenting, it does look and feel a generation behind. That said, build quality does feel up to par.
However, as a space to actually use, the Stonic’s interior contains a comfortable amount of room to get set up in. There’s good, simple adjustability of things such as the seats, steering wheel and mirrors to find a cosy driving position.
The seats don’t cosset you in the same way those in the Nissan Juke would, having less side support and a flat seat squab, though they do the job just fine. All Kia Stonics come fitted with an 8.0-inch touchscreen infotainment display with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, rear-view camera with parking sensors, keyless entry, auto-dimming rear-view mirror and dusk-sensing auto headlights.
The GT-Line scores a feature set including a tilt-and-slide sunroof (but only on cars without two-tone paint), ‘premium’ black cloth upholstery with white piping, single-zone climate control, alloy sports pedals, and a GT-Line branded sports steering wheel. These additions make the interior a comfortable place to spend time – especially the extra light and ambience afforded by the sunroof. The alloy pedals are a cool thing to see at the affordable end of Kia’s range too.
There is one USB-A port in the front row for charging devices and operating smartphone mirroring, and one 12-volt power outlet. As is normal for the light-SUV segment, the back seat space is a no-frills affair - there is just one map pocket, no air vents, and minimal storage pockets. Legroom is decent, so is footroom and headroom. It’s a fine place to spend decent stints of time as an adult passenger.
Kia says boot space is 352L. The cavity has a higher load lip, which can make loading in larger items a task. Underneath the boot floor mat hides a space-saver spare wheel.
At a glance | 2021 Ford Puma | 2021 Kia Stonic GT-Line |
Seats | Five | Five |
Boot volume | 410L | 352L / 1155L |
Length | 4186mm | 4180mm |
Width | 1805mm | 1760mm |
Height | 1550mm | 1520mm |
Wheelbase | 2588mm | 2580mm |
Turning circle | 10.4m | 10.2m |
Infotainment and Connectivity
Ford Puma
Ford’s tried-and-tested SYNC 3 infotainment system features in the Puma. The 8.0-inch screen a simple system to become acquainted with, featuring a series of shortcut buttons along the bottom, and its clear and concise mapping is easy to get used to.
For those who prefer it, smartphone mirroring is on offer with both Apple CarPlay and Android Auto services covered.
FordPass is available on the Puma, which allows an owner to check various car systems via a simple mobile phone application. It can tell you where your vehicle is, unlock the car, check the health of the vehicle and display live traffic feeds.
The Puma has one USB-C port in the centre console, one USB-A port next to the shifter, and a 12-volt outlet for charging various devices.
Kia Stonic
Every variant of the Kia Stonic range gets an 8.0-inch infotainment system that extends protruding from the dash. In the Stonic GT-Line the system features a form of Kia’s latest software, which includes things like multiple driver profiles, native satellite navigation, Sounds of Nature ambient cabin treatment, and provision for multiple Bluetooth connections.
For those who prefer to use the familiar Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, smartphone mirroring can be used by connecting a compatible phone via USB. There is a small multifunction display within the instrument cluster to view key vehicle settings and information, and the screen can show a digital speed readout. Annoyingly, though, the screen will not show your cruise-control speed setting.
The main infotainment screen is an easy one to use. There are shortcuts along the bottom of the screen for key functions that make navigating between screens quick. We’ve rarely had bad experiences with Kia’s infotainment system, which tends to work reliably without malfunctioning or displaying improperly.
Safety
Ford Puma
The Australian New Car Assessment Program ruled that the Ford Puma deserves a five-star safety rating in late 2019. It managed a 94 per cent result for adult occupant protection, 86 per cent for child occupant protection, 77 per cent for vulnerable road user protection and 74 per cent for safety assist.
All Puma variants come standard with six airbags, autonomous emergency braking with pedestrian and cyclist detection, lane-departure warning, lane-keep assist, traffic sign recognition, a driver-impairment monitor, rear parking sensors and a tyre pressure monitor.
The $1500 Park Pack fitted to our tester also adds adaptive cruise control with stop-and-go functionality and lane-centring capabilities, plus active park assist with front, side and rear sensors and blind-spot detection.
Kia Stonic
The Kia Stonic scored five stars in its 2017 Australian New Car Assessment Program test. Interestingly, this test was completed on the Kia Rio hatchback and extrapolated to include the Kia Stonic, which shares much of its structure and safety equipment with the entry-level hatch.
The Stonic’s level of safety equipment may not score a full five-star rating if tested to stricter 2021 protocols.
All models come standard with a suite of safety tech including autonomous emergency braking with pedestrian and cyclist recognition, lane-keep assist, lane-following assist, driver-attention alert, leading vehicle departure alert, hill-start assist, speed-sensing auto door locks, two ISOFIX mounts, and front, side, and curtain airbags.
At a glance | 2021 Ford Puma | 2021 Kia Stonic GT-Line |
ANCAP rating | Five stars (tested 2019) | Five stars (tested 2017) |
Safety report | LINK to ANCAP | Link to ANCAP |
Value for Money
Ford Puma
Starting from $31,990 drive-away, the Ford Puma finds itself at the pricier end of the light-SUV market. That said, the level of standard equipment on offer – regardless of optional packs – is high.
From an ownership perspective, the Puma is covered by Ford’s five-year/unlimited-kilometre warranty. Ford also throws in seven years of roadside assistance as long as you service your vehicle regularly at approved service centres.
Each service must be completed at 15,000km or 12-month intervals, with the first five visits setting buyers back $1516.
Kia Stonic
The Kia Stonic range’s top end is more affordable than some of its competitors such as the Ford Puma. Currently priced at $30,490 drive-away, you’re getting Kia’s range-topping model without any additional on-road costs to pay, which is an attractive deal when compared to rivals’ ranges, in which pricing can begin around that mark and extend towards the $40,000 mark.
In that sense, the Kia Stonic represents great value compared to its competition. But it must be considered that the feature set and materials used in its build aren’t quite up to par with the rest of the segment.
The Kia Stonic comes standard with a seven-year/unlimited-kilometre warranty and capped-price servicing. Visits to the service centre occur at 12-month or 10,000km intervals, whichever is sooner, with the first five visits set to cost $2128.
At a glance | 2021 Ford Puma | 2021 Kia Stonic GT-Line |
MSRP | $29,990 | $29,990 |
Options as tested | Park Pack ($1500), panoramic roof ($2000) | N/A |
Warranty | Five years/unlimited km | Seven years/unlimited km |
Servicing costs | $1010 (3yr)/$1516 (5yr) | $1105 (3yr)/$2128 (5yr) |
Driver Technology
Ford Puma
The Ford Puma we tested features the $1500 Park Pack, which allows the car to semi-autonomously park itself. In practice, the system works very accurately and is swift at picking out suitable spots to plonk itself.
It also features start/stop technology, a radar-based adaptive cruise-control system, and a TFT display within the instrument cluster. While not a fully digital display, the small insert screen still allows the driver to view a digital speedo, control phone functions, change music and fiddle with the car’s functions.
Also of note is a rear-view camera with parking sensors, traffic sign recognition, hill hold and launch assist, as well as an emergency assistant that will automatically phone up emergency services if the vehicle detects a crash.
Kia Stonic
In addition to the active safety equipment mentioned above, the Kia Stonic GT-Line also stocks a lane-following cruise control setting, stop/start fuel-saving technique, switchable drive modes, and a manual override for gear selection – though there are no paddle shifters fitted.
The lane-follow freeway assistant mode is a curious one, as it's usually paired with adaptive cruise control, though that isn’t offered on the Stonic. It does a reliable job at keeping you within your lane while on the freeway without having to touch the steering wheel, though it would be a better system if it added radar-based adaptive cruise control to the mix.
The Stonic comes with three driving modes: Eco, Normal and Sport. Annoyingly, every time you restart the car, it reverts to Eco mode, which is too dull for everyday driving.
Powertrain and Performance
Ford Puma
The Puma’s 92kW/170Nm outputs might not sound too hot on paper, but the 1.0-litre turbocharged three-cylinder engine of the Puma is a punchy and spritely unit. Peak outputs occur at 6000rpm (power) and between 1500–4500rpm (torque), which is perfect for around-town duties.
It only has to shift 1264kg (tare) – which is a pretty standard weight for its class – but the pairing between seven-speed gearbox and turbocharged motor works in harmony to make for a pleasant little drive.
There’s a sense of hesitation when taking off from a set of lights, but it only takes a fraction of a second for the Puma to figure out what it’s doing and then snap into action. Once on the move, gearshifts are effectively unnoticeable, and the car responds diligently to sudden throttle inputs.
Not only is the Puma’s powertrain competent, but it’s also a quiet operator. Engine noise levels are kept to a minimum, while road and wind noise are also subdued.
Kia Stonic
GT-Line specification in the Kia Stonic gives access to a 1.0-litre turbocharged three-cylinder engine that outputs 74kW and 172Nm to the front wheels. While it has the same power figure as the lower-spec engines in the range, the turbocharger provides a boost in torque that is handy around town.
It’s a refined unit that stays quiet most of the way through the rev range, though that characteristic three-cylinder thrum is there. Some road roar can be heard echoing about the cabin, especially on coarse-chip bitumen.
Its 74kW/172Nm outputs sound ordinary on paper and feel as such in practice. That said, for a compact 1227kg in a city-oriented use case, the Stonic’s powertrain is entirely adequate.
The engine is mated to a seven-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission (DCT). While it won’t exhibit the same gold-standard refinement as a torque convertor transmission, the Kia’s DCT is pretty intelligent and switches gears without much of a fuss. There is some lurchy hesitation when shifting between drive and reverse that is exacerbated on an incline, but the set-up is easily one of the better offerings in the small-SUV segment.
Key details | 2021 Ford Puma | 2021 Kia Stonic GT-Line |
Engine | 1.0-litre three-cylinder turbocharged petrol | 1.0-litre three-cylinder turbocharged |
Power | 92kW @ 6000rpm | 74kW @ 6000rpm |
Torque | 170Nm @ 1500-4500rpm | 172Nm @ 1500-4000pm |
Weight (tare) | 1264kg | 1227kg |
Drive type | Front-wheel drive | Front-wheel drive |
Transmission | Seven-speed dual-clutch automatic | Seven-speed dual-clutch automatic |
Tow rating | 750kg braked | 900kg braked, 450kg unbraked |
Power to weight ratio | 73kW/t | 60kW/t |
Energy Efficiency
Ford Puma
Fuel use in the Ford Puma is claimed to be 5.3L/100km (combined), though our testing indicated a more realistic 6.6L/100km should be expected. Being a small-capacity turbocharged unit, you can expect the Puma to use less fuel than larger-engined alternatives such as the Mazda CX-3.
The Ford Puma does ask to be filled with a minimum of 95-octane fuel, which will eat into owners’ budgets.
Kia Stonic
Kia quotes a 5.4L/100km fuel consumption for the Stonic GT-Line. While we couldn’t quite hit that lowly figure, our tester came away having recorded a still respectable 6.0L/100km consumption, which is very good for a non-hybrid petrol powertrain.
The car is tuned to run on 91-octane fuel and has a 45L fuel tank. So, in addition to its outstanding cost-of-ownership attributes, it’ll be frugal on the fuel too.
At a glance | 2021 Ford Puma | 2021 Kia Stonic GT-Line |
Fuel consumption (claimed combined) | 5.3L/100km | 5.4L/100km |
Fuel consumption (on test) | 6.6L/100km | 6.0L/100km |
Fuel tank size | 42L | 45L |
Ride and Handling
Ford Puma
The base Ford Puma on test goes without the sports-tuned suspension of its more expensive alternative variants. The steering is nice and direct – a trademark of European-designed Ford products – which makes for an entertaining drive, as well as being accurate when manoeuvring about suburbia. It’s a well-weighted system that strikes a nice balance between being feelsome and not being overly heavy.
It rides nicely over mid-town bumps and potholes, while even larger speedhumps can be attempted at speed without upsetting the car’s composure. Even on the open road, the Ford Puma is positively fun to pedal through tight switchback corners. Its small frame is agile and eager to get involved in sporty driving.
Kia Stonic
At only just over 4m long (4140mm to be exact), the Stonic is right-sized to drive around town. It’s nimble, manoeuvrable, and the vision out of the wagon-shaped glasshouse is great.
The Australian-tweaked suspension tune is comfortable for suburban duty, and more than capable of dulling sharp road joins and bigger potholes.
The Stonic is even competent when headed further afield. It remains composed and flat through tight bends, and the front end is agile and easy to handle. You wouldn’t go so far as to call it an engaging experience, but it can be a sweet and entertaining thing to drive through a small set of twisty corners.
Fit for Purpose
Ford Puma
As a small-car ownership package, the Ford Puma presents a strong showing. It may cost a little more than some rivals on initial outlay, but its servicing costs, warranty, and included roadside assistance package will all help make that extra outlay easier to stomach.
For a light SUV it’s well equipped, the cabin features a comfortable amount of space, and materials quality is high.
Kia Stonic
You might’ve seen Kia’s (kinda cringe) advertising campaign that paints the Stonic as a fun-to-drive, urban-focused light SUV. Usually, I’m all too keen to poke fun at such ads, but I came away from driving the Stonic realising that it is a pretty accurate depiction of what it’s like to own one.
It’s a handy little thing to run about in, stocks enough tech to keep you happy, and will cater to you and your friends without too many complaints. Add in Kia’s renowned after-sales warranty and servicing arrangement, and it starts to look like a very attractive ownership proposition.
Conclusion
Both the Ford Puma and Kia Stonic trade blows between levels of standard equipment and cost of ownership, making perceived value more of a subjective toss-up based on individual circumstances.
But there are undoubtedly more pros weighed in the Puma's column compared to the Kia Stonic. The Ford's interior is a nicer place to spend time, it's marginally more spacious than the Kia, and it is entertaining to drive.
While the Kia may include two extra years of warranty over the Ford and is able to be refuelled with cheaper fuel, the Puma's servicing costs over a longer ownership period are more affordable.
Both these takes on a small SUV are some of the best offerings in the segment, so you're unlikely to be disappointed whichever way you go. But in this instance, the Ford remains the reigning champ.