2021 Kia Stonic GT-Line vs Nissan Juke ST-L+
Is it worth spending big in the light SUV segment, or is it wiser to stick to a $30k limit? We've picked up a Kia Stonic GT-Line and Nissan Juke ST-L+ to find out.
There's no doubt that light SUVs are becoming one of the forerunning new car segments in 2021, expanding both in terms of options available as well as price.
But just how much should you be spending on a light SUV? Most manufacturers will have you pay somewhere in the realm of $20,000-$30,000 depending on specification, but outliers such as the Nissan Juke ST-L+ near the $40k mark once you add on-road costs.
Conversely, is the value equation exhibited by the just-over $30K drive-away Kia Stonic GT-Line enough to keep car buyers happy for the long term?
To find out whether its worth spending big on a light SUV, we've grabbed both these options to see how they stack up against one another.
Introduction
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’s range 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).
So has Kia done itself a disservice by launching late with an older product? There's no doubt that the $30,490 drive-away Kia Stonic GT-Line automatic is punching up when set against the Nissan Juke in this head-to-head comparison.
Nissan Juke
Against the wider Nissan SUV range, the Juke has always existed as the fun-loving, city-slicking little brother.
The first-generation Juke's design was a little niche and goofy, and its small size wasn’t the most practical against other light-SUV alternatives. With this latest generation, the 2021 Nissan Juke has matured in both design and size, which results in a much more usable crossover SUV.
It’s bigger than before, is much better kitted-out in terms of technology and equipment, but still retains some of the unique aspects of the previous-generation car that make it a left-field alternative in the hotly contested light-SUV segment.
That’s important for Nissan because front-running rivals include the Mazda CX-3, Kia Stonic, Volkswagen T-Cross, Ford Puma and Honda HR-V. These alternatives also offer huge levels of ability, technology and comfort for an affordable price.
Within Nissan’s own range, the Juke kicks off the SUV offerings at an entry level, with larger models such as the Qashqai, X-Trail, Pathfinder and Patrol filling out the rest of the line-up.
Prices start more expensive than you’d expect for a light SUV, kicking off at around $28,000 before on-road costs. But we’ve picked up the newly added $35,140 plus on-road costs (or on offer at $37,240 drive-away at the time of publishing) ST-L+ specification, which sits just below the range-topping Ti specification, to see whether it's worth its lofty price.
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Key equipment over lesser variants in the Juke range includes an eight-speaker Bose premium sound system with speakers in the headrests, black and white part-leather upholstery, and black chrome-effect trim.
Other additions such as 19-inch alloy wheels, 8.0-inch infotainment with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto smartphone mirroring, LED headlights, 360-degree camera, adaptive cruise control, digital radio, and heated seats are carried over from the lower-spec variants in the range.
Key details | 2021 Kia Stonic GT-Line | 2021 Nissan Juke ST-L+ |
Price (MSRP) | $30,490 drive-away | $35,140 plus on-road costs |
Warranty | Seven years / unlimited km | Seven years / unlimited km |
Servicing costs | $2128 (Five years) | $2084 (Five years) |
Interior Comfort
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 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 setup 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 352 litres. 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.
Nissan Juke
One area where Nissan has made great strides with the new Juke is the interior. It presents as a grown-up space stocked with premium-feel materials and comfortable ergonomics.
However, while it may have matured, the Juke’s interior hasn’t become dull and austere. There are a number of unique styling touches, such as the bucket-style seats, ambient lighting, and leatherette-covered dash and centre console.
The seats are very comfortable and perch the driver on a very SUV-like driving position, affording a commanding view over the road ahead. The cosseting shape of the seats provides great thigh support and enough adjustability for most body shapes.
Storage throughout is decent, with a small centre console bin, two cupholders, and a small tray in front of the shifter. It’d be handy if some of the storage spots in the front row were a bit deeper in order to fit larger items.
There is one USB-A port and one 12-volt outlet for charging devices in the front row, and a singular USB-A port in the rear. There are few things to get excited about in the second row save for a pair of map pockets and sizeable door pockets for storage – but at least back seat passengers will feel pretty comfortable.
There’s a surprising amount of legroom, a good amount of space to stash your feet, and more room side-to-side than some rival light SUVs. However, headroom isn’t fantastic for taller people.
Even though the hidden exterior doorhandle for the second row blends in and looks cool, it’s an awkward way to open a door, and we expect it’ll get old if you regularly use the back seats.
Nissan says the boot can contain 422L worth of stuff. The space expands to 1305L after dropping the 60/40 split-fold rear seats. The boot space has a bit of a higher load lip, which can make hefting in larger items and shopping bags a pain.
At a glance | 2021 Kia Stonic GT-Line | 2021 Nissan Juke ST-L+ |
Seats | Five | Five |
Boot volume | 352L / 1155 L | 422L / 1305L |
Length | 4140mm | 4210mm |
Width | 1760mm | 1800mm |
Height | 1520mm | 1595mm |
Wheelbase | 2580mm | 2636mm |
Turning circle | 10.2m | 11.0m |
Infotainment and Connectivity
Kia Stonic
Every variant of the Kia Stonic range gets an 8.0-inch infotainment system that extends 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 which makes 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.
Nissan Juke
The 8.0-inch infotainment screen in the Juke ST-L+ extends from the dash and features dials for tuning and volume control. The system can run Apple CarPlay and Android Auto smartphone mirroring, digital radio, native satellite navigation, and voice commands.
It’s a responsive unit that has rarely failed us at Drive previously, and the presentation of various screens and functions looks entirely pleasant. It features a configurable home screen that can host all your favourite short cuts, but there are physical shortcut buttons underneath the display to skip to various screens.
Directly ahead of the driver, regular instrument dials sandwich a 7.0-inch TFT display that features a variety of information, which can be cycled through via steering wheel buttons.
Safety
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.
Nissan Juke
The Nissan Juke scored a full five-star rating at its 2020 ANCAP test. This was completed under some of the stricter 2019 protocols, though ANCAP has since revised is assessment criteria to a more stringent 2021 regime.
A comprehensive safety suite is also included as standard, featuring a forward collision warning, autonomous emergency braking for pedestrians and cyclists, lane-departure warning and lane-keep assist, rear cross-traffic alert, and a rear-facing camera and parking sensors.
The ST-L+ specification adds front parking sensors, adaptive cruise control, and surround-view 360-degree camera.
Value for Money
Kia Stonic
The Kia Stonic range’s top-end is more affordable than some of its competitors such as the Nissan Juke. From $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 barrier.
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.
To make the value decision easier, 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.
Nissan Juke
Considering the Nissan Juke range begins in the mid-to-high $20,000 range and extends north towards $37,000 before on-road costs, the Nissan Juke is undoubtedly more of a heart purchase than a head one. That said, the level of equipment on offer and the high-quality cabin appointments go some of the way to softening the blow.
The Nissan Juke is covered by a five-year/unlimited-kilometre warranty with five years of roadside assistance.
Nissan suggests service intervals after either 20,000km or 12 months. Five years' worth of servicing will cost owners $2084.
Driver Technology
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 its 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.
Nissan Juke
The Nissan Juke is fitted with a suite of active safety features mentioned earlier in the safety section. It’s also fitted with an adaptive cruise-control system that works a treat. It’s easy to set up, diligently follows the car ahead, and keeps a comfortable gap behind the car in front.
The Juke scores paddle shifters for manual override of the dual-clutch transmission, an electric handbrake, and a start/stop system.
Jukes also get a 7.0-inch driver display within the instrument cluster showing various information such as fuel data, media streaming and active safety settings.
Powertrain and Performance
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 which 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 setup is easily one of the better offerings in the small SUV segment.
Nissan Juke
Every spec level of the Nissan Juke comes powered by a 1.0-litre turbocharged three-cylinder engine that outputs 84kW and 180Nm to the front wheels. The only transmission available is a seven-speed dual-clutch automatic that can be shifted manually by steering-wheel-mounted paddles.
Outputs from the engine feel appropriate for city duty and in-gear acceleration is perky further out of town. However, the gearbox is one of the more frustrating parts of the Juke experience. It’s slow to respond, lacks the traditional take-up creep that helps during tight manoeuvring, and you really need intentional throttle inputs to make it hustle.
The cabin is fairly well insulated from engine and road noise, though there are some small vibrations from the engine that can be felt in the driver’s seat.
Key details | 2021 Kia Stonic GT-Line | 2021 Make Model Variant |
Engine | 1.0-litre three-cylinder turbocharged | 1.0-litre three-cylinder turbocharged |
Power | 74kW @ 6000rpm | 84kW @ 5250rpm |
Torque | 172Nm @ 1500-4000rpm | 180Nm @ 2400rpm |
Weight (tare) | 1227kg | 1225kg |
Drive type | Front-wheel drive | Front-wheel drive |
Transmission | Seven-speed dual-clutch automatic | Seven-speed dual-clutch automatic |
Power to weight ratio | 60.3kW/t | 68.6kW/t |
Energy Efficiency
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 an non-hybrid petrol powertrain.
The car is tuned to run on 91-octane fuel and can fit 45 litres inside its fuel tank. So, in addition to its outstanding cost-of-ownership attributes, it’ll be frugal on the fuel too.
Nissan Juke
Nissan quotes a combined fuel consumption of 5.8L/100km, though we couldn’t match that figure on test. The Nissan Juke we had recorded a 7.1L/100km fuel reading.
What’s worse is the fact that Nissan recommends using only 95-octane fuel or higher when it comes time to refuel, which owners will have to shell out more money for.
Ride and Handling
Kia Stonic
At only just over four metres 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; 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.
Nissan Juke
While the little Juke’s 19-inch alloys look awesome on a light SUV, they don’t go far in helping the car’s ride profile. The poor Juke ends up transmitting hard-edged impacts through to the cabin and feels too rigid over speed humps and train tracks.
It’s not a deal-breaker, but the suspension tune feels a bit too sporty for a car that’ll spend a majority of its time in suburbia.
It’s a slow steerer with more weight behind the wheel than you’d expect from contemporary light SUVs, but it all leans into the Juke’s high-riding 4x4-style drive experience. That said, the Juke can hold its line well through a series of tight bends and remains composed through corners.
Manoeuvrability around town is good from an easy-to-handle perspective, though as mentioned, the gearbox is a let-down when you need a quick change from drive to reverse – and vice versa.
Fit for Purpose
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 at 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.
Nissan Juke
As stated earlier, the Nissan Juke is a heart purchase rather than a head one. It’s a bit more expensive than rivals and equipped with some style-over-substance big wheels that hurt its ride quality, but it also has a fancy interior with a great subset of features.
If buyers are after a uniquely designed light SUV that stands out from the rest of the crowd, the Nissan Juke makes a pretty good argument.
Conclusion
Though these two options don't quite match one another spec-for-spec, it's worth understanding just how much of a divide there is in an almost $7000 price delta.
For some, the asking price of the Nissan Juke ST-L+ will just be too great to comfortably pay. But, we've no doubt that there's a small subset of buyers chasing after the Juke's unique attributes such as the bold and playful styling and the car's 'premium' positioning. Those shoppers will also be impressed by the Juke's nice cabin ambience, the larger-than-expected boot, and will even joy a bit of a fun driving experience.
That said, for the general public who just wants the best available car for the price, the Kia Stonic GT-Line's value proposition is just too good to ignore. It may feel a little older than its competition in terms of presentation and features, but it's still fitted with a good level of baseline equipment.
You're getting a lot more for your money with the Kia's seven-year warranty, while not compromising on entertaining driving dynamics and space.
There's room for both options within the light SUV segment but we'd recommend sticking within the $20,000-$30,000 band if you're after the ultimate in value.