Kia Stonic

Raised-ride crossover for the gravel approach to Njeguši and Lovćen

Compact Crossover

A slightly higher-riding alternative to a hatchback, takes the rutted spur roads around Njeguši and the Lovćen back approaches without scraping.

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Overview

Seats

Transmission

Manual

Fuel

Petrol

Luggage

3 bags

Boot size

352 L (1,155 L seats folded)

Consumption

51 mpg

Who it suits

Renters who want crossover sight-lines and a bit of ground clearance for the side-roads around Podgorica's upper bay and the Lovćen approach, without paying full-SUV money.

Weekend trippers to Njeguši
Durmitor day-trippers
Photographers chasing ridge viewpoints

On Montenegro roads

Higher seating position means easier viewing over region parapet walls, the 182 mm ride height clears the stone ruts on the old Njeguši ham-smoker lane, and the 352-litre boot handles a family's Durmitor hiking gear without folding seats.

About this car

Behind the wheel

The Stonic is Kia's sub-4.2-metre crossover, a Rio hatchback on slightly taller suspension with more rugged bodywork and a higher H-point. In Podgorica rental use the 1.0 T-GDi 100 hp three-cylinder petrol is the standard spec, paired with a six-speed manual and front-wheel drive. It is not a 4x4 and nobody pretends otherwise; the appeal is a little more ground clearance than a Clio, a seating position that matches a small SUV, and a useful 352-litre boot. The cabin plastics are honest rather than soft-touch, the touchscreen runs CarPlay cleanly, and the seats are supportive across a 145 km push to Žabljak.

On Montenegro roads

Around Podgorica the Stonic earns its keep when your itinerary includes the rougher back roads. The unsealed final section of the Doclea ruins approach 3 km north of the centre has loose stone that a Clio's low ride crashes through; the Stonic absorbs it. Same story on the broken bitumen near the Gorica Hill summit forestry track and the narrow approach lanes above Stara Varoš. For longer day-trips the Stonic is happy on the M-9 climb to Ostrog, takes the M-3 to Nikšić in its stride, and sits comfortably at 120 km/h on the Smokovac motorway out to Kolašin even with four on board.

Space and load

The 352-litre boot is larger than a Rio's and matters for the multi-day Podgorica renter. A family of four's hiking kit for a Durmitor weekend, four 30-litre packs, boots, shell jackets and a small cool-box, fits seats-up without compressing anything. Fold the 60/40 bench and the 1,155-litre capacity handles a pair of road bikes with front wheels off, or a full set of binoculars-and-scope kit for a Skadar Lake birding day. The high load lip is the one irritation; it makes hoisting a heavy suitcase harder than in the Megane, but is a fair trade for the raised ride.

Rutted spur road up to Njeguši above Kotor — The Njeguši approach above the bay, a little extra ground clearance keeps the Stonic composed where a Clio scrapes.

Best for

The Stonic's natural Podgorica rental customer is the active renter with a mixed brief. Two or three day-trips a week into the inland back roads, a weekend away at Žabljak for hiking, occasional cross-border runs to BiH via Nikšić, the Stonic does all of that without ever feeling overmatched. It also suits families where the kids are old enough to hike but small enough that the higher step into the cabin speeds up getting everyone belted in for the morning Skadar departure. Couples who have rented a hatch on a previous Montenegro trip and wanted a bit more height rate it.

Practical notes

Real-world petrol economy is around 6.0 L/100 km in mixed driving, worse than the Clio's 5.8 because the Stonic carries more mass and presents a larger frontal area to the headwind on the open motorway sections to Kolašin. The 45-litre tank still delivers over 700 km between fills. Length of 4.14 m is easy in the inner paid zone and at the free outer-block bays around Preko Morače; the higher seating position makes forward visibility a class better than the Clio over Podgorica's wide grid junctions. Front-wheel drive is fine year-round on flat city tarmac; chains are legally required on several inland passes between November and March, and the Stonic will genuinely appreciate them on any Kolašin or Žabljak run.

Verdict

Choose the Stonic when your multi-day Podgorica rental routinely involves unsealed roads to Doclea, the Gorica forestry tracks, or higher mountain approaches up to Kolašin and Žabljak where the raised ride and the higher H-point earn their keep. The seating position also makes the capital's long boulevard sight-lines and grid junctions easier to manage in summer traffic. Skip it if your week is entirely tarmac-based and runs only between Podgorica, Skadar and the Plantaže vineyards, where the Clio costs noticeably less to fuel and parks smaller in the Stara Varoš lanes around the clock tower.