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Cycle & Carriage Kia has launched the new Stonic M-Hybrid.

The refreshed model, which arrives two years after it was first introduced, is now available with a 48-volt mild hybrid powertrain. It also features styling tweaks and a host of new safety features.

The Kia Stonic M-Hybrid, which qualifies for a $15k VES rebate, currently starts from $96,999 with COE.

Kia Stonic M-Hybrid: Refreshed design

The Kia Stonic M-Hybrid features newly designed full-LED headlights and new 16-inch wheels.

Up to nine paintwork colours are available, with two new hues: Perennial Grey and Sporty Blue. There are new body and roof colours, too, giving buyers choices for contrasting combinations.

Inside, the Stonic M-Hybrid features an instrument panel with a larger 4.2-inch supervision cluster. It also gets a bigger 8-inch infotainment display. For convenience, the latter offers wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto.

Unchanged, on the other hand, is the Kia Stonic M-Hybrid's 352-litre boot capacity, which expands to 1155 litres when the rear seats are folded.

Eco-friendlier Drivetrain

Unique to the Stonic M-Hybrid is its EcoDynamics+ Powertrain System, which is comprised of a turbocharged 1-litre 3-cylinder engine and a 48-volt mild hybrid system.

The 48-volt system recovers kinetic energy during deceleration and stores it in a lithium-ion battery. This electrical energy then provides extra torque during acceleration.

The mild hybrid system also has a "sailing" function. Under the right conditions, the engine will switch itself off when the driver lifts his foot from the accelerator, thereby using less fuel.

The engine is immediately restarted when the driver depresses the accelerator pedal again.

According to Kia, the Stonic M-Hybrid can averages up to 21.3km/L, versus the regular Stonic's 18.5km/L.

Variants

The Stonic M-Hybrid is available in EX (base) and SX (range-topping) variants. Prices currently start from $96,999 with COE.

A regular Stonic - sans mild hybrid system - is also available in both EX and SX variants.

Specifications

Kia Stonic M-Hybrid 1.0 (A)

Engine: 998cc, 12-valves, inline-3, turbocharged, mild hybrid

Max power: 118hp (120PS) at 6000rpm

Max torque: 200Nm at 2000-3500rpm

Power to weight: 91.6hp per tonne

Gearbox: 7-speed dual-clutch with manual select

0-100km/h: 10.4 seconds

Top speed: 185km/h

Consumption: 21.3km/L (combined)

Price incl. COE From $96,999 (after $15k VES rebate)

Agent: Cycle & Carriage Kia

This article was first published in Torque.