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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At a glance

Seats

Gearbox

Manual

Fuel

Petrol

Luggage

3 bags

Boot

352 L (1,155 L seats folded)

Economy

51 mpg

Who is this car for?

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

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

Best regional use

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.

On Montenegro roads

Behind the wheel

The Stonic is Kia's sub-4.2-metre crossover, essentially a Rio on slightly taller legs with more confident bodywork and a higher H-point. In Ulcinj rental use the standard spec is the 1.0 T-GDi 100 hp three-cylinder petrol with a six-speed manual and front-wheel drive. It is not a 4x4 and the rental office will not pretend it is; the appeal is a useful step more ground clearance than a Clio, a seat height that matches a small SUV, and a 352-litre boot that is squarer than the Rio's. The plastics are honest rather than soft-touch, the touchscreen runs CarPlay cleanly, and the seats hold up over the long run down the Albanian Riviera to Himare.

On Montenegro roads

Around Ulcinj the Stonic is the choice when the diary includes the rougher back roads. The track up to the Pinjes viewpoint that overlooks the whole town has broken tarmac that a low-slung Clio crashes through; the Stonic absorbs it. Same story on the unsealed kilometre that closes the run into Valdanos cove past the abandoned hotel, and on the rutted last stretch down to the stilt restaurants on the Ada Bojana side channel. For longer day-trips the Stonic is happy on the Rumija serpentine, takes the Sukobin–Shkoder run in stride, and sits comfortably at 120 km/h on the Sozina motorway even with four on board.

Space and load

The 352-litre boot matters more on a multi-day Ulcinj rental than the figure suggests. A family of four's hiking kit for a Theth 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 1,155 litres takes a pair of road bikes with front wheels off, or a full kite and SUP combo for a long Velika Plaza day mixing wind and flat-water sessions. The high load lip is the one nag; it makes hoisting a heavy case harder than in the Megane, but it is a fair trade for the raised ride and the better view forward over the stone parapets above Mala Plaza.

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 journeys for this car

The Stonic's natural Ulcinj rental customer is the active renter with a mixed brief. Two or three day-trips a week into the back roads above Bratica, a weekend up to Plav for a Prokletije hike, the occasional run through Sukobin for a few days in Albania, the Stonic does all of that without ever feeling overmatched. It also suits families where the kids are old enough to trail-walk but small enough that the higher step into the cabin speeds up getting everyone belted in. Couples who have rented a hatch on a previous Ulcinj week and wanted a touch more height tend to come back for it.

Practical notes

Real-world petrol economy settles around 6.0 L/100 km in mixed driving, slightly worse than the Clio's 5.8 because the Stonic carries more mass and presents a wider frontal area to the headwind that funnels up the Sozina tunnel. The 45-litre tank still delivers over 700 km between fills. The 4.14 m length is easy in the Stari Grad perimeter bays and at the Liman lots, and the higher seating position gives a class-better forward view over the painted kerbs on the Pristan promenade. Free cancellation on the booking and an airport pickup at Tivat or Tirana are standard with the local providers running this car.

The verdict

Choose the Stonic when the multi-day Ulcinj rental routinely runs onto unsealed roads, into higher mountain approaches, or simply when you want a seating position that lets you see over the bastion walls. Skip it if the week is entirely tarmac around the south-coast strip; a Clio costs less to fuel and parks in a smaller footprint.