You might be tempted to brush the Kia Stonic off as 'yet another crossover', but wait! This cheerful ride punches above its weight with a peppy turbocharged engine. There are plenty of reasons to get a Stonic, especially so for drivers in a city-state such as Singapore - its minute footprint makes it a god-send for city driving!

The handsome Stonic doesn't feature any futuristic or polarising designs. Instead it adopts a simple and pleasing design that bears more than a passing resemblance to the Audi Q2. However, do not perceive this as a lack of character. In fact, there is no way for anyone to miss the signature Kia 'tiger nose' grille when you are looking at one.

Despite its cutesy exterior, the Stonic packs quite a punch thanks to a perky turbocharged 1.0-litre engine that puts out 118bhp and 171Nm of torque - figures that you wouldn't expect from 1.0-litre engines of the yesteryears. To make things even more attractive, the powertrain is completed with a seven-speed dual-clutch gearbox that shifts rapidly yet smoothly.

Taking a ride in the Stonic is a comfortable affair thanks to its soft suspension that soaks up bumps well and an engine that is quiet and unobtrusive when driven lightly.

While the interior isn't the most spacious, the sunroof and simple interior design make the cabin of the Stonic a relaxing place to be in. Equipped with a 7.0-inch infotainment system that supports Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, there isn't much more you can yearn for in a compact runabout.

The Stonic isn't soul-stirringly exciting, but it is undoubtedly an effective compact crossover that does the job.