Kia have been toying with the idea of bringing a Nissan Juke rival on the European market, and it seems that they have already taken a first step into launching it. The Korean automaker recently trademarked the 'Stonic' name, which JustAuto believes will be used on the upcoming sub-compact crossover for Western markets.

While it's said to be introduced this year, don't expect to see it in Geneva, as Kia will focus on promoting the Stinger diesel and a new Picanto. Instead, rumor has it that the 2017 Frankfurt Motor Show in September, is the event chosen by the Koreans to unveil the B-segment SUV, which will challenge the likes of the Renault Captur, Opel/Vauxhall Mokka, Peugeot 2008 and others.

Nobody outside the company knows what it looks like, but it's believed to use the same architecture as the Dongfeng Yueda Kia KX3, a similarly-sized vehicle that is aimed at the Chinese market, but which is considered 'too unsophisticated' for Europe.

It's still too early to talk about where it will be assembled, but it's likely that Sohari, in South Korea, where the KX3 is put together, could be assigned for producing the Stonic, alongside factories in Slovakia and Mexico.