Kia

Stinger

The beautifully-styled Kia Stinger is a dynamic gran turismo model and is ultimate proof that the Korean marque can challenge the premium manufacturers and match them for design, technology and performance. Then, they can smash them when it comes to pricing and warranty.

Test Drive

Kia Stinger 3.3 T-GDi V6 GT S (2021)

When you mention powerful and dynamic sports saloons it conjures up images of the high-end German marques, but Kia has a rather tasty alternative that ticks all the right boxes too.

The latest, recently-refreshed Stinger is now only available with a powerful 3.3-litre V6 engine delivering 361bhp and 510Nm of torque and that translates into some rather tasty performance figures.

The Stinger GT S can sprint to 60mph from a standing start in just 4.7 seconds and maxes out at 167mph. There is a perfectly-timed eight-speed automatic gearbox and steering wheel-mounted paddles for added driver engagement.

Admittedly, the Stinger is not cheap by Kia standards, priced at £43,330, but for that outlay you do get a whole lot of car that’s very easy on the eye, packed with technology and it delivers outstanding driving dynamics.

When approached from any angle, the Stinger looks drop dead gorgeous with its muscular, athletic streamlining. There is a metallic-effect stamped grille, a wide one-touch sunroof, LED headlights, quad exhaust pipes, 19-inch alloy wheels and Brembo brake calipers to complete the styling.

Move inside and it’s pure quality and class throughout with premium Nappa leather upholstery, powered front seats that can be heated or ventilated, dual automatic air conditioning, heated rear seats and a flat-bottomed leather steering wheel that can also be heated to fend off the winter chill.

At every turn, there is premium technology to explore with a 10.25-inch touchscreen and navigation, a reversing camera, Kia Connected Services with TomTom traffic updates, speed camera alerts and weather updates.

The 15-speaker Harman Kardon premium audo system delivers pitch perfect sound and there is full smartphone connectivity via Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, Bluetooth with music streaming plus a customisable head-up display.

Kia models have certainly moved upmarket in more recent years, but the Stinger takes elegance and sophistication to a whole new level. And when it comes to performance, it’s a car that’s certainly not for the faint-hearted.

The acceleration out the starting blocks is blisteringly quick and the road-holding is ultra-confident meaning tight bends can be attacked with confidence. There is ample power on tap for quick-fire bursts of pace to overtake slower moving vehicles and the handling of the rear-wheel drive Stinger is guaranteed to put a smile on your face.

It cruises effortlessly at 70mph on motorways and is deceptively agile in busier town centres where it constantly draws admiring glances from bystanders.

There are drive modes called Smart, Eco, Comfort, Sport and Sport+ that alter the manner in which the Stinger performs and, in the Sport settings, the side bolsters move inwards on the driver’s seat for added support.

Despite its impressive performance ability, the Stinger remains a comfortable car to drive with highly-efficient suspension that smooths out the bumps and dips in the road, along with excellent insulation to keep occupants protected from any noise intrusion.

The GT badge on the steering wheel is a not-so-subtle hint at the car’s ability and it delivers on all counts. Admittedly the combined 28.0mpg and carbon emissions figure of 229g/km will mean hefty fuel and tax bills, but that would be the same or much higher on any rival performance car.

Comfort levels up front are excellent and there is room for a couple of adults in the back of the Stinger too, although the tapering roof design means head space is a little limited for taller passengers.

The boot is accessed via a powered tailgate and it can accommodate 406 litres of kit, increasing to 1,114 litres with the 60:40 split-folding rear seats dropped down. There are lots of convenient storage options scattered throughout the cabin, including a lockable glovebox, front cup holders, rear cup holders in the fold-down central armrest, a deep central cubby box, door bins, sunglasses holder and seat back nets.

The Stinger was awarded a maximum five stars when tested for its Euro NCAP safety rating and is packed with kit to protect occupants and other road users alike, as well as helping to prevent accidents in the first place.

Features include anti-lock brakes, electronic stability control, forward collision avoidance assist, blind spot monitoring, rear blind spot collision avoidance, emergency stop signalling, hill start assist, intelligent speed limit assist, Isofix fittings and a full suite of airbags.

All in all, the Kia Stinger is an absolute dream to drive and with the motoring industry moving rapidly towards cleaner, greener cars, it’s a model that needs to be enjoyed while the opportunity still exists.

Test Drive

Kia Stinger – First Drive (2017)

Kia has taken a giant leap into new territory with the launch of a stunning gran turismo model that would look just as at home sweeping along the French Riviera mingling with the jet-set as it does powering along the UK countryside.

It’s called the Stinger which conjures up all sorts of images of sporting prowess and the four-door fastback-style hatchback delivers driving capabilities that perfectly suit the name.

The Stinger, which is Kia’s first rear-wheel drive car to be launched into the UK market, is priced from £31,995 to £40,495 and is available in three generously-equipped trim levels called GT Line, GT Line S and GT S.

All models have an eight-speed automatic gearbox but customers can select from three punchy powertrains. There is a 2.0-litre 244bhp T-GDi petrol version, a 2.2-litre 197bhp CRDi diesel or a mighty 3.3-litre 365bhp twin-turbo V6 T-GDi petrol unit which helps to power the fastest Kia ever from 0-60mph in just 4.7 seconds and onto a maximum speed of 168mph.

The Stinger is guaranteed to turn heads and during our road trip from Newquay in Cornwall across our very own English Riviera to South East England, we were approached by a number of people who were attracted to the car. Most were pleasantly surprised to learn it was a Kia but they were certainly all impressed with the vehicle’s styling and its performance capabilities as we reeled off the stats.

And it’s easy to see why because the Stinger is beautifully designed with curvaceous sweeping lines, muscular shoulders, a long rippled bonnet, short front overhangs, finned gills behind the wheel arches, a large grille and sporty air intakes.

The interior has a very upmarket and premium feel to it with the likes of Nappa leather sports seats that can be heated or cooled, a D-shaped heated steering wheel, a wing-designed leather dashboard and a chrome-trimmed grab-handle gear stick.

On-board technology and creature comforts are plentiful, including a 15-speaker harmon kardon sound system, head-up display, Bluetooth, a wireless charger, Apple CarPlay and Android Auto plus dual-zone air conditioning. In addition, the range-topping Stinger GT S is linked to Kia Connected Services with TomTom which keeps occupants right up to date with live traffic reports, weather conditions, speed camera locations and points-of-interest such as nearby Kia dealerships, fuel stations, hotels and restaurants. All these details are displayed on an eight-inch colour touchscreen.

Comfort levels within the car are first rate and there is ample space in the back for a couple of adults (three if they don’t mind rubbing shoulders) to travel in comfort. The two outer rear seats can also be heated.

But with families in mind, the Stinger needs to be a practical choice and it succeeds on that count too thanks to a generously-sized boot with a luggage capacity that ranges from 406 to 1,114 litres with the split-folding rear seats dropped flat.

Elsewhere there are a number of alternative storage options, including door pockets, covered trays, cup holders, a sunglasses compartment and a large glovebox which is essential as the Stinger would appear to have the world’s largest and most comprehensive manual.

We tested out the star of the show – the Stinger GT S priced at £40,495. This model, on 19-inch wheels, can soar to 60mph from a standing start in a very rapid 4.7 seconds and onto a maximum speed of 168mph. In fact, on a private runway, some display drivers clocked up 161mph in the Stinger and apparently, there was still more power to come – they just ran out of runway!

Obviously, with those driving capabilities the economy is going to take a bit of a hit, but it’s not too bad with combined fuel efficiency of 28.5mpg and carbon emissions of 225g/km.

The power-adjusted seats, along with the electrically-adjustable steering wheel, mean the driver can quickly and easily get the ideal position and these settings can be stored for future reference.

The head-up display can also be adjusted so it is in the driver’s eye-line and it can show information such as speed, navigation instructions, cruise control, audio and blind spot detection. Thankfully the amount of data can be customised to avoid an information overload.

And when it comes to performance, the Stinger is certainly not a car for the faint-hearted. The acceleration through the eight-speed gearbox is blisteringly fast and there are steering wheel-mounted paddles if you fancy taking a little more control.

The road-holding is ultra-assured and the steering is precise with plenty of driver feedback. Being a rear-wheel drive model it can be a little twitchy if thrown into bends too enthusiastically, but it never shows any sign of losing control.

The driver can toggle through five different driving modes called Smart, Eco, Comfort, Sport and Sport+ to alter the throttle and gear shift responses. There is also an Active Engine Sound System to relay the engine note through to the cabin, which is another first for Kia.

Due to the car’s low slung design, the over-the-shoulder visibility is not brilliant and the rear window is fairly narrow, but the Stinger is kitted out with all manner of safety systems and driver aids to help out. These include autonomous emergency braking, blind spot detection with rear traffic alert, lane keep assist, high beam assist, driver fatigue warning and an active bonnet set-up that offers protection for pedestrians in the event of a collision. It’s these systems that Kia believes will help the Stinger achieve top marks when it is tested for its Euro NCAP safety rating.

All in all, the Kia Stinger is a superb new arrival that is ultimate proof that the Korean marque is well capable of developing a car that can compete with the premium brands. It is beautifully designed, boasts top levels of equipment, delivers outstanding driving dynamics and is very competitively priced.

*The GT S is the only model currently on sale with deliveries expected in January – the other versions will be released in February.