2018 KIA STINGER
Meet the car that’s creating plenty of buzz in the sport-sedan class
Grand-touring sedans with punch and optional allwheel-drive tend to come from Germany- or Japan-based luxury automakers, but one of the latest contenders is from, wait for it, Kia that’s based in Korea.
This Hyundai division is really living up to its “The Power to Surprise” slogan with the new Stinger. The hatchback sedan is the third large-size passenger car in the automaker’s stable and is sold alongside the Cadenza and K900. If it’s true that traditional four-door sedans are on life support due to an outbreak of utility-vehicle fever, Kia never got the memo.
The rear-wheel-drive Stinger begins with a decently sized four-door vehicle that has loads of space between the front and rear wheels. As a result, the car tends to soak up the bumps while providing plenty of legroom for rear-seat passengers.
The rest of the Stinger’s shape falls into line with Kia’s other sedans, meaning that the design is easy on the eyes, but won’t likely cause palms to sweat and hearts to palpitate. The only visual cues as to the Stinger’s sporty leanings are the air extractors on the trailing edges of the front fenders, and dual exhaust outlets encased in bodywork below the bumper.
The interior fares much better, owing to a dashboard and control panel that have a decidedly European look (think Audi or Mercedes-Benz), with large, propeller-style air vents that are topped by a tablet-style touch-screen. The sport-style bucket seats with serious side bolstering also get a thumbs-up.
From a practical standpoint, the Stinger’s gaping power hatch opening makes the cargo area especially stowage-accessible. When the split-rear seatback folded flat, cargo volume is about double.
But what prospective Stinger buyers really want to know is what makes this car get up and go. The starting point is a turbocharged 2.0-litre four-cylinder that produces 255 horsepower and 260 pound-feet of torque. That’s similar output to the Honda Accord’s optional turbo 2.0 and will be enough for most buyers.
For committed sport-sedan drivers, the Stinger GT — currently the only model available in Canada — is the nothing-less-will-do choice. It comes with a twin-turbocharged 3.3-litre V-6 that puts out 365 horsepower and 376 pound-feet of torque. Kia claims the GT is good for a zero-to-60-mph time (96 km/h) of 4.9 seconds, which is quite swift for a 1,820-kilogram sedan. The Stinger has a Launch Control mode that reduces wheel spin and maximizes torque for quickest possible starts.
The GT’s performance equipment also includes Brembobrand brakes that are larger than the standard brakes, 19-inch wheels (18s are standard) and a GT-exclusive grille.
Regardless of selection, an eight-speed automatic transmission with paddle shifters is standard on all cars, as is all-wheel-drive for the GT. The system maintains a 20:80 front-to-rear torque bias in normal road conditions, but can direct power to the front if tire slip is detected. The AWD system also has yaw control, which shifts more torque to the outside rear wheel when cornering, adding stability.
The Stinger GT starts at $46,100, including shipping charges and fees. This gets you the usual basic content plus dual-zone climate control, leather seating surfaces, heated and power-adjustable front seats, sport steering wheel and a power sunroof.
The GT Limited ($52,100) adds navigation, heads-up instrument display and power-adjustable bolsters for the heated and cooled front seats. It also gets fancier interior and exterior trim and a 15-speaker Harmon Kardon audio system.
The Limited’s exclusive active-safety technology includes autonomous braking, lane-keeping assist and driver-attention alert.
Creating a practical and well-equipped sport sedan for the masses was Kia’s obvious goal, thus virtually guaranteeing a warm reception for this game-changing four-door.