Useful on the inside

TRIO PUSH HARD ON FUNCTIONALITY

1. KIA STINGER

Generic Kia switchgear and dated multimedia don’t diminish spacious Stinger’s racy appeal, with an excellent driving position, welcoming dash, cushy seating, and heaps of storage and gear. Choosing Sport mode squeezes driver’s seat bolsters. Shallow back glass limits already-poor rear vision, and wind noise can be intrusive. Back seat is family-fit, though cargo capacity is a smallish 406L despite liftback, extending to 1114L. Spare is a space-saver.

2. PEUGEOT 508

Lavish and loaded, 508 brings best iteration yet of Peugeot’s ‘i-Cockpit’ dash, though high-dials/low-wheel layout not to everybody’s taste. Full electronic instrumentation offers pleasing configuration choices. Touchscreen can get confusing. Pleated seating adds to ambience, front space is ample but rear headroom suffers due to fastback styling. Big tailgate reveals 487L cargo capacity, stretching to 1537L for wagonlike practicality. Space-saver spare.

3. VOLVO S60

Familiar fare aligns S60 with XC SUVs, with pleasing results, even if Momentum spec is a bit dour. Roomiest on test. Firm front seats are supportive, sturdy dash exudes quality, but portrait touchscreen requires familiarisation. Push-button rear headrest folds reminiscent of old Benzes. Nice. Gear lever brings Tiptronicstyle control instead of paddles. Rear seat is a bit short, and where’s the in-built child seat? Conventional boot swallows 442L. Space-saver spare.

and loose when hurried. However, even minor bumps upset ride comfort, with the taut suspension transmitting stuff through to the inside despite the T5 wearing the smallest wheels. Switching over to Comfort from Dynamic merely takes the edge off the throttle response. Disappointing.

Doubtless over wet or greasy roads its AWD hardware would transform the S60 into the most confident cornerer of the lot but, as it stands, the Volvo is just a little too remote and unsettled to be engaging or comfortable. For serenity, we prescribe stretching to the $2400 Versatility Pack with air suspension.

Aping the Peugeot with adaptive dampers, the Stinger’s ride is remarkable given its 19-inch alloys, while the steering is marvellously weighted, keen and balanced, but it, too, lacks meaningful tactility. At least drivers can revel in the chassis’ inherent poise and control, bringing fast and fun roadholding combined with pleasing levels of suspension discipline. But, as with the Volvo, pushing the Kia harder can see it become a little ragged and unruly. Maybe it’s a mass thing.

The Stinger’s larger size pays dividends inside, with ample space up front and reasonable rear-seat room. All outboard seat comfort rates highly, the driving position is agreeably sporty and the dash design is nicely executed. The Kia walks a fine line between form and functional practicality. Some of the switchgear is scattered, though, and the multimedia system looks dated and some trim quality is off the pace. But otherwise, with lots of pleasing detailing to discover, the interior remains quite a special place to be. We’re talking about a Kia, remember.

No bombshell to learn that the S60’s cabin is the most spacious, solid and elegant, brandishing a look and feel from the luxury class above, backed up by fine front seats, the roomiest rear and a sense of real craftsmanship in the switchgear. That said, the portrait tablet-style touchscreen interface is fiddly on the move; the Momentum’s ambience is too sombre in this company; the rear cushion is a little short on support, and there’s persistent roadnoise intrusion, undermining Volvo’s positioning somewhat.

If the S60 is uptown conservative, the 508’s cabin is architectural, futuristic, minimalist and chic. Fit for a Citroen, in fact. Expansive, electronic and audacious, it demands familiarisation and an open mind, yet remains friendly and inviting. The low-wheel/highinstrument layout may not please everybody, but the materials are modern and lovely. Control placement is logical, seating is comfy yet supportive, storage is sufficient, there’s ample legroom out back and cargo capacity is the best on test. Foibles include tight rear-seat accessibility, limited headroom back there, a stubborn engine-start button and poor rear vision (like the Stinger), but overall, the quality, useability and execution of the Peugeot’s interior matches the visuals. Who’d have predicted that?

In fact, almost everything about the 508 challenges preconceptions about larger French cars and their competitiveness. Indeed, though adventurous, the GT is actually a return to old brand virtues of leading driveability, comfort, efficiency, value and practicality, and that’s something we haven’t seen since the 406… hell, maybe even the legendary 504.

The Volvo, in contrast, is more of the same – solid, stolid engineering, just cleverly updated for the 2020s. But despite being speedy, safe and secure, the S60 lacks the rounded refinement and dynamic appeal of the brand’s better SUVs like the XC60.

It may finish third, but the Stinger GT-Line provides verve and panache in a generously specified and rewarding driver’s car that also works beautifully as a big family sedan. Yes, it needs more polish, but we’re glad Kia has had the guts to develop a car so suited to traditional Aussie motorists’ tastes. It deserves much wider success. Just pick the V6 instead.

So, neither the Stinger nor the S60 look forward quite as courageously as the latest, high-flying 508. If any model can save the embattled medium sedan, it’s the evolved Peugeot fastback.