Fresh look for Kia’s Stinger
THE updated Kia Stinger has been re- vealed in full detail for the first time, with the high-performance fastback sports saloon boasting a range of upgrades to amplify its gran-turismo character.
In addition to its refreshed design, the enhanced Kia Stinger includes Kia’s latest driver assist and safety features, as well as improved interior packaging for greater space and comfort.
‘The Stinger remains the standardfor the Kia brand, almost a decade after we first revealed the Kia GT Concept in 2011. It remains our most driver-focused car, and is capable of covering great distances in comfort and style,’ said Thomas Schemera, Head of Product Division at Hyundai Motor Group.
‘The upgraded model builds on the Stinger’s well-established grand touring ethos, with a renewed sense of design flair, new powertrains and technologies, and greater usability enhancing its appeal for buyers in markets around the world.’
The new Kia Stinger will go on-sale in Korea during the third quarter of 2020, with sales due to commence in many of Kia’s global markets later in the year. Irish specification and pricing will be announced in due course.
The most powerful engine in the Stinger line-up, a twin-turbo 3.3-litre T-GDi V6 from Kia’s ‘Lambda’ engine family,
remains unchanged, save for a new Electronic Variable Exhaust Valve system.
This features a small butterfly valve in the exhaust which opens and closes, producing a more prominent, deeper exhaust note in Sport driving modes, or a quieter, more subdued exhaust note in Eco or Comfort mode. As well as enhancing the sound quality, the revised exhaust flow path helps to liberate an extra 3 ps from the engine (for a total of 373 ps at 6,000 rpm). Its 510Nm torque is accessible from 1,300 to 4,500 rpm, giving the Stinger effortless performance everywhere.
The engine is paired with a smooth-shifting eight-speed automatic transmission, matching the car’s long-legged GT personality.
At the centre of the Stinger’s upgraded cabin is an new touchscreen infotainment system, providing new functionality to meet customers’ changing expectations of in-car technology.
Drivers have a choice of two instrument cluster displays, based on vehicle specification.
The standard 3.5-inch mono-TFT cluster is now replaced with a larger 4.2inch colour-TFT LCD cluster, delivering improved visibility and displaying a wider range of information to the driver.
In addition, a fully-digital, high-resolution 7.0-inch ‘Supervision’ cluster is available – a full-colour display with vivid graphics for different driving modes, delivering crystal-clear information to the driver.
The upgraded Stinger features a series of new ‘connected car’ features to improve convenience for owners in many countries. Among these technologies is a Remote Engine Start system, which allows owners to start their car remotely using the Stinger’s smart key.
Forward Collision-Avoidance Assist now offers protection when turning across the road into a junction by identifying oncoming traffic on the other side of the road. Furthermore, it offers increased activation range when detecting a vehicle, pedestrian or cyclist.
Lane Keeping Assist is now able to detect the edge of a road, as well as the lines, providing steering assistance to prevent the driver leaving their lane without signalling.
Blind-Spot Collision-Avoidance Assist helps drivers avoid a potential collision by applying differential braking.