Stinger is a Kia sedan with soul
Korean maker goes full Aussie with rear-drive sports sedan, writes David Linklater.
In this age of platform-sharing and all things SUV, you might wonder how a mainstream maker like Kia can justify something as niche as a standalone large sedan with reardrive and enthusiast aspirations.
There are two answers to that. First, the new Stinger is doing a great job in raising the Korean brand’s profile in Europe, where the idiosyncrasies of market-position and pricing mean it’s generally being mentioned in the same breath as models from BMW and Mercedes-Benz.
Second, it’s not really standalone. Stinger benefits from parent company Kia’s current fixation with its Genesis luxury brand: that’s where the rear-drive platform comes from. Lucky Kia, then.
While the very top of the Stinger range nudges the entry-level 3-series and C-class in New Zealand, around these parts we’re much more likely to compare it with the dearly departed rear-drive sedans of Australia-land. Stinger is roughly VF Commodore-sized and roughly VF Commodore-position in the market.
There’s a Stinger GT-Line for $60k that’d suit somebody stepping out of a Commodore SV6, for example. Sure, it’s a fourcylinder, but with 193kW/353Nm it’s pretty close to ye olde Commie (210kW/350Nm).
Our test GT Sport is your fullsize: twin-turbo V6, sports suspension, proper limited-slip differential, torque vectoring, Brembo brake package and mixed-sized tyres. Both GT models have Dynamic Stability Damping Control (DSDC), but the Sport also has a launch control function.
The $70k Sport sits neatly between the old Commodore SS and SS-V Redline models in terms of price. Okay, it doesn’t have a howling V8 engine, but with 272kW/510Nm it’s just as fast and full of trick chassis technology.
It’ll possibly be an even better match for the forthcoming ZB-generation Commodore VXR, but I haven’t driven that yet and we don’t know the Kiwi prices, so that’s something to consider another day. Plus the VXR is allwheel drive, so it’s a whole other thing when the topic for today is RWD. You can still buy an Aussie SS-V Redline, you know. Get yours now.
Unless you want a Stinger, of course.
The Sport’s blown-V6 is a bit short on aural character, despite some ‘‘enhanced’’ soundwork coming through the (excellent) Harman Kardon audio system. But it’s not short of go-go-go, achieving maximum torque-thrust at just 1300rpm and catapulting the big guy along in a way that’s guaranteed to get your attention.
The eight-speed automatic gearbox’s occasional tendency to clunk between gears wasn’t as bothersome during a week of road driving as it was when I drove the Stinger on a racetrack late last year. Which shouldn’t surprise, because despite the big numbers, the Stinger is intended to be more quick-GT (hey, it’s in the name) than track-day tearaway.
Even in its most aggressive Sport setting, the chassis remains compliant. The steering is nicely weighted and the whole package is well-balanced, although the 1800kg-plus kerb weight does make its presence felt if you start to throw the car around. Better that than a bone-shaking ride on a car like this, though.
Most importantly for the target market, the Stinger really does feel like a rear-drive machine. You can tell the front wheels are free to do their thing and you can definitely tell all of the power is going to the back. The car squats down in a very satisfying way as you accelerate out of corners and Kia has not been shy in letting the rear have some latitude in Sport mode, even with the stability control completely active.
Indeed, on a wet road you have to apply power with caution, as the Stinger’s sheer grunt and that limited-slip differential make it surprisingly skiddy (technical term). Stopping is never an issue though: the Brembo brakes are powerful and progressive.
Inside, the Stinger benefits from Kia’s trademark build quality. The materials aren’t any more upscale than an Optima, but the look and layout certainly is. Mercedes-inspired details abound: lots of silver trim, massive circular ventilation outlets on the dashboard and some rather nice rocker switches for the seat heating/ventilation.
And you are sitting on premium upholstery: the Sport’s seats are in Nappa leather and the roof lining on both GT models is suede. There’s also plenty of tech: a great stop-and-go adaptive cruise control system, phone projection
(but not at the expense of an embedded sat-nav with Suna traffic information) and LED adaptive (bending) lights.
Don’t come to this Kia expecting Aussie-sedan space. It’s on a long wheelbase so rear legroom is good and headroom is fine for something with a coupe roofline, but there’s virtually no footroom under the front seats, so tall adults have to sit there with ankles twisted on a long trip. At least you can keep cool and charge your phone: there’s a ventilation outlet and USB port for the rear-seat occupants.
The boot is short on volume at 406 litres, but that’s mainly because it’s shallow. It’s also quite long and if you fold the 60/40-split rear seats you’ve got some pretty decent load length - although the incredibly low roofline at the back will limit the size of your cargo. Surfboards and mountain bikes, yes; fridges no.
The tailgate is powered with an adjustable height setting, which you might well need: it’s massive and therefore opens high enough to clonk on your garage roof. Or at least my garage roof.
Stinger is very far from perfect. It needs more music from the engine, a bit of work on the gearbox calibration and better rear-seat comfort. But as a model intended to take Kia into a new dynamic sphere, it’s also polished where it counts: the engineering feels solid, the technology works and the whole package is guaranteed to put a smile on your face.