New Kia to Sting German rivals
Hot GT S is fantastic value for money
MEET Stinger, Kia’s dramatic new high-performance GT saloon. This is Kia showing us that it knows how to make grown-up and exciting cars, not just good value family vehicles with a long warranty.
Hyundai, which is part of the same group as Kia, has just done the same thing, but instead of building a 165mph GT, they created the i30N hot hatch.
And the Stinger and the i30N were both overseen by Albert Biermann who used to work for BMW. Al is a big talent.
Several different Stingers will be available – including one powered by a diesel engine – but if we want to find out if Kia can build a sexy car we’d better try the hot one.
Called the GT S, the top model is powered by a twinturbo 3.3-litre V6 engine which produces 365bhp. That might not be much for a Merc AMG or a BMW M Series, but it’s in a different league for Kia.
It’s enough power to propel the 1.8 tonne Stinger to 168mph and from 0-60mph in 4.7sec.
The styling speaks for itself. You be the judge when you see one on the road because it looks even better in the metal than it does in photographs – and that’s saying something. I saw one on the motorway the other day, being driven by another journalist, and from a distance I thought I was looking at the back of a Maserati. Whatever, its styling works for me.
The inside is suitably straightforward as you’d expect from a Kia, and I mean that in a positive
sense. Some of the materials aren’t quite up to BMW/Audi/ Merc standards but this flagship Stinger costs £40,495.
Have a look at what the Germans will charge you for this level of performance – and the Kia is loaded with kit, all of which is standard. Like-for-like, this car is at least £10k cheaper than Euro rivals.
When you hit the start button a little tune plays. I thought some weird music had got on to my iPhone. Then more interesting music arrives as the V6 starts up and it sounds businesslike but not overly loud.
The transmission is an eight-speed automatic that drives the rear wheels only. Other markets get 4WD, but not if they’re right-hand drive.
In Comfort mode the ride is impressively smooth and the gearshifts slick. The Stinger is most definitely a good long-distance motor. Select Sport mode and, unlike many cars with this setting, the Kia still rides over bumps without jarring your back. One oddity is that if you use the paddles on the steering wheel to change gear in Sport or Sport+ modes, the gearbox goes back into D if you don’t manually shift gears for about 5 seconds.
Rather annoying if you like changing manually.
The brakes are supplied by Brembo and they are fantastic. Not just for their stopping power, which is prodigious, but for the feel at the pedal. I think this might be Mr Biermann’s influence. Having good hardware is only half the story, having someone who knows how it should be set up is the other half. He will have also signed off the Stinger’s handling and steering, both of which are admirably good for a GT car.
Kia says the Stinger is not intended to be an all-out sports car, and it isn’t. However, the Stinger GT S is a very interesting understated high-performance car that’s excellent value and a little bit different. Special even.
And if you drive a Kia Stinger you are saying that you have the self-confidence to not need a flash badge on the front of your car and that you have a bit of imagination.
Like-for-like this car is £10k cheaper than its Euro competition