Kia Stinger

All eyes are on Kia showrooms for when the latest Kia Stinger arrives in Australia.  It won’t be too far away, so the opportunity to own a very quick and entertaining drive for not a whole lot of money (compared with European rivals) will be a reality.  Having been developed on the Nürburgring circuit and then tuned for Australia roads, this is a seriously quick fastback coupe.

How quick?  The optional all-wheel-drive system features torque vectoring, while the rear-drive version has a standard limited-slip differential.  Putting the power down on the road via AWD and an eight-speed automatic transmission, the 3.3-litre, V6 twin-turbo engine has 272 kW of power and an impressive 510 Nm of torque to hurtle the Stinger from a standstill to 100 km/h in around five seconds.  This is the most powerful Kia Stinger, putting it in the league of some of the best GT cars around – and hence heralds the name Kia Stinger GT.  Kitted with 19-inch rims and Brembo brakes, the Kia Stinger GT is a really nice looking machine.

Kia Stinger rear view

Another engine will also be offered where 182 kW is coaxed out of a 4-cylinder, 2.0-litre turbo motor, and the result is still a fast and responsive outcome.  The 4-cylinder model is known as the Kia Stinger without the GT badge, and it sits on 18-inch rims.

It’s not all about speed though, and when seated inside the Kia Stinger and Stinger GT you have a real sense of luxury and purpose.  There is a flowing dash design with appealing features like aircraft styled dials and an 8-inch freestanding infotainment system screen.  Front bucket seats are comfortable and readily supportive for when, inevitably, the speeds will rise.  Excellent feedback from the steering provides the driver with all the active information needed to drive quickly through the twisty roads.  A head-up display shows navigation, audio, cruise control and blind spot monitoring information in an easy to read, crisp presentation.  Generous levels of equipment are standard: adaptive cruise control, wireless device charging, satellite navigation, an optional Harman/Kardon audio system with 15 speakers including subwoofers beneath the front seats and a peak output of 720 watts.  An automated emergency braking system is also standard.

Kia Stinger Interior

The new Kia Stinger also has a full array of safety features, so you’ll find features like forward collision warning with autonomous braking and pedestrian recognition, adaptive cruise control, lane departure/keep assist, rear cross-traffic alert, blind spot monitoring and high beam assist are all standard.  Driver Attention Alert, warns visually and audibly if its senses the driver’s concentration level is declining.

The Kia Stinger is quite a lengthy GT, so even with the low roof line the space is still very good inside the cabin.  Even someone six-feet or over will enjoy plenty of head and leg room.  Leather, chrome and other high-end materials ensure the Stinger keeps company with other nice Merc and Lexus alternatives.  There is an air of quality and refinement that gives the Stinger a relaxed and comfortable environment for both driver and passengers.  Having a suspension that is adaptive and able to be set to a range of ride settings, the Stinger uses the adaptive dampers in combination with other driving functions like throttle response, gearing and engine power so that the car morphs into the driving mood you desire.  The five dynamic settings include: Eco, Sport, Comfort, Smart, and Personal.  Interestingly, chassis development was led by Hyundai-Kia’s chief handling engineer, Albert Biermann, who formerly headed BMW’s M division.  Biermann believes that the Kia Stinger is a genuine rival to other German equivalents.  Select Sport mode and then turn off the electronic stability control system on RWD models and you have yourself a setup suited for plenty of tail flicking and drifting action!

There is no doubt that the new Kia Stinger is beautiful, the long bonnet and low slung roofline are exquisitely blended with a high waistline and squat rear-end.  GT models offer the most power but they also have larger intakes and LED lighting.  Offering a very strong road presence on the wider 19-inch rims, the Kia Stinger GT puts Kia on the Fastback list of performance beauties.

Like all other Kia models even the Kia Stinger is covered by Australia’s best and only seven-year unlimited km warranty.  Find yourself driving a new Stinger and you’ll be onto a very special drive.

We’ll keep you posted on the latest Kia Stinger models but it look like they’ll include:

• Kia Stinger (RWD or AWD)
• Kia Stinger GT (RWD or AWD) V6

For any more information on the Kia Stinger or, for that matter, any other new car, contact one of our friendly consultants on 1300 303 181. If you’d like some fleet discount pricing (yes even for private buyers!), we can submit vehicle quote requests out to our national network of Kia dealers and come back with pricing within 24 hours. Private Fleet – car buying made easy!