You’re in the market for a sport sedan, so why visit the Kia dealership? Because the 2020 Kia Stinger shoots high above the brand’s usual mainstream lineup to tackle entry-luxury sports sedans from Audi, BMW, and Mercedes-Benz – and actually competes.
It has all of the right qualities: powerful acceleration, rear-wheel drive, big brakes, and enough vents and scoops to keep an Indy car cool. Yet the Stinger does come from luxury roots, sharing its platform with the Genesis G70 sedan. Difference is, the Stinger cleverly hides a hatchback in its fast rear end, creating a huge cargo area for extra practicality.
But unlike an Indy car, the Stinger is a sedan you can comfortably drive every day. Kia has packed it full of features and given it an upscale interior design that wouldn’t seem out of place in a European luxury sedan.
With head-turning styling, the 2020 Stinger does cost more than a typical midsize sedan, but I think it’s worth it if you want the increases in performance and quality. The 2020 Kia Stinger starts at $33,000 – one of the lowest starting prices in the luxury small car class. The price rises to $39,500 for a V6-powered model, and the range-topping GT2 trim maxes out at just over $50,000.
It’s way fun to drive. Nail the accelerator at speed and you’ll be impressed by the thrust from the twin-turbo V6. How’s 0-60 mph in 5.0 seconds sound? Around turns, the Stinger GT handles well and responds the moment you start moving the wheel.
The Kia Stinger is available in four trim levels, each with rear-wheel drive and all-wheel drive. The base model, called GT-Line, comes with a turbocharged 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine (255 horsepower, 260 lb-ft of torque). The GT, GT1, and GT2 trims use a turbocharged 3.3-liter V6 (365 hp, 376 lb-ft). Both engines are mated to an eight-speed automatic transmission.
Standard features for the base GT-Line are extensive. They include 18-inch wheels, paddle shifters, leather upholstery, a power adjustable driver’s seat, heated front seats, a 7-inch touchscreen, and Apple CarPlay and Android Auto compatibility.
Besides the V6, the GT trim gains a limited-slip differential (rear-wheel-drive models), 19-inch wheels, LED headlights, a power-adjustable front passenger seat and adaptive cruise control, among other features.
On the GT1 model, you get a host of technology upgrades, such as an 8-inch touchscreen, a 15-speaker Harman Kardon sound system, and a collection of advanced driver safety aids. The range-topping Stinger GT2 rounds out the lineup with a power-operated trunk, premium leather seats with more adjustability, heated rear seats, a surround-view monitor and head-up display.
Inside, drivers will find a wide range of adjustability on the top GT2 trim’s sport seats, and the steering wheel is highly adjustable as well. Space in the front seat is reasonable, while the rear does have restricted headroom and legroom.
The base Stinger with a four-cylinder engine is EPA-rated to get up to 25 mpg combined. Then there’s a sharp drop to 20 mpg for the V6.
Grant Miller is the publisher of Miami’s Community Newspapers. He may be contacted by calling 305-662-2277 or via email at Grant@CommunityNewspapers.com.
