Overview

Kia's big sports sedan—the 2022 Stinger—aims high to challenge the automotive elites from Europe, and it and nearly pulls it off. When compared to rivals such as the Audi A5 Sportback and the BMW 4-series Gran Coupe, the Stinger offers a very similarly premium look and feel as well as lots of driving verve, making it a great option for enthusiasts on a budget. It shares its underpinnings with the impressive Genesis G70 sedan, but the Stinger disguises its roomier interior, larger cargo hold, and hatchback liftgate with a sexy fastback roofline. A trio of turbocharged engines are on offer, with top-level models getting a gutsy twin-turbo V-6. Rear-wheel drive is standard but all-wheel drive is also available for those who want it.

What's New for 2022?

In addition to several styling updates for 2022, the Stinger receives an a new 2.5-liter turbocharged four-cylinder as its optional, mid-level engine. The new engine makes a stout 300 horsepower. Not to be left out, the optional twin-turbo 3.3-liter V-6 receives a slight power boost to 368-hp thanks to a new variable exhaust system. Styling improvements for 2022 include updated exterior lighting elements, new wheel designs, and larger exhaust tips. Inside, the 2022 Stinger will receive upgraded materials throughout, new metallic trim pieces, adjustable ambient lighting, and a larger optional 10.3-inch infotainment display.

Pricing and Which One to Buy

Engine, Transmission, and Performance

The Stinger now has three available engines and can be equipped with either rear- or all-wheel drive. The entry-level 2.0-liter powertrain does an adequate job relative to its rivals, but the powerful twin-turbo V-6 delivers scintillating performance that gets our enthusiast blood pumping. The 2022 model will offer an optional turbocharged 2.5-liter four-cylinder for the first time, but we haven't yet tested that model. The eight-speed automatic that comes in every Stinger offers quick shifts and is well calibrated when left to shift for itself. We wish the paddle shifters offered sharper responses to driver inputs, however. Still, for drivers in single-minded pursuit of straight-line speed, the Stinger GT does not disappoint. The Stinger has mastered straight-line speed and returned solid numbers during our track testing. It comports itself well in normal driving, but when pushed to the limit, it couldn't quite match the composure of its more established competition. Likewise, we identified some protestations from the rear suspension—an unnerving side step when cornering hard on a bumpy road—while some fore-and-aft pitching accompanied our all-out acceleration and braking runs. All GTs feature powerful Brembo brakes, which provided quick stops by any measure and fit in nicely within this class of high-performing sedans. Without the Brembos and rolling on less grippy all-season tires, in our testing a four-cylinder Stinger was not impressive—in this class or any other.

Kia

Fuel Economy and Real-World MPG

Whether you're looking at the four-cylinder or the V-6, the Stinger is less efficient than similarly equipped competitors. The EPA's fuel-economy ratings for each of the Stinger's engines fall below those of comparable rivals, but the V-6 outperformed its ratings on our real-world test, and there is virtually no fuel-economy penalty for choosing all-wheel drive. So far, only V-6–powered Stingers have made a trip on our highway test circuit. Both rear- and all-wheel-drive models outperformed their EPA ratings by a slight margin during our real-world test.

Interior, Comfort, and Cargo

The Stinger's interior is well designed and attractive, but it can't quite match the Audi A4 or the BMW 3-series for material quality or construction. Then again, the Kia costs considerably less than those two German sedans. The Stinger does, however, offer a significantly more comfortable rear seat than many cars in this class—and its advantage feels greater than its numbers would suggest. While the Stinger's interior is free of glaring errors and omissions, the overall effect is less polished than the efforts we've enjoyed from established luxury brands. The Stinger's stated trunk volume would predict that it has by far the most cargo space in this set, but it only bested its rivals by a small margin in our real-world cargo tests. With its wide hatchback opening and long wheelbase, we'd hoped the Stinger would do even better in these measurements. Its center console is on the large side for a car, which helps to compensate for the fact that the front-door pockets are the smallest of this bunch.

Kia

Infotainment and Connectivity

Kia's infotainment system—called UVO—is used to good effect in the Stinger and consists of an 8.0- or 10.3-inch touchscreen mixed with useful physical buttons. Apple CarPlay and Android Auto are standard, as is a six-speaker stereo system. Audiophiles can upgrade to a 15-speaker Harman/Kardon stereo system, and Kia offers a host of other tech upgrades as well, such as a wireless smartphone charging pad and in-dash navigation.

Safety and Driver-Assistance Features

The Stinger has earned a five-star safety rating from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) and a Top Safety Pick award from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS). The Stinger also has nearly every driver assist that we report on available as an option. Key safety features include:

Available automated emergency braking with pedestrian detection

Available lane-departure warning and lane-keeping assist

Available adaptive cruise control

Warranty and Maintenance Coverage

Kia's long powertrain warranty is practically legendary, and it easily outdoes every other car in this set for length of coverage. Unlike many of its premium-branded rivals, the Stinger offers no complimentary scheduled maintenance.

Limited warranty covers 5 years or 60,000 miles

Powertrain warranty covers 10 years or 100,000 miles

No complimentary scheduled maintenance

Specifications VEHICLE TYPE: front-engine, rear-wheel-drive, 5-passenger, 4-door hatchback

PRICE AS TESTED: $50,100 (base price: $39,250)

ENGINE: twin-turbocharged and intercooled V-6, aluminum block and heads

Displacement: 204 cu in, 3342 cc

Power: 365 hp @ 6000 rpm

Torque: 376 lb-ft @ 1300 rpm

TRANSMISSION: 8-speed automatic with manual shifting mode

DIMENSIONS:

Wheelbase: 114.4 in

Length: 190.2 in

Width: 73.6 in Height: 55.1 in

Passenger volume: F: 53 cu ft R: 43 cu ft

Cargo volume: F: 41 cu ft R: 23 cu ft

Curb weight: 4004 lb

C/D TEST RESULTS:

Zero to 60 mph: 4.4 sec

Zero to 100 mph: 10.6 sec

Zero to 140 mph: 22.4 sec

Rolling start, 5-60 mph: 5.0 sec

Top gear, 30-50 mph: 2.5 sec

Top gear, 50-70 mph: 3.2 sec

Standing ¼-mile: 12.9 sec @ 111 mph

Top speed (gov ltd, mfr's claim): 167 mph

Braking, 70-0 mph: 156 ft

Roadholding, 300-ft-dia skidpad: 0.93 g

C/D FUEL ECONOMY:

Observed: 17 mpg

EPA FUEL ECONOMY:

Combined/city/hwy (C/D est): 21/18/27 mpg

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