2020 Kia Stinger

The South Korean automaker has taken a significant step with the Kia Stinger. The GT Trim boasts a 365 horsepower V6 engine that sends power to all the wheels and also adds refined and plush interior, enough to take on its German rivals. The price for the 2020 Kia Stinger starts at $33,900.

The Kia Stinger has made its fame in an aggressive segment, in relatively a very little extent of time. For the year 2020, the Stinger enters into the pool with some heavyweights such as the Dodge Charger, Toyota Avalon, and Chrysler 300. Will the Stinger be able to triumph in this arena?

Kia Stinger is a four-door sedan with seating for five. There are four trims to choose from that include GT- Line, GT, GT1, and GT2. The base Stinger is well equipped but the GT trim adds more luxury along with techs and features. Kia has offered two engine options to choose from. The base variant comes with a 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine. All the three GT trims meanwhile employs a turbocharged 3.3-liter V6 engine.

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The Base variant of the Stinger is a value for money affair with a lot of pre-loaded features and a high-performance engine. But if you want more power under the hood to go with the GT trim that gets a powerful 3.3-liter turbocharged V-6 engine producing a whopping 365 hp and 376 lb-ft of torque. It also gets enough additional features over the base and the Premium trim, so you would not be left wanting for more.

Kia Stinger gets a turbocharged 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine that churns out 255 horsepower and 260-pound-feet of torque. It feels sluggish when compared to the GT powertrain that gets a prodigious turbocharged 3.3-liter V6 engine. The V6 check in with 365 horsepower and 376-pound-feet of torque.

The growling V6 delivers smooth thrust and is meaty enough to launch you from zero to 60 in 4.7 seconds. An eight-speed transmission meanwhile is standard across all trims that shifts quickly and in engaging. The engine comes mated to an eight-speed automatic transmission.

The Kia Stinger appears a tad humble in front of the opponents. It generates 255 horses and 260 lb.-ft. Of torque. The Dodge Charger SXT and the Chrysler 300, offer identical power figures with 292 ponies and 260 lb.-ft. When it comes to sheer power the Toyota Avalon takes the edge with 301 hp and 267 lb.-ft. Of torque.

Acceleration

The 2.0L Stinger accelerates from 0-60 mph in 5.9 sec which is not that bad but not so good either. Stinger runs to cover the quarter of a mile distance in just 14.7 seconds at a speed of 106.9 mph. The 260 lb-ft of torque released at 1400 rpm gives it the thrust to get started quickly which is quite impressive.

Though the 2.0L Stinger is lighter than its GT version, it is still a bit heavy car and this factor makes it get the third position among its rivals.

The Kia Stinger manages to pull off the best 0-60 dash figures in the segment. The closest finish is made by the Toyota Avalon that manages the dash in dot 6 seconds. The Chrylser 300 and the Dodge Charger SXT follow up with a 0-60 figure of 6.2 and 6.4 seconds respectively.

Braking Performance

Brakes feel capable while stopping hard although the stopping distance of 113 feet is not the best in the class. The pedal meanwhile feels a little soft. The GT models get Brembo brakes for better performance.

The brake neither seems too heavy not too volatile and can be accentuated easily under heavy braking conditions.

The Dodge Charger is the best player of this stage with a 60-0 distance of a mere 107 ft. The Chrysler 300 decreases from 60-0 mph in 109 feet, whereas the Avalon demands a distance of 115 ft.

Ride and Handling

Stinger’s low stance provides stability while driving at higher speeds, making the car nimble around turns. Although the adaptive suspension is available only in the GT model, the standard suspension in the 2.0L version of the Stinger works well soaking up most of the bumps in the road. Despite being lengthier and wider than its rivals, it still manages to achieve amazing handling.

You could push it with all your might, but the Stinger would not function like a seasoned sports car. Including Smart, Eco, Comfortable, and Sport driving modes, the sedan attempts to alter its performance and ride quality, firm up its suspension and powertrain but fumbles out on really delivering these when contrasted to its rivals.

The turbocharged 2.0-liter engine checks in with 22 mpg city, 29 mpg highway, and 25 mpg combined. All-wheel drive is rated at 21/29/24 mpg. These numbers are not impressive when to others in the segment. The V6 meanwhile drops the ratings further as it is rated at 19/25/21 mpg with both the rear and all-wheel drive.

All the cars of this portion delivers almost similar fuel-efficiency figures, however, the Dodge Charger and the Chrysler 300 lag by the difference of just 2 miles, with both the rides delivering a combined mpg of 23. The Toyota Avalon delivers the best in class performance with 26 combined mpg.

Ingress and egress are made easy by the tall front doors but the rear passenger will need to squat down to clear the sloping roofline. The telescopic steering wheel and the driver's seat have lots of adjustments to cater to the needs of short or long drivers. The driver also gets a good side and rearview but the front roof pillar may obstruct the view while making left turns.  

Kia Stinger seats five and there is ample legroom in both the rows to accommodate even the tallest of the passenger. Despite a sloping roofline, the Stinger offers a decent amount of headroom in the back but passenger above six feet might bang their head on the roof.

The cabin attempts to look chic and elegant like the German marque’s and benefits on some accounts of the quality elements used around the cabin. The hard plastic is well decorated to look and feel high-class.

Interior Features :

• Keyfob trunk/hatch/door release
• Remote keyless entry
• Illuminated passenger vanity mirror
• Full floor console with covered box
• Retained accessory power
• 3 12V DC power outlets
• Automatic temperature control
• Homelink garage door transmitter
• Tilt steering wheel
• Cruise control with steering wheel controls

Infotainment System

The 7-inch infotainment system offered in the base model of the Stinger is a decent one that is connected with 6-speakers. The higher versions of the Stinger are offered with a much better 8-inch infotainment system with a 15-speaker Harman Kardon sound system. The most notable features include

• 6 speakers audio system
• SiriusXM AM/FM/HD/Satellite with seek-scan
• Steering-wheel mounted audio controls
• Apple CarPlay
• Android Auto
• Speed sensitive volume
• Voice-activated radio
• Bluetooth
• 12V power outlets
• Wireless phone charging

Cargo Capacity

Kia Stinger gets exceptional cargo space. It leads the segment in terms of cargo volume while its rivals don’t even come close to it. The integrated trunk lid is designed so well that the cargo capacity in the Stinger is at least 25-30% more than an average mid-size sedan sold in the US.

The luggage  accommodation is pretty practical, with a number of grooves and a deep handrest storage pocket that can hold your small utility items.

Stinger impresses and leads the segment. with more than 23 cubic feet of space below its trunk hood. All the other cars offer around 16 cubic feet of cargo space, with the Toyota Avalon and the Dodge Charger being the weakest on the cargo space ranking.

Stinger’s sleek design with a tiger-nose like a grill on the front side and a hatchback like an integrated trunk lid on the rear is definitely eye-grabbing. The GT version and the base model are slightly different when it comes to the rear end where the rear bumper and the taillights of the GT are sportier than the base model.

However, the quad exhaust tips are available on the GT as well as the base model. The base model of the Stinger comes with 18-inch alloy wheels while the GT version gets a 19-inch alloy wheel. In terms of dimensions, the 2020 Kia Stinger is wider and longer than most in the segment.

The Kia Stinger’s dimensions lend the ride an ideal sports car vibe that grabs a lot of hearts. The front overhung long-hood, along with the sloping roofline gives it extraordinary proportions that can match the looks of any other premium sedans.

Exterior Features 

The Stinger looks sporty yet subtle and some of the most noteworthy elements that lend this car this charismatic look are:

• Rear Spoiler
• Liftgate rear cargo door
• Chrome surround black grille
• Turn signal indicator mirrors
• Black rear bumper insert
• Black front bumper insert
• 18-inch wheels
• Quad-twin Exhaust pipes
• Rearview camera
• Body-Colored Door Handles
• Projector-beam headlights
• LED Taillights

Both the Federal and the private organizations have not crash-tested the 2020 Kia Stinger but the Korean manufacturer offers a wide range of safety features. The GT trims get all the available safety features which are optional otherwise. They come bundled with forward collision warning, automatic emergency braking, adaptive cruise control with stop and go and blind-spot monitors to name the few.

Safety Features

• Electronic Stability Control (ESC)
• ABS And Driveline Traction Control
• Side Impact Beams
• Dual Stage Driver And Passenger Seat-Mounted Side Airbags
• UVO eServices Emergency Sos
• Front And Rear Parking Sensors
• Tire Specific Low Tire Pressure Warning
• Dual Stage Driver And Passenger Front Airbags
• Curtain 1st And 2nd Row Airbags
• Airbag Occupancy Sensor
• Driver Knee Airbag
• Restricted Driving Mode
• Rear Child Safety Locks
• First Aid Kit
• Outboard Front Lap And Shoulder Safety Belts -inc: Rear Center 3 Point, Height Adjusters and Pretensioners
• Back-Up Camera

Kia Stinger vs. Dodge Charger SXT

Priced at $29,895, the Dodge Charger is one of the most generous gifts of the segment. The ride houses a 3.6L V6 engine that can generate 292 hp along with 260 lb.-ft. Of torque, together which can launch the Charger from 0-60 in just 6.4 seconds. The Charger offers a combined mpg of 23, and a cargo volume of 16.2 cubic inches, which is much smaller than the Stinger, but what you get in return is a typical muscle character oozing ride.

Kia Stinger vs. Toyota Avalon

The Toyota Avalon is the most expensive offering of this segment with a starting price of $35,880, though this ride is deserving every penny you consume on it. Fitted with a 3.5L V6, the Avalon runs on 301 ponies along with 267 lb.-ft. Of torque. These are the highest power figures in the segment, making it sprint from 0-60 in dot 6 seconds, also making it the fastest in the league. Even after possessing such power figures, the Avalon returns the best in class mpg figures.

Kia Stinger is a success in many ways. It comes bundled with most of the techs and features available in the market that too at an affordable price. Its performance is also at par with the German rivals and it does many things better than the latter. There is choice of three powertrain to choose from along with all wheel drive to boost the Stinger’s performance. There is also lots of room in both the rows to easily accommodate adults.