2019 Kia Stinger

The new Kia Stinger retains its 5 trims from the previous iteration. These 5 trims are split in 2 configurations – RWD and AWD, an extra $2,200 cost difference between the two drivetrains. Starting at $32,900 for the RWD base Stinger, the price goes up to $49,990 for the GT2 trim. The base trims feature a modest 2.0L powertrain but the GT configurations and up include a more powerful 3.3L V6 powertrain.

Kia’s base Stinger offers plenty of features at this price and it also includes an array of impressive safety features. The Korean sedan also provides a stunning powertrain warranty coverage of 10 years or 100,000 miles.

Trims	Stinger (Base)	Premium	GT	GT1	GT2
MSRP (RWD)	$32,900	$39,100	$39,100	$45,100	$49,990
MSRP (AWD)	$35,100	$41,300	$41,300	$47,300	$52,190
Key Features	Stinger includes:	Additional features to Stinger (Base):	Additional features to Premium:	Additional features to GT:	Additional features to GT1:
	Projector beam headlamps	LED headlights	Turbocharged 3.3L V6 with 365hp and 376 lb.-ft torque	Performance meters	Heated rear seats
	18” machined finish wheels	Power-adjustable steering wheel	19” alloy wheels with Brembo Brakes	Auto Dimming Mirrors	Limited-slip differential
	7-inch Infotainment system with 6-speaker audio	8-inch Infotainment system with 15-speaker Harman Kardon Sound system	Mechanical limited slip differential (RWD only)		Ventilated Front seats
	Leather Upholstery	Wireless Charging	Flat-bottom steering		Head-up Display
	Blind Spot Collision Warning	Front ventilated seats

We recommend

If you’re looking for sporty performance along with great features, then the Gt configurations are great alternatives to the otherwise excellent already-feature-rich base variants.

“The 2019 Stinger’s ride and handling move Kia’s benchmarks higher, but track time isn’t its forte.” -thecarconection

Powering the rear wheels of the sedan is a 2.0L turbocharged engine mated to an 8-speed automatic transmission with manual mode. Spurting out 255hp and 260lb.-ft. of torque, the sedan has a decent powertrain but one look at its V6 GT trims and you’d lament how underpowered the base configuration is.

Under the Kia Stinger’s base trim, the powertrain is smooth and responsive with great power delivery no doubt, but lacks that extra-oomph factor. You could push it with all your might But the Stinger would not behave like an untamed beast. With Smart, Eco, Comfortable, and Sport comprising the different driving modes, the sedan tries to mix and match, firm up its ride and powertrain but miss out on actually delivering the latter as compared to its rivals.

As for the Korean comfort sedan’s competition, the Mercedes has better torque while the Infiniti is underpowered by a bit. The Alfa Romeo Giulia has a more robust powertrain under its hood, besting the entire field.

Models	Kia Stinger	Alfa Romeo Giulia	Infiniti Q50	Mercedes C300 4Matic	Genesis G70	Jaguar XE	Lexus IS 300
MSRP	$32,900	$38,195	$35,550	$43,400	$34,900	$46,235	$40,660
Engine	2.0L I-4 turbocharged	2.0L Turbocharged Inline-4 cylinders	2.0L Turbocharged Inline-4 cylinders	Intercooled Turbo Premium Unleaded I-4, 2.0 L	2.0L, Turbocharged, Inline-4 cylinder engine	2.0L, Turbocharged, Inline-4 cylinder engine	2L I-4 Turbocharged
Transmission	8-speed Automatic Transmission	8-speed automatic transmission	7-speed automatic transmission	9G-TRONIC 9-Speed Automatic	8-speed Automatic	8-speed Automatic	8-Speed Automatic
Horsepower	255 hp @ 6200 rpm	280 hp @ 5200 rpm	208 hp @ 5500rpm	255 hp @ 5800 rpm	252 hp @ 6,200 rpm	247 hp @ 5500 rpm	241 hp @ 5,800 rpm
Torque	260 lb.-ft. @ 1400 rpm	306 lb.-ft. @ 2000-4800 rpm	258 lb.-ft. @ 1500 rpm	273 lb.-ft. @ 1800 rpm	260 lb-ft @ 1,400-4,000 rpm	269 ft-lbs. @ 1300 rpm	258 lb-ft @ 1,650 rpm

Acceleration

Sprinting the Stinger from naught to 60 mph is done in flat 6 seconds while quarter mile is completed in precisely 14.6s. These timings are fine when compared to the rest of the competition, but falls back by half a second compared to the similarly specced Mercedes C300 and the more powerful Giulia.

Models	Kia Stinger	Alfa Romeo Giulia	Infiniti Q50	Mercedes C300 4Matic	Genesis G70	Jaguar XE	Lexus IS 300
0-60 MPH	6.0 sec	5.5 sec	7	5.5 sec	6.0 sec	6.3 sec	6.9 sec
Quarter mile	14.6 sec @ 96 mph	14.1 sec @ 100 mph	15.4 @ 90 mph	14.1 sec @ 99 mph	14.6 sec	15.0 sec	15 sec*
Engine	2.0L	2.0 Liters	2.0 Liters	2.0L	2.0L	2.0L	2.0L
Emission (Tons/yr of CO2 Emissions @ 15K mi/year)	TBD	NA	NA	TBD	-	6.3*	NA

Ride and Handling

Comfortable and poised, the rear-wheel driven Stinger has enough grip, responsive steering and adequate body roll limitation. The chassis behaves quite stable even at high speeds with nimble handling around corners. Driving over bumps, the suspension on the 3700 pound heavy sedan soaks up bumps with ease.

Different driving modes characterize the drivability of the Kia Stinger; also provided is a traction control switch, which makes sure the sedan does not suddenly alter its personality to a driver on track. Driving on Comfort is composed and pleasant, but tweak up to Sport mode, the steering and chassis stiffens up, getting you a tad rough and jittery drive, but it’s indolence to be a sports sedan gets the better of it.

Braking

The 12” brakes on the Korean sedan are modulated, feel capable and firm. Halting to a standstill from 70mph is another matter entirely; it takes a below average distance of around 185 feet to completely decelerate. Unlike the Kia, the Mercedes takes a better 153 feet while the Italian beauty, the Giulia, stops under 124 feet albeit from 60 mph, which is still a decent distance.

Model	Kia Stinger	Alfa Romeo Giulia	Infiniti Q50	Mercedes C300 4Matic	Genesis G70	Jaguar XE	Lexus IS 300
Brake Front (in.)	12.6	13	12.6	13	13.8	12.8	13.1
Brake Rear (in.)	12.4	12.5	12.1	11.8	-	12.8	12.2
Curb Weight (lbs.)	3649	3521	3671	3500*	3516 lbs	3500 lbs	3583
60-0 MPH (ft.)	185ft	124	NA	153ft	-	184 ft*	TBD

Guzzling fuel by the South Korean's turbocharged 2.0L engine is seemingly high as the sedan returns 22 miles per gallon in the city with a combined 25 miles per gallon filled. Considering the output its powertrain yields, these figures don’t seem too shabby. However, the Giulia chugs 2 mpg less on an average, while the less powerful Q50 is closely even. With a similar powertrain though, the Mercedes C300 has better highway and combined efficiency.

Model	Kia Stinger	Alfa Romeo Giulia	Infiniti Q50	Mercedes C300 4Matic	Genesis G70	Jaguar XE	Lexus IS 300
MPG (city)	22	24	23	22	21	24	21
MPG (highway)	29	33	30	33	28	34	30
MPG (combined)	25	27	25	26	23	28	24

“The driver benefits from an excellent seating position and an ergonomically friendly control layout. Unfortunately for rear passengers, the Stinger has a low roof and limited toe room. Rear visibility is not as good as in other midsize sedans.” -edmunds

Capacity to seat 5 passengers, the Kia Stinger’s interior is roomy and spacious. Commodious legroom and headspace is found in the front while tall passengers will meet the roof in the back due to the sloping roofline due to which visibility is also hampered. Helping the poor visibility is the pillar placement in the back.

The cabin tries to look sharp and tasteful like the German marque’s, and succeeds on some accounts of the quality materials used around the cabin. Hard plastic is furnished to look and feel high-class.

Interior Features

The handsome interior of the base trim of the Stinger includes –

• Dual Zone Front Automatic Air Conditioning
• Leather seat upholstery
• Heated front seats
• 12-way power-adjustable driver’s seat w/4-way lumbar support

Infotainment System

Kia’s UVO 7” touch screen system is intuitive, user friendly and comes with standard Android Auto and Apple Carplay, a feature many high-end cars list as optional. Some other standard features include –

• 6-speakers
• USB and AUX connectivity
• Bluetooth

Model	Kia Stinger	Alfa Romeo Giulia	Infiniti Q50	Mercedes C300 4Matic	Genesis G70	Jaguar XE	Lexus IS 300
Passenger capacity	5	5	5	5	5	5	5
Front (Head/Shoulder/Leg) (In.)	38.2/55.9/44.8	38.6/56.1/42.4	38.3/56.4/42.6	37.1/55.3/NA	39.7/56.3/42.6	-	40.2/56.7/44.5
Second (Head/Shoulder/Leg) (In.)	36.9/53.4/32.2	37.6/53.6/35.1	37/54.8/36.4	37.1/55/NA	36.9/54.6/34.8	-	37.5/56.1/35.1

An enormous trunk capacity to load 23.3 cubic feet of cargo, the Stinger impresses and leads the segment. Amongst its competition, the closest rival being the Jaguar XE followed by the Q50 and Giulia, manage only 16 and 13 cubic feet respectively.Cargo Capacity

Model	Kia Stinger	Alfa Romeo Giulia	Infiniti Q50	Mercedes C300 4Matic	Genesis G70	Jaguar XE	Lexus IS 300
Cargo Volume (ft.3)	23.3	13.0	13.2	12.6	10.5	16.1	10.8

“The 2019 Kia Stinger’s lissome body is a winner.”

Sat low with long hood and compact rear, Kia's manufacturers have tried to design the Stinger match or even better the elegance as seen on the top guns like BMW and Mercedes – one where they almost got it right, but have gone a bit too awry in trying to mimic a sports sedan design.

Rolling on 18” alloy wheels, the sedan spans 190” long with a 114” wheelbase. Faux air vents sit on the hood giving a rather bold look, with the famous prominent chrome-accented Kia front grille. The Korean sedan’s insignia sits overhead the grilles, flanked by Projector beam headlights.

Its fenders bulge appropriately with air intakes placed right alongside it by the side skirts. Hard character lines draw across the profile, sweeping roofline keeping in mind interior headroom slope downwards completing the side meeting the rear taillights. At the rear, above the trunk faintly protrudes a spoiler for a bit of downforce. Stylish LED taillights stare beyond and quad-twin-tail pipes sit on either sides.

Model	Kia Stinger	Alfa Romeo Giulia	Infiniti Q50	Mercedes C300 4Matic	Genesis G70	Jaguar XE	Lexus IS 300
Curb weight (lbs.)	3649	3521	3671	3500*	3516 lbs	3500 lbs	3,583
Length(in)	190.2	182.6	189.6	184.5	184.4 in	183.9	184.3
Width(in)	73.6	73.7	71.8	71.3	72.8 in	77.4	71.3
Height(in)	55.1	56.5	57.2	56.3	55.1 in	55.8	56.3*
Ground clearance (in)	TBD	NA	5	3.8	5.1 in	-	5.3
Wheelbase (in)	114.4	111	112.2	111.8	111.6 in	111.6	110.2
Track width (in) F/R	62.8/64.8	61.3/63.9	60.8/61.6	61.5/60.9	-	62.8/62.4	60.4/61*

Exterior Features

Some of the exterior features on the sedan include –

• 18-inch wheels
• Quad-twin Exhaust pipes
• Rear view camera
• Body-Colored Door Handles
• Projector beam headlights
• LED Taillights

While not tested by neither NHTSA nor IIHS, the Kia Stinger offers a host of safety features that ensures your sedan manages to keep the people inside as safe as possible. Some of those include-

• Blind-spot Monitors
• Front And Rear Parking Sensors
• Tire Specific Low Tire Pressure Warning
• Dual Stage Driver And Passenger Front Airbags
• Electronic Stability Control (ESC)
• ABS And Driveline Traction Control
• Blind Spot Collision Warning
• Rear Cross Traffic Collision Warning
• Side Impact Beams
• Dual Stage Driver And Passenger Seat-Mounted Side Airbags

Kia Stinger vs Mercedes Benz C300

Priced at almost 10 grand apart, the Kia Stinger is built upon a comfortable chassis with decent power delivery and is better at practicality. What the Korean doesn’t do as good as the Mercedes C300 is luxurious interior assembled with quality material, 4-matic driven solid performance and sporty driving dynamics. While safety features are found in abundance on both the sedans, the South Korea betters the German in its exceptional warranty coverage.

For the price difference, the Stinger GT which starts at $40,550 looks like the best bet if you are considering the competition between this German and the Kia.

Kia Stinger vs Infiniti Q50

Amongst these rivals, the Infiniti Q50 would appeal more to a buyer in terms of its familiarity as a brand. While the Kia Stinger is a fairly new sedan to the market, it has decent performance, great practicality and interior, abundance of safety features, and comfortable ride. The Infiniti is less of a driver’s car as compared to the Stinger. Our suggestion is biased towards the Stinger for it does pretty much what the Infiniti does and goes a bit extra mile in doing so.

Kia Stinger vs Alfa Romeo Giulia

No doubt, the Alfa Romeo Giulia is an overall better sedan in terms of performance and driving dynamics as compared to the Kia Stinger. While practicality and cramped interior takes a hit on the Giulia, the Stinger comes open arms with it. Under this rivalry, you should consider the GT series of the Kia which is a tad pricey than the Giulia, but is a more refined sport sedan than the base Stinger.

Newly introduced in 2018, the Kia Stinger is slowly catching up with the enthusiasts but not with the base model, oh not at all. The base powertrain and its driving dynamics is less sporty than its intention while its practicality is unseen in this segment.

The large sedan has what it takes, but only in its GT trims. While the base model isn’t any shoddy car, it is infact a well-made sedan, but if you’re competing with the rivals as above, you should come prepared – something the base model tries to yet falls short in some areas. Conclusion – choose the competitors or the GT trims over the base model.