The Kia Stinger GT is a punchy little sports car that is capable of delivering a powerful performance – it is actually pretty mean looking. It looks like a muscle car!
What is to be noted here is that the Stinger (which has nothing to do with that human made transformer in the amazing movie of Transformers 4) is a hatchback with 5 doors and not a true two-seater sports car. Kia is probably trying to create a new niche market or enter the sports-sedan market? We will see.
Genesis G70’s Touch
The all new Kia Stinger GT AWD 2018 has been built on the rear wheel drive platform of the Genesis G70. You will soon realize, once you get behind the wheels of this beauty, that the sports hatchback was built to fall somewhere in-between two different categories that have been largely ruled by the likes of Mercedes Benz C-Class and the BMW 3 Series, and the E Class and the 5 Series.
Powerful Performance
The Stinger GTs is powered by a twin turbocharged v6 3.3 liter engine that is found in the Genesis G80 and the G90 luxocruiser. The engine is powerful and easily produces a torque of 376 lb-ft with a horsepower of 365. It is mated to the incredible 8-speed automatic that was developed in-house by Kia.
The base model of the Stinger is powered by a 2.0 liter capable of producing 255 horsepower and 260 lb-ft which is mated to the default 8-speed automatic. Currently, the Stinger GT is available in these two flavors only.
There is an option to either send all that raw power to the rear wheel or you can also go for AWD (All Wheel Drive) but by default, the powertrains are engineered to send power to the rear wheels. In that case, 50 percent of the power will be forwarded to the front wheel or you can also go for 80 percent rearward. The options look good and offer more flexibility in terms of power distribution and management.
The Test
The test model came with adjustable dampers, Brembo brakes, 255/35ZR-19 tires on the rear and 225/40ZR -19 tires on the front of the car. The wheels are all aluminum as is standard with most sports cars. This reduces weight and increases speed and performance.
There are 5 different settings available in the driving mode which controls the powertrain and chassis: Eco, Sport, Comfort, Smart, and Custom. So what is custom? The Custom mode will allow you to set your own preference in throttle mapping, enhancement of engine sound, shifting program, and firmness of the suspension.
Design
The front of the car, especially the headlights, is designed to give the car an angry and mean look. The headlights (think eyes) are designed to give a penetrating and fierce look. One look at the grilles and you will know that the car was meant to be fast and furious.
The interior is luxurious and modern with plenty of chrome work in the center console. The steering wheel is flat while seats and the gear knob has premium leather on it and with the economy doing better with the anticipation of lower taxes and so on, the automobile sector is set to do much better.
The car is able to hit 60 mph in flat 4.6 seconds which is very impressive. If you are driving the car at 70 mph, it will take just 174 feet to stop the car to a total standstill. For those who want to challenge the laws of physics, the car is capable of hitting 167 mph.
Kia Stinger GT AWD lives upto its name and reputation.