Test drive: 2022 Kia Stinger
The 2022 Kia Stinger is basically a luxury sports sedan in disguise, says Fox News Autos Editor Gary Gastelu
The Kia Stinger floats like a butterfly and stings like a … four-door luxury performance car.
The 2022 Kia Stinger starts at $37,365 (Kia)
The midsize model that was first launched in 2018 has been refreshed for 2022 and is still very much an outlier among the automaker's lineup mainstream cars and SUVs that competes against some heavy hitters.
The Stinger is built on a rear-wheel-drive platform just like the BMW 5-series or Mercedes E-Class and is available with all-wheel-drive. A 300 hp 2.5-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine comes standard at $37,365, while a 368 hp 3.3-liter turbo V6 is optional starting at $44,965.
The 2022 Stinger GT2 is powered by a 3.3-liter turbocharged V6. (Kia)
Visual changes are mostly limited to lighting and some minor trim, while the car gets an updated infotainment system with a 10.25-inch touchscreen display and available wireless smartphone charge pad. It’s only dated by the lack of wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto smartphone integration to go with it, but provides both through a USB connection.
Additional available technology includes adaptive cruise control, an automatic self-steering lane-centering assist that works remarkably well on the highway and blind spot cameras that project images onto the digital instrument cluster.
The 2022 Stinger features a new infotainment system display. (Kia)
The Stinger isn’t particularly roomy for its size, especially in the back seating area, but is actually a liftback with a large trunk, so it makes the best use of its available space. Its furnishings punching above its price point with plenty of style and quality.
The Stinger is a four-door liftback, not a sedan. (Kia)
I tested a top of the line Stinger GT2 with all-wheel-drive and the V6 that checked out at nearly $56,000 and included a computer-controlled adaptive suspension system. The Stinger delivers one of the smoothest rides I’ve ever experienced, even on its very low-profile 35-series tires. Brands like Jaguar and Mercedes-Benz couldn’t do any better.
The Stinger is also offered with a 2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder. (Kia)
It also allows you to stiffen the ride with a Sport mode that adds weight to the steering, makes the throttle more responsive, turns up the exhaust volume and cinches the bolsters on the heated and ventilated front seats to better hold you in place as you explore the Stinger’s limits.
With the V6, it’ll accelerate to 60 mph in a brisk four and a half seconds as it plays a racy tune out of its exhaust pipes and drinks gasoline to the tune of 20 mpg combined. The handling feel is excellent within the legal limits of a public road, but I had the occasion to play with it on a snow-covered lot, where it exhibited excellent feedback and control as I drifted around with abandon.
The Stinger is available with all-wheel drive. (Fox News Autos)
The main thing holding the Stinger back remains its name. Kia, that is. Unlike those from the Genesis division spawned from its sister company Hyundai, Kia’s keychains don’t carry the cache of a dedicated premium brand, and it only managed to sell 13,517 Stingers last year, making it its least-popular model … behind the minivans.
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Anyone looking for this kind of car that can see it for what it is, however, will discover an engaging, luxurious vehicle at a competitive price that also comes with a 10-year powertrain warranty. That last point is definitely not part of the European sports sedan ownership experience, but something you expect from a Kia.
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2022 Kia Stinger
Base price: $37,365
As tested: $55,665
Type: 5-passenger, 4-door, all-wheel-drive liftback
Engine: 3.3L turbocharged V6
Power: 368 hp, 376 hp
Transmission: 8-speed automatic
MPG: 17 city/24 hwy