It’s been almost 2 years of living the the Kia Stinger GT and it is every bit as advertised. Looking for a German sports sedan on a budget that has the capability to handle all weather, be luxurious on road trips and haul luggage, be reliable, and rip around the track on the weekends? The Stinger GT with AWD is one of the best bargains on the market. How does 365 HP, 0-60 mph in 4.6 seconds, luxury features like ventilated/heated seats, hatchback trunk with lots of room for luggage, and a 5-year 100K mile warranty sound? And for under $50K.
All sounds too good to be true, right? Wrong. The Stinger may not be the greatest in its class, or the class that it is aiming at, at any of its capabilities, but it does each thing well. From sport mode to eco mode the Stinger can be many things. Take traveling through the Smoky Mountains (including the Tail of the Dragon) for example, the Stinger’s AWD system, sporty suspension, and not to mention the powerful twin turbo V6 engine, help it feel a lot more light and nimble than it looks while ripping through the mountain roads with a full trunk of luggage in a light drizzle of rain. Matter of fact, it handles the mountain roads so well that it translates nicely to the track.
This is a day and age where performance 2-door coupes are not the only track capable cars. Big sedans and even some SUV’s are now being tuned from factory to offer a package that is capable on taking on a track day, then driving a few hours home under its own power instead of a trailer. And the Stinger GT is no exception.
The big 190.2 inch long sportback lives up to the final part of the meaning GT, by being a blast on the track. Coming from factory with sticky Michelin Sport tires and a RWD bias AWD system, the Stinger can dance around the track with its backend out being a wolf in sheep’s clothing. No it’s not the fastest out there, and no its not going to hold up well enough to be an every weekend track car, but it does have the capability.
Whether its cruising down the highway on a long road trip in comfort mode with the ventilated/heated seats on listening to some tunes through the Harman Kardon sound system, trekking up to the mountains in the snow, or going for a track day, the Kia Stinger GT is marvelous. So marvelous that the price point of $40-47K is one of the best bargains on the market. Still can’t get past the Kia badge? Consider this: the Stinger was developed on the famous Nurburgring in Germany by the former head of the M division and styled by a former Audi guy. Plus, the Stinger still get’s Kia’s best warranty in the industry. Every car has its downsides, but with the Stinger, those are just knit picks.
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