2018 Kia Stinger Buyer’s Guide

It’s the Real Deal

The all-new 2018 Kia Stinger is a legitimate, bona fide, fun-to-drive sport sedan, no ifs, ands or buts. It’s also a quasi-luxury car, especially in top-tier trims outfitted with all manner of niceties from extra-soft Nappa leather to an impressive collection of high-tech driver assist and safety features. It’s still a Kia, too, which means attractive pricing, an outstanding warranty and impressive value overall. If you’re already drawn to the Stinger keep reading at your own risk, because nothing we have to say will help you talk yourself out of heading straight to your nearest Kia dealer.

Driving Machine

The V6-powered Kia Stinger GT is especially engaging, as highlighted In our first review: “With all-wheel drive (AWD) offered on every trim of the Kia Stinger it’s easy to configure the new sport sedan to your personal preference. We tested rear- and all-wheel-drive versions extensively and enjoyed the driving dynamics provided by both. While all-wheel drive will consistently generate greater cornering grip, along with higher confidence in slick road conditions, it’s not uncommon for AWD to give cars a heavier, less-responsive nature. The Kia Stinger avoids this with a rear-biased AWD system that includes dynamic torque vectoring. By constantly altering which wheel(s) power flows to, based on steering input and available traction, the Stinger retains the nimble nature of a traditional rear-wheel-drive sport sedan while adding additional front-wheel grip when it benefits traction and driver control. For rear-wheel-drive Stingers, an optional limited-slip differential is available on V6 models.”

Premium Interior

We like Kia’s interior design ethos, and this is the best execution yet. From our full review: “The Stinger’s interior looks like Kia ran its standard layout through a Mercedes-Benz filter. The familiar layout reminds us of the Forte, Cadenza, Sedona minivan, etc., yet everything feels and looks nicer. We like the exposed speaker grilles and Mercedes-Benz S-Class-style eyeball center vents. We even like the metallic finish on the infotainment controls, even though it makes reading the lettering on the buttons difficult. There’s plenty of room in the front and rear seats for four, although anyone in the center position in back will likely feel cramped. Lift that big hatch and you have tons of cargo space, with foldable seats providing even more.

Resale Value

You can get into a Stinger for less than $33,000, but expect to pay closer to $40,000. As for resale value, Kelley Blue Book’s expert number crunchers predict the 2018 Kia Stinger will hold its value well, on par with the more established 2018 Nissan Maxima. Competitive resale value, in fact, is among the many factors helping make Kia vehicles even smarter buys.

2018 Kia Stinger Video Review

The Stinger has already earned its sport sedan moniker, but our video editor Micah Muzio doesn’t overlook its practicality, either.

2018 Kia Stinger Features, Specs and Prices

The Kia Stinger lineup is comprised of two 4-cylinder and three V6 versions, the latter group denoted by the GT moniker. In addition to the standard equipment highlights below, each trim is available with a selection of options and packages. All-wheel drive with torque vectoring control is available on every Stinger for $2,200.

2018 Kia Stinger 2.0L
Starting price: $31,900 | This Week’s Fair Purchase Price
Turbocharged 4-cylinder engine, rear-wheel drive
Leather seats, heated front seats
Keyless entry and push-button start
7-inch UVO infotainment system
Apple CarPlay and Android Auto
Bluetooth and USB connectivity
Backup camera, front/rear parking sensors
Drive Mode Select
18-inch alloy wheels

2018 Kia Stinger Premium
Starting price: $37,100 | This Week’s Fair Purchase Price
8-inch UVO infotainment system with navigation
720-watt, 15-speaker premium sound
Moonroof
LED headlights and rear turn signals
Power tilt/telescope steering wheel
Driver position memory
Electronic parking brake with auto hold

2018 Kia Stinger GT
Starting price: $38,350 | This Week’s Fair Purchase Price
The jump from the 4-cylinder Stinger Premium to the Stinger GT nets a V6 engine and other performance adds for just $1,250, but note that some comfort and convenience items are lost in the upgrade.
365-horsepower twin-turbocharged V6 engine
Brembo brakes
19-inch wheels with Michelin Pilot Sport summer tires
Sport steering wheel
(No navigation, moonroof, premium audio)

2018 Kia Stinger GT1
Starting price: $43,250 | This Week’s Fair Purchase Price
The Stinger GT1 combines the go-fast goodies of the GT with the advanced amenities of the Premium, including a moonroof, premium audio and the 8-inch Uvo infotainment system with navigation. The GT1 also adds an electronic controlled suspension.

2018 Kia Stinger GT2
Starting price: $49,200 | This Week’s Fair Purchase Price
The luxury car of the Stinger lineup, the only options available on the GT2 are all-wheel drive, a heated steering wheel and all-season tires (on 18-inch wheels).
Limited-slip differential
Quilted Nappa leather seat trim
Ventilated front seats
Kia Drive Wise driver assist and safety package (see below)
Smart power trunk
Rain sensing wipers
Shift-by-wire transmission selector
Head up display

Kia Drive Wise Package
The following collection of driver assist and safety technologies is standard on the top-shelf GT2 model, but available on every Stinger for $2,000.
Blind Spot Collision Warning w/ Lane Change Assist
Rear Cross Traffic Collision Warning
Forward Collision Avoidance Assist w/ Pedestrian Detection
Forward Collision Warning System
Advanced Smart Cruise Control w/ Stop and Go
Lane Departure Warning System
Lane Keep Assist System
Driver Attention Warning

2018 Kia Stinger Engines and Fuel Economy

2.0-liter turbocharged inline-4
255 horsepower @ 6,200 rpm
260 lb-ft of torque @ 1,400-4,000 rpm
EPA city/highway fuel economy: 22/29 mpg (RWD), 21/29 mpg (AWD)

3.3-liter twin-turbocharged V6
365 horsepower @ 6,000 rpm
376 lb-ft of torque @ 1,300-4,500 rpm
EPA city/highway fuel economy: 19/25 mpg

2018 Kia Stinger Specs

Warranty: 5 years or 60,000 miles
Drivetrain: Rear- or all-wheel drive
Curb Weight: 3,611 lbs (2.0T no options) to 4,023 lbs (GT2 all options)
Head Room: Front / Rear (in.) 38.3 / 37.0
Shoulder Room: Front / Rear (in.) 56.4 / 54.8
Leg Room: Front / Rear (in.) 42.6 / 36.4
Hip Room: Front / Rear (in.) 55.5 / 56.1
Total Interior Volume (cu. ft.) 117.1
Passenger Volume (cu. ft.) 93.8
Cargo volume: (cu. ft.) 23.3
Wheelbase: 114.4 inches
Length: 190.2 inches
Height: 55.1 inches
Width: 73.6 inches

2018 Kia Stinger GT Exterior and Interior Photos

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