Even several years after its debut, there's still nothing else on the road quite like the Kia Stinger. This sleek hatchback offers a look and feel you won't find anywhere else in the class. It also has loads of cargo space. Overall performance doesn't quite live up to the sport sedan looks, but the Stinger won't leave you bored.
When it comes to enigmatic cars, the 2023 Kia Stinger might top the list. It's a sport sedan offering the utility of an SUV. It's a Kia with premium design and interior fittings. It looks like a low-slung coupe, but it has room for your spouse, your kids, and enough luggage under its rear liftgate for a family road trip. It can easily drift around paved corners but offers available all-wheel drive for when a snowstorm strikes. Depending on your priorities in a new car, owning a 2023 Stinger might have you thinking you've died and gone to heaven.
What's that? You didn't even know the Kia Stinger exists? Don't worry. You're not alone. But you still have time to check this car out and get one before it's gone. You see, Kia is in the midst of a big electrification push, and with the arrival of the EV6, there simply isn't much need for Kia to keep the Stinger in its lineup. But there's still a lot to like about this overlooked sport sedan. Check out our Expert Rating below for our in-depth testing of its performance, comfort and more.
What's it like to live with?
When Kia introduced the Stinger for the 2018 model year, we added one to our long-term road-test fleet and put more than 18,000 miles on it. Aside from consistent complaints about outward visibility and a lack of refinement concerning the adaptive cruise control system, the twin-turbocharged Stinger GT2 proved its worth. You can read up on our experience living with a Stinger in our long-term test of the car.
Even several years after its debut, there's still nothing else on the road quite like the Kia Stinger. This sleek hatchback offers a look and feel you won't find anywhere else in the class. It also has loads of cargo space. Overall performance doesn't quite live up to the sport sedan looks, but the Stinger won't leave you bored.
How does the Stinger drive? We tested the Stinger GT-Line with the turbocharged four-cylinder engine and rear-wheel drive. It's smooth and responsive and provides quicker acceleration than most other sedans in this price range. In Edmunds' testing, the Stinger hit 60 mph in 6.2 seconds, which is decently quick. There's also the V6-equipped Stinger GT1 or GT2 if you need more power. With that engine the Stinger rips from 0 to 60 mph in just 5.0 seconds.
Braking performance isn't quite as good. It took the Stinger GT-Line 133 feet to stop from 60 mph, which is longer than the braking distance we get from many SUVs we test. We blame the GT-Line trim's all-season tires, which aren't particularly grippy. Those tires also hold it back when it comes to handling, though the Stinger still feels responsive and fun on winding roads. It leans more in the corners than other sport sedans, but it's fairly composed overall. The Stinger's steering is a highlight. It's on the lighter side, but there's a decent amount of feedback. It's quick and precise and makes the car feel relatively nimble.
How comfortable is the Stinger? While it doesn't balance comfort and performance as well as the V6-powered Stinger GT, we found the four-cylinder GT-Line to be smooth and refined. The suspension smooths out bumps and imperfections pretty well, but the ride can get a little jittery on rough pavement. The seats are the bigger letdown. The fronts are well shaped with plenty of support, but the padding is a bit too stiff and can reduce comfort on long drives. The rear seats are stiff too and somewhat flat. They're not uncomfortable, but they're not outstanding either.
The Stinger is pretty quiet. At idle, you occasionally need to look at the tachometer to see if the engine is still on. When you get moving, there's a mild amount of wind and road noise, but nothing unacceptable for the class. The standard dual-zone climate control works well and has easy-to-use controls.
ow’s the interior?
The Stinger's interior is a reasonably nice place to spend your time behind the wheel. The driving position is excellent. The seat and steering wheel offer a decent amount of adjustment, so it's easy to find a comfortable position and be able to reach the major controls. The seats are low, and that means it can be hard for some passengers to get in and out, but it does give the Stinger a sporty feel when you're behind the wheel.
The Stinger feels tighter inside than other midsize sedans, especially in the rear. The sloping roofline that creates the Stinger's slick profile means the heads of taller passengers are likely to rub up against the headliner. The front seat offers more room, but other midsize sedans (including Kia's own K5) are better. Visibility is a bit obscured. The rear window is tiny, and thick pillars can block your line of sight.
How’s the tech?
The Stinger offers a decent array of in-car tech and driver aids, though there's nothing in here you won't find in other midsize sedans. Still, what Kia does offer works well. The infotainment and navigation system are easy to use and operate. The home screen allows for a bit of customization too. Apple CarPlay and Android Auto smartphone integration is standard, though there's no wireless connectivity. There is a wireless charging pad and a handful of USB ports and 12-volt outlets for charging.
The Stinger includes a number of standard driver aids and safety features. Those include blind-spot monitoring and forward collision alert. Most of the features are easy to use and work well. Kia also includes a lane centering feature. It's supposed to keep the car centered in the lane, but it constantly tugs at the wheel or ping-pongs between the lane lines. We ended up just turning it off in our testing.
How’s the storage?
Pop open the Stinger's trunk and you'll find it's actually a sleek-looking hatchback. The cargo area offers 23.3 cubic feet of cargo space with the rear seats raised, more than almost any other midsize sedan out there. With the seats folded flat, the space opens up even more. Small-item storage is good too. The center console and door pockets are sizable, and a small bin in front of the large cupholders is a perfect place for a phone or sunglasses.
Fitting a car seat inside is a bit more difficult than in some other sedans. While the car seat anchors are easy to access, the anchor on the seatback requires you to remove the cargo cover. The low-sloped roofline also might make getting a child in and out a bit frustrating too.
How’s the fuel economy?
The Kia Stinger with the four-cylinder engine gets an EPA-estimated 25 mpg in combined city/highway driving. While that's slightly lower than other midsize sedans with similar horsepower, the Stinger got 26.9 mpg on Edmunds' real-world evaluation route. That's as good or better than what we've seen in much of the competition.
Is the Stinger a good value?
The Stinger's base price is high for a midsize sedan, but it comes well equipped from the get-go. You also get Kia's excellent five-year/60,000-mile basic and 10-year/100,000-mile powertrain warranty. Build quality feels appropriate for the price. While it's not as nice premium inside as some Mazdas or newer Kias such as the K5, the Stinger feels a cut above most midsize sedans.
Is there another midsize sedan that looks as interesting or as special as the Stinger?
It's the sort of car that people take notice of, even if they don't know what it is, a matter not helped by Kia's divisive new logo. The mild tweaks that come with the refresh do enough to freshen the design without messing with what made it handsome in the first place. We just wish the four-cylinder GT-Line model was as fun to drive as it looks. Its middling braking performance, underwhelming tires and somewhat soft suspension keep it from being a real joy. But if that's what you're after, get the GT1 or GT2.
Which Stinger does Edmunds recommend?
The entry-level GT-Line is an outstanding choice thanks to a new turbocharged 2.5-liter four-cylinder engine and dual-clutch automatic transmission introduced last year. Together they transform the base model's character while saving thousands of dollars that you can spend on extras like all-wheel drive, fancy paint, an upgraded infotainment system and a premium audio system.
Kia Stinger models
The 2023 Kia Stinger is a midsize sedan available in two trim levels: GT-Line and GT2. The GT-Line comes with a turbocharged 2.5-liter four-cylinder engine (300 horsepower, 311 lb-ft), while the GT2 gets a punchy turbocharged 3.3-liter V6 (368 hp, 376 lb-ft). Both engines are paired with an eight-speed automatic transmission. Rear-wheel drive is standard, and all-wheel drive is optional. Highlighted
features for the Stinger include:
GT-Line
Comes standard with:
18-inch wheels
LED headlights
Rain-sensing windshield wipers
Keyless entry with push-button start
Leather upholstery
Power-adjustable driver's seat
Heated front seats
Dual-zone automatic climate control
Tech features include:
10.25-inch touchscreen display
Integrated navigation system
Apple CarPlay and Android Auto smartphone integration
Wireless charging pad
Nine-speaker audio system
Every Stinger also comes with driver aids such as:
Forward collision mitigation (warns you of an impending collision and applies the brakes in certain scenarios)
Navigation-based adaptive cruise control (adjusts speed to maintain a constant distance between the vehicle and the car in front and can adjust speed based on GPS location)
Lane keeping assistance (steers the Stinger back into its lane if it begins to drift over the lane marker)
Blind-spot warning with rear cross-traffic warning (alerts you if a vehicle is in your blind spot during a lane change or while in reverse)
Rear passenger safe-exit system (can prevent a rear passenger from opening a door into traffic approaching from behind)
Parking sensors (alert you to obstacles that may not be visible behind the vehicle when parking)
There are two notable option packages on the Stinger GT-Line:
Sun and Sound package
Sunroof
15-speaker Harman Kardon audio system
Power-adjustable front passenger seat
GT-Line Apex Special Edition package
Brembo brakes
Black mirrors, fender trim and exhaust tips
Carbon fiber-patterned interior trim
GT2
The GT2 is a big step up from the GT-Line, but it gets you the 3.3-liter V6 engine and more performance goodies, including:
19-inch wheels
Adaptive suspension (can improve both ride comfort and handling stability)
Brembo brakes
Launch control for optimal acceleration
Limited-slip rear differential (can enhance traction during acceleration; RWD model only)
Torque-vectoring rear differential (can enhance agility while cornering; AWD models only)
Upgraded LED headlights
Power-opening hatch lid
Premium leather upholstery
Heated rear seats
Ventilated front seats
Hands-free keyless access
15-speaker Harman Kardon audio system
Surround-view camera system (gives you a top-down view of the Stinger and its surroundings for tight parking situations)
Head-up display (displays important information in your sight line on the windshield)
Sunroof
