Matthew DeBord/BI
- The Kia Stinger is the best car the South Korean automaker has ever produced.
- We've driven it on two coasts and have been blown away.
- The sports sedan is packed with appealing features for a relatively low price, given that it's going up against Audis and BMWs.
When the Kia Stinger was revealed in 2017, nobody saw the BMW/Audi fighter coming from the South Korean automaker.
That said, the car — in its magnificent sleekness — was a welcome surprise. The auto world collectively salivated over the opportunity to get behind the wheel.
For us, that happened in early 2018. We spent a few days driving around the Bay Area in a $52,000 Stinger GT2; we then recreated that experience a couple of months later on the East Coast.
The car is simply splendid. It has some standout features that are worth highlighting:
Behold, the mighty Stinger!Matthew DeBord/BIOur West Coast tester arrived in "Hichroma Red." We sampled the top-of-the-line GT2, which came with every imaginable option and all-wheel drive. The sticker price was $52,300. The base four-cylinder trim level starts at $31,900, however, so you get all of this useful beauty for a lot less.
Let's start with the obvious: This is an absolutely stunning set of wheels. Kia design chief Peter Schreyer intended it to evoke the great European grand-touring cars of the past. Easily my favorite sedan on the road today, looks-wise.Matthew DeBord/BI
Schreyer owns a Stinger — and he told me that he was stopped by the German police so they could get a closer look!
On the East Coast, I had people honking horns at me to ask if I was really driving a Kia.
Yeah, this car can gather attention, to be sure.
In keeping with a major trend, the Stinger is a fastback four-door with a smoothly sloping roofline and a hatch. If you haven't noticed already, the proportions on this car are masterful: balanced and suave, long and low.Matthew DeBord/BI
Small complaint: Those vents on the hood are fake. Still, the overall front-end design is aggressive without being threatening.Matthew DeBord/BI
The interior is comfortable, functional, fairly minimalist, ergonomic — and not too sporty. It has a grownup feel.Matthew DeBord/BI
See the rest of the story at Business Insider
See Also:
- Take a look inside this $83 million private jet that's a flying luxury lounge with panoramic views
- Elon Musk just poured more than $100 million into The Boring Company
- The Tesla Model 3 has one feature that gives it an edge over other sedans
FOLLOW US: On Facebook for more car and transportation content!