2018 Kia Stinger Review
Car Tested: 2018 Kia Stinger GT; Road Test No. 1021 Test Location: Delhi, NCR
Price OTR Mumbai: Rs. 65 lakhs (est.)
The Kia Stinger GT unleashes fun performance and looks killer but doesn’t have the swag of Germans
Until the 2017 North American International Auto Show, where the Stinger was unveiled, Kia was a brand known for making reliable, safe, feature-rich and comfort-oriented cars. Just when the world thought they could never really cater to the performance or driving enthusiastic customer, in came the Kia Stinger, a vehicle that changes your perception about the Korean brand when it comes to looks and the design but what about the other key parameters? Is it worth all the hype or is it just another example of only show and no go? We find out!
Motor Quest: Kia Motors took everyone by surprise at the 2017 North American International Auto Show by unveiling the Stinger. The grand tourer is the first Kia to have a rear-wheel drive setup and it is also available in the AWD guise.
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The styling of the Kia Stinger looks extremely attractive
Exteriors – SEXY is the word that comes to my mind when I think of describing the Kia Stinger GT. The vehicle is low-slung and pretty long and takes the form of a grand tourer or liftback. The front fascia houses the signature Tiger Nose grille flanked by twin projector headlights with LED DRLs on either side. The bumper gets vertically stacked air curtains for better aerodynamics while the bonnet too gets two air vents. Move to the side and there are three elements that’ll catch your attention. One, is of course, the design of the sloping roofline, two, are the massive 19-inch dual-tone alloy wheels and last but not the least, the dark chrome finish for the ORVMs and the window-line (nope, this isn’t the regular chrome) that runs all the way till the rear. Talking of the rear, the design highlight here has to be the tail-lights which run seemlessly across the width of the car. The bumper gets a dual-tone finish and also houses the quad exhaust tips. Overall, the Kia Stinger is a great attention magnet and all we’d say is get one if you have to be the talk of the town.
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The interior is smartly laid-out, lots of features on offer
Interiors – As with the exterior, the Kia Stinger GT gets a matching sporty all-black dashboard. The quality of materials used inside the cabin is phenomenal, especially the leather on the dashboard. The door pads and the seats come wrapped in a maroonish leather upholstery which increases the appeal of the car further. A touchscreen infotainment system with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto takes the centre stage in the dashboard which also doubles up as a display for the rear view camera. However, there’s no adaptive guidelines. The centre console gets a premium aluminium finish and features a plethora of buttons with two cup holders. The multi-function steering wheel gets a flat bottom and feels good to hold. Nonetheless, the instrument console with a colour MID display might feel a tad too modest but that’s fine, you or we can get used to it.
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There is generous space at the rear, a comfortable sedan for 4 occupants
The cabin of the Kia Stinger is a spectacular place to be in, lots of colours and lots of features on offer!
In terms of features, our test car was equipped with an electric sunroof, 2-zone climate control AC, cruise control, Harmon-Kardon sound system, heated and ventilated front seats with memory function, power adjustable driver’s seat, push-button start, stainless steel foot pedals and plush leather upholstery. Both the front and rear seats offer supreme comfort and support. There is good legroom and under-thigh support as well but due to the sloping roofline, headroom for occupants above 5’10” is tight. The high transmission tunnel also makes it a comfortable 4-seater rather than a 5-seater.
