Feel The Sting: Kia Stinger Charts New Course for Korean Brand

The four door sedan is a dying species. I already noted that in my article on cars that will be discontinued for 2018, but it bears repetition as sales figures for 2017 finally trickle in. Crossovers outsold small cars and midsize cars by a margin of almost two to one. Those who continue to offer sedans need to get creative in order to maintain whatever percentage of market share is still available.

The Kia Stinger enters the marketplace for the 2018 model year with a broad skill set. Singlehandedly, it wants to be a sports sedan, a near-luxury car, and a utilitarian hatchback. Stylistically, it reinterprets Peter Schreyer's design language for Kia into what is considered an ideal gran turismo. A high waist, low roof, long hood, and short tail are all there. A fastback roofline adds a measure of practicality to the vehicle. The rear hatch can be raised higher than a traditional sedan trunklid. Cargo space is a generous 23.3 cubic feet. That figure rises to 40.9 with the rear seats folded. It also helps give the car a strong, hunkered-down look when viewed from the side.

"This car is all about the stance, proportion, and balance," says Schreyer. "We sought out elegance and athleticism rather than aggression and brutality."

That isn't to say the Stinger lacks in terms of menace. It carries over Kia's corporate tiger nose grille design flanked by optional full LED headlights. A large lower intake and vertical side intakes work with dark chrome finished fender vents to manage air in and around the car. Quad exhaust pipes and a rear diffuser hint at the animal contained within.

That animal is either a 255 horsepower 2.0 liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine or a 365 horsepower twin-turbo 3.3 liter V-6. Power is sent to either the rear wheels or all four. Both engines are connected to an eight speed automatic transmission, and the V-6 version should sprint from 0-60 mph in 4.7 seconds.

All Stingers come with leather trim as standard with ultrasoft Nappa leather reserved for the V-6 powered GT models. Buttons for climate control and multimedia management are greatly appreciated as more and more car makers migrate those controls to fiddly touchscreens. Naturally, the Stinger has a touchscreen too to handle navigation, phone, and sound system settings. A 7-inch information display set between the speedometer and the rev counter lets you scroll through driver oriented settings such as acceleration and cornering information measured through a g-force meter. An optional head-up display shows crucial information in the driver's line of sight so he or she can stay focused on the road ahead.

Base four-cylinder models should start under $33,000 and rear drive GT trims will start around $40,000. All wheel drive adds $2200 to each version. Advanced safety features and other convenience packages can drive prices of the GT into the low $50,000s. Hefty money for a Kia, but those willing to forgo a little bit of luxury should be able to find themselves a good deal.

Chief rivals for the Stinger at that price include the Audi S5 Sportback and the BMW 4 Series Gran Coupe. If you think the Kia is expensive, consider that the Audi starts about $15,000 higher than the Stinger, while opening bids for the BMW start at an even $50,000. Once you start ticking option boxes, prices can quickly extend into the $60,000 range.

The Kia is also roomier than the Audi in terms of passenger and cargo volume, and is more powerful. Its V-6 even makes more horsepower than the one used in Porsche's rear wheel drive Panamera; and don't even ask how much that car costs.

Dollar for dollar, I think the Kia Stinger's greatest competition will come from the soon to be released Buick Regal Sportback and hotted up Regal Sportback GS. It too will be offered with a turbo four-cylinder and a V-6, albeit naturally aspirated. With a horsepower rating of 310, the Regal GS loses a lot to the Stinger. However, prices for the GS should not rise much higher than $40,000 with all the options checked. These two should definitely be cross shopped as prospective buyers search for the right balance of power, practicality, and luxury for their needs.

Right now, the Stinger is an anomaly in Hyundai and Kia's range. It has no platform mate anywhere in either brand's lineup, although the basic structure is planned to migrate to a midsize Genesis sedan in the near future. My biggest fear with the Stinger is that it will be a one-off with no eventual successor. I hope that platform sharing with Genesis will provide the necessary economies of scale to keep the Stinger in production for several years to come. I'm sure it can find a place as the sporty entry-level luxury car into the Korean conglomerate's portfolio, with owners likely migrating upward to a Genesis car later.

FINAL VERDICT: The Stinger comes across as a very likeable car. Priced right, it can be an excellent value play compared to the luxury sports sedan establishment.