There was a scare back in the day that Kia might send the Stinger into oblivion, but fortunately, that didn’t happen. Almost nine months after it was unveiled in Korea, the updated Stinger has finally been launched in the U.S. Even though we knew what to expect from Kia’s halo sports sedan, we’re still pretty excited about it. The car comes with many new features inside out, but the talking point is a powerful 2.5-liter mill that replaces the 2.0-liter engine seen on the base trim so far.

2022 Kia Stinger

Specifications
  • Make: Array
  • Model: 2022 Kia Stinger
Pros
Cons

2022 Kia Stinger

Pros
Cons

2022 Kia Stinger Exterior

For a car that’s been in the tooth for over four years, the Stinger looks quite good even today. The 2022 model doesn’t come with any major aesthetic enhancements, but it features new lighting elements that give the car a fresh look. The standard LED lights now come with redesigned daytime running lights. You can also opt for the ‘Stinger signature’ LED DRLs and headlights.

Kia has equipped new 18- and 19-inch wheels with geometric shapes on the 2022 Stinger. The GT1 and GT2 come with Michelin Pilot Sport Summer tires as standard but can be upgraded to all-season tires, too. LED taillights are now standard across the range. The new taillight design spans the full width, something that’s becoming a trend these days. Kia has also redesigned the exhaust tip for a more aggressive look. And, of course, there’s the new Kia logo adorning the face and derriere.

The 2022 Stinger measures 190.2 inches in length, 73.6 inches in width, and 55.1 inches in height. It has a 114.4-inch long wheelbase. When equipped with 18-inch wheels the front and rear tracks measure 62.8 and 64.8 inches. The higher trims equipped with the 19-inch set have 62.8- and 63.7-inch wide tracks at the front and rear, respectively.

2022 Kia Stinger exterior dimensions

Wheelbase (in.)

114.4 in.

Length (in.)

190.2 in.

Width (in.)

73.6 in.

Height (in.)

55.1 in.

Track (in.), (front/rear) - 18"

62.8 in. / 64.8 in.

Track (in.), (front/rear) - 19"

62.8 in. / 63.7 in.


2022 Kia Stinger Interior

Inside the cabin, the changes are minimal. There are chrome and black gloss elements around the instrument panel. The car comes with ambient lighting as well. The GT models come with Nappa leather upholstery with a ‘chain-link’ design that, Kia says, is inspired by high-end watches. Even the door panels come with a new stitching pattern for a ‘striking effect’.

On the tech front, the 2022 Kia Stinger features a 10.25-inch touchscreen on the center console that runs on the UVO infotainment system as standard as opposed to the eight-inch touchscreen from the preceding car. It comes with Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, and navigation as standard.

The instrument cluster features a larger 4.2-inch screen between the analog gauges, but you can also opt for a seven-inch screen here that shows the feed from the surround-view camera and blind-spot monitor. The seven-inch screen is standard on the GT2. The GT-Line and GT1 trims come with a nine-speaker sound system, but the top GT2 trim features a 15-speaker Harmon-Kardon premium audio system. A wireless charger is standard across the range. Some other features inside the cabin include:

-* Keyless entry

-* Push-button start/stop system

-* Dual-zone automatic climate control

-* USB ports at the front and back

-* 16-way power-adjustable driver’s seat on the top-trim

-* Heated front seats

-* Leather-wrapped steering wheel

The Stinger offers headroom of 38.3 inches, shoulder room of 56.4 inches, hip room of 55.5 inches, and legroom of 42.6 inches at the front. In the second row, it offers 37 inches of headroom, 54.8 inches of shoulder room, 56.1 inches of hip room, and 36.4 inches of legroom. It comes with 23.3 inches of cargo volume.

2022 Kia Stinger interior dimensions

Head room

Front

Rear

Head room

38.3 in.

37.0 in.

Leg room

42.6 in.

36.4 in.

Shoulder room

56.4 in.

54.8 in.

Hip room

55.5 in.

56.1 in.


2022 Kia Stinger Drivetrain

Gone is the old 2.0-liter, turbo four-cylinder engine that used to make 255 ponies and 260 pound-feet of torque. Kia has replaced it with a 2.5-liter, four-cylinder turbocharged mill and will be offered on the base GT-Line trim. It makes 300 horses at 5,800 rpm and 311 pound-feet of torque between 1,650 and 4,000 rpm. This engine is clearly tuned for a strong mid-range and those ‘shove-into-the-seats’ vibes. Power is routed to the rear wheels as standard, but you can opt for the torque-vectoring all-wheel-drive layout for extra moolah. The engine is mated to an eight-speed automatic gearbox with paddle shifters. It takes 5.2 seconds to sprint to 60 mph from a standstill.

The company even notes that the higher displacement and power figures don’t affect the fuel economy. This engine delivers 22 mpg in the city, 32 mpg on the highway, and 25 mpg combined when selected with the rear-wheel-drive layout. The all-wheel-drive configuration will return 21 miles in the city, 29 miles on the highway, and 24 miles combined for every gallon of fuel sipped. The fuel tank capacity is 15.9 gallons.

Next-in-line is the 3.3-liter, V-6 twin-turbocharged engine that sees a minor power bump. It is offered on the GT1 and the GT2. now dishes out 368 ponies at 6,800 rpm and 376 pound-feet of twist. All the torque is available right from 1,300 rpm and all the way up to 4,500 rpm. Turbo-lag what? Just like the smaller mill, this one, too, comes standard with a rear-wheel-drive system but can be had with an all-wheel-drive layout. Power is sent to the wheels via an eight-speed automatic transmission with paddle shifters. The V-6 sprints 0.5 seconds faster than the smaller engine, taking 4.7 seconds to 60 mph from rest.

2022 Kia Stinger specifications

Type

2.5L Turbo 4-Cylinder G4KIII FR engine

3.3L Twin Turbo V6 Lambda II engine

Displacement (cc)

2,497 cc

3,342 cc

Bore x stroke (mm)

88.5 mm x 101.5 mm

92.0 mm x 83.8 mm

Compression ratio

10.5:1

10.0:1

Horsepower

300 hp @ 5,800 rpm

368 hp @ 6,000 rpm

Torque

311 lb.-ft. @ 1,650-4,000 rpm

376 lb.-ft. @ 1,300-4,500 rpm

Block

Aluminum

Aluminum

Head

Aluminum

Aluminum

Valve System

16 Valve, HLA

DOHC D-CVVT 24V

Fuel System

GDI (Gasoline Direct Injection)

GDI (Gasoline Direct Injection)

Rec. Fuel

Premium Recommended

Premium Recommended

Fuel tank capacity (gal.)

15.9 gallons

15.9 gallons


It comes with a new electronic variable exhaust system for those throaty, muscular grunts that respond to the A-pedal. The engine is not as efficient as the four-pot mill; it delivers 18 mpg in the city, 25 mpg on the highway, and 20 mpg combined when power is sent to the rear wheels and 17 mpg in the city, 24 mpg on the highway, and 20 mpg combined when powering all the wheels. It comes with a 15.9-gallon fuel tank.

All the models come with MacPherson struts with stabilizer bars at the front and a multi-link setup at the rear. High-performance dampers are also standard across the range. The discs at the front measure 13.6 inches in diameter and 13 inches at the rear. The GT1 and GT2 have larger discs at the rear, measuring 13.4 inches. Also, these two trims come with Brembo brakes as standard.

2022 Kia Stinger Scorpion Edition

Kia has introduced a new Scorpion special edition that is essentially the dark appearance package that we saw on the Korean model. It’s funny Kia chose to call it ‘Scorpion’ since that is something one resonates Abarth with. Anyway, the Scorpion edition includes:

-* Blacked out fender garnish, side mirror caps, and darkened exhaust tips

-* A rear spoiler

-* Unique black wheels

-* Carbon fiber pattern trim inside the cabin

-* Three select exterior colors – Snow White, Aurora Black, and Ceramic Silver

2022 Kia Stinger Pricing

With all the changes, the updated Stinger was bound to be priced higher. This is how much the 2022 Kia Stinger costs:

-* GT-Line - $36,090

-* GT1 - $43,690

-* GT2 - $51,290

2022 Kia Stinger Competition

Is the Kia Stinger Better Than The Audi A5 Sportback?

Just because the Stinger carries a lesser brand-value when compared to the Germans doesn’t mean that it lacks the punch. We’ve pit it against the Audi A5 Sportback, the car that looks gorgeous and is quite practical. It has the features and finesse you’d expect from an Audi, arguably better than the Stinger.

Under the hood, however, things are different and the Kia beats the German. The A5 Sportback comes with a 2.0-liter, four-cylinder turbocharged engine that’s offered in two states of tune. Surprisingly, none of them are as powerful as the Stinger’s base trim. There’s no V-6 either. One iteration makes 201 horses and 236 pound-feet of torque, whereas the other one produces 261 ponies and 273 pound-feet of torque. The latter takes 5.4 seconds to 60 mph. The 2021 Audi A5 Sportback starts at $41,800 and goes all the way up to $53,750 before optional goodies.

Read our full review on the Audi A5 Sportback

Is the Kia Stinger Better Than The BMW 4 Series Gran Coupe?

The BMW 4 Series Gran Coupe comes with a huge kidney grille on the face and a sloping roofline behind that may not be to everyone’s liking. Inside, however, the car is plush, premium, and feature-rich. It is offered with two engine options. The first one is a 2.0-liter, four-cylinder turbocharged mill that makes 255 horses and 295 pound-feet of torque. It can be had with a two-wheel-drive or a four-wheel-drive layout. It takes 5.3 seconds to 60 mph in the latter.

The other engine is the Stinger-killer that’s offered in the top M440i trim – a 3.0-liter, six-cylinder mill that produces 382 ponies and 369 pound-feet of torque. Power is sent to all the wheels via an eight-speed automatic gearbox. It sprints to 60 mph from a standstill in 4.3 seconds and has a top speed of 130 mph. This trim is over $7,000 more expensive Stinger’s top GT2, but if you aren’t tight on a budget and are okay with the way it looks, we’d recommend this one over the Korean. In a nutshell, if you’re looking at the base trims, the Kia Stinger is a better proposition, but in the top trim, the BMW brags the winning rights.

Read our full review on the BMW 4 Series Gran Coupe

2022 Kia Stinger Driver-Assistance Features

Kia has updated the suite of standard driver-assistance features and it now includes:

-* Forward Collision-Avoidance Assist with Junction Turning

-* Safe Exit Warning

-* Driver Attention Warning

-* Lane Departure Warning

-* Blind Spot Collision-Avoidance Assist

-* Rear Cross Traffic Avoidance Assist

-* Navigation-based Smart Cruise Control

-* Lane Following Assist

-* Highway Driving Assist

-* Hill Start Assist

Kia also offers a 10-year/100,000-mile warranty program on the 2022 Stinger.

Final Thoughts

The 2022 Kia is an improvement in many aspects over its predecessor. The new engine in the base trim commands a premium of around $3,000, but it is still cheaper than your luxury marquees and comes with better specs. The top GT2 trim has all the bells and whistles one can ask for, but it gets dangerously close to the likes of the three Germans and that’s where it loses the plot. No matter how good, Kia cannot be considered as a luxury brand, and shelling out BMW bucks for it doesn’t make sense. As mentioned earlier, the 4 Series Gran Coupe in its top avatar is just around $7,000 more expensive than the top-of-the-line Stinger, but is a much better ride, comes with better features, and is quicker and more powerful, too.

For the 2021 model, we would’ve recommended the top trims, but for the 2022 model, our pick would be the base GT-Line with its 300-horsepower engine and a mid-$30,000 sticker price.