- See all
As perfect as it can get my stinger – Nothing is perfect and so is the stinger but after nearly 7 I can say that the car is the hardest to ever part from. Yes I had a few issues but they all were fixed in a timely manner under warranty. I still look around after 7 years to find a car which provides this level of technology and not to intrusive which annoys the driver. The engine is… Read more
like a singer sawing machine, runs smooth as and I would trust it for easy 250ks without major issues maybe even more.
Great car problems with bi modal exhaust – I bought the stinger in 2019 with an optioned bimodal exhaust. Overall it’s been a fantastic car .. except the bi modal exhaust was replaced under warranty 2 years ago and now it needs replacing again and the service has been really poor from Kia. Still waiting 6 months after the fault has been identified. I feel like Kia ‘s service has deteriorated in recent years.
- +8
Undercuts German rivals and a fantastic sporty gran touring option – This isn’t a cheap car, but it does significantly undercut its European competitors. Weighty doors, a solid interior construction, premium materials and accurate panel and trim fitment are obvious signs of great build quality. That’s in addition to minimal road noise, rattles and squeaks being noticed over hours of driving. Screens and dials… Read more
are quick to respond and provide a great user experience.
In this top spec GT model, you’re looking at just over $70,000 drive away ($64,960 before on-road costs). Like I said, it’s not cheap, but it is a whole lot cheaper than other rivals like the BMW 340i XDrive, Audi S5 Sportback and the Mercedes Benz C43 AMG.
You get a sea of creature comfort and safety features, rear-wheel drive, a twin-turbocharged petrol V6 and a practical lift-back body shape (versus a traditional sedan).
You can opt for the slightly more affordable 330S trim of the Stinger, but you miss out on some creature comforts that I think make the Stinger a whole lot more fun to live with.
The Stinger also wins points for being offered with a 7-year/unlimited kilometre warranty and capped price servicing over this period.
Total servicing costs over 7 years or 70,000km (whichever comes first) come to $4243. It’s a little expensive, but at least you have full transparency with how much each service will cost.
As a luxury car, the Stinger ticks all the boxes.
I took the Stinger GT away for the weekend, and it couldn’t have been a more suitable gran turismo vehicle. I could easily have conversations without ever having to raise my voice, and the Stinger muted any irritating external road noises.
The Harman/Kardon speaker system matches this luxurious driving experience too, providing clear highs, deep bass and plenty of adjustability.
The bi-modal exhaust system does add some theatre when jumping into Sport or Custom mode, although it doesn’t quite have the bark and burble of those European rivals.
Brembo brakes are fitted as standard to the Stinger GT, and they’re a welcome addition. They’re an excellent option for the Stinger, as they operate buttery smooth around town, but have some serious bite for moments of enthusiastic driving.
The 3.3L twin-turbocharged petrol motor produces 274kW and 510Nm! That’s good enough to launch the Stinger to 100km/h in a mere 4.9 seconds.
This is a certified sleeper for anyone who doesn’t anticipate a Kia to move this fast. Those Michelin Pilot Sport 4 tyres and traction control allow for easy launches.
There’s never a moment that the Stinger struggles to put down all that power and torque, unless you’re on loose surfaces or have cold tyres.
It’s planted on launch, and really feels like a budget Porsche Panamera as it surges through to 100km/h.
The shifter design is a little bland, but the shift-by-wire action is seamless and far from being complicated.
Power is sent via an 8-speed automatic, with manual shifting made possible via the paddles on the steering wheel.
Sadly, you don’t get full control of the gears. The Stinger will upshift at redline even when using the paddles, which can be a little frustrating.
Developed at the Nürburgring and tuned for Australian roads, the Stinger’s ride was nailed by Kia. For a car so low to the ground and riding on 19-inch alloy wheels, it really does an amazing job of soaking up everything, aside from deep potholes.
Even on dirt roads, the Stinger was able to clear all ruts and dips in the road, if driven cautiously.
Plus, it’s even easy to navigate in tight streets, despite its length.
For greater road feel, in Sport mode the suspension adjusts to become stiffer. It’s wildly uncomfortable for daily driving, but it’s a great way to increase suspension responsiveness.
Through corners, the Stinger really comes alive. Steering is a little vague, but it’s not all that distant from the driving experience. A stiff front end allows for a ‘point and shoot’ effect, so the Stinger rarely suffers from any obvious understeer.
There’s a playful amount of oversteer available, but for the most part, the Stinger wants to use its weight and length for speed and flow.
Over several hundred kilometres of driving, the Stinger returned an average of 14L per 100km and around 500km of estimated range.
At least the Stinger doesn’t exclusively sip 98 octane, making your frequent trips to the pump just a little less expensive.
You should definitely invest in a loyalty card at your local petrol station.
There’s a 7-inch display between two analogue dials which is well integrated and doesn’t make me lust for a fully digital display. Again, it’s Porsch-esque since they also leave an analogue dial in their gauge clusters for some visual flair.
The 10.25-inch display is a copy paste from every other Kia product, which is a good thing. It’s responsive, bright and easy to use, but it looks a little ‘stuck on’ the dashboard.
There’s also plenty of stitching to lay your eyes on around the cabin, some brightwork trim in the form of metal/plastic, and a tiger-nose interior design where the screen sits, which is a nice touch.
The fact that this is a lift-back rather than a traditional sedan makes this a whole lot more practical than the design suggests.
There’s a generous 406L of space with all the seats up, and 1114L with all the seats down. Under the boot floor, there’s a spare tyre and everything you need to change one.
Seats fold in a 60:40 split, which is a bit annoying, as this would have really been a great gran tourer if you could pass skis through the middle.
If you’re in the front, you’ll enjoy heated/cooled seats and electric seats which offer even more comfort for long trips.
The Stinger GT is the budget Porsche Panamera experience that only brands like Audi offer. That sportback practicality, combined with the comfort of a gran tourer really makes for a promising offer. It’s far from the likes of the Holden Commodore, rather, it shows off how composed and capable Kia’s sports cars can be.
That power plant under the bonnet is a tonne of fun to have at your disposal, but it could have done with a little more theatre when it came to exhaust sound.
I found the Stinger GT a delight to live with and road trip in, and found plenty of opportunities for fun driving.
Yes, the major trade off here is the fuel consumption, but that’s a low priority when seeking this much power from a petrol V6.
*Disclaimer - I work for ProductReview as their independent car and motorbike expert. I borrow new cars and motorbikes from manufacturers and owners to review. I am not paid or incentivised by these brands to post reviews. I write and create content to provide insight and information about any new or used vehicle I can get my hands on.
ticks all the boxes – Recently bought a 22 model Stinger GT after previously owning BMW and Audi and I cant fault it. Awesome 274kw power that's delivered with a subtle snarl, and yet sipping a frugal 7.2l/100 on the highway...crazy. Beautiful leather interior with all the tech. Every time I drive it it puts a smile on the inside from the satisfaction it brings.… Read more
Handling is amazing, dial in sports mode and the seats hug you tight, the car squats down, exhaust note snarls and it's ready for thrills. Being quite firm in sport mode you might want to avoid the rough back roads. Wide rubber helps it stick like glue until you kick the right foot and she will let go until traction control grabs you. Value for money is way better than the Germans, KIA has made a statement and it is a pleasure to own it.
After Sales Service a disaster – Bought this car 18 months ago. Just had the 20K service and it's overheated. Like to think that I'm quicker to congratulate than I am to criticise but Kia have really pushed my whinge button. I rang Roadside Assist and was told that they would organise for the vehicle to be towed to the nearest dealer and that I should ring the dealer and advise… Read more
him that the car was coming. Got a call centre in Townsville Q.....you can already see where this is going can't you. I explained what the problem was and the call centre said that they would contact the dealer and pass on the details. Then I got a text message saying that the dealer wouldn't take the car until a month later. We are a one car family and we have no access to public transport. So I rang Roadside Assist again and relayed the text message. The person that I spoke to this time (of course, you never get to talk to the same person) was quite short with me and said that I should have spoken to the Service Manager not 'some girl', his words not mine, so then I asked to speak with someone else and I got put through to Customer Service......what a misnomer. The fellow that took the call was unsympathetic, rude and condescending. I asked to speak to his supervisor and really didn't get any better "service". I was just told that I had to take the car to that dealer but that he would "liaise" with the dealership. So the car was picked up and taken to the dealer. Didn't hear from the dealer so I rang and spoke to the Service Manager. You could tell from his tone of voice that the poor bloke was seriously under the pump. He said he hadn't had time to look at the vehicle and didn't know when that would happen and he obviously wasn't interested in hearing from me what the problem was. So we've got no vehicle and no idea when we'll get it back and Kia couldn't care less. If you're thinking of buying a Kia.......you should really think about buying something else.........great car but after sales service is non-existent.
As good as the Germans, but with 40% off! – Quick, comfortable, fully loaded, reliable and loads of fun. To spec a BMW to this level would be ludicrously expensive. The KIA isn’t perfect, but neither are BMW and they look poor value in comparison. And the KIA will undoubtedly be more reliable. Show details
It’s fun lots of fun to drive – It’s a bargain price for what you get to start with. 5 things I love - engine and transmission works like a charm together is not a manual but still so much fun. - real wheel drive. - it’s a good looking car. - packed with features and technology list go on and on. - it’s reliable and cheep to drive. 5 things I don’t like. - paint…is so tin that… Read more
if you press harder it will cheap out. - rattle noise… generally speaking it’s not a very quiet place inside. - brakes. Most owners (personally I believe all owners some just don’t care or don’t notice) develop unpleasant feedback when braking. In my case just after 10k km. - stupid looking information screen( it looks like aftermarket job) - it doesn’t hold gear it will always upshift or downshift( no true manual mode on auto trans) Finally after almost 2 years I’m still enjoying my car and would buy it again.
Great fun car – Daily driver, great fun to drive and value for money…only problem is dealer networks and lack of service when dealing with warranty. Find a good dealer first as the car provides all and more in a sport hatch Show details
Great Car – Driving this car for a month. Great car to have with all the features and my family enjoy it. I put in the order on Mar 2021, it take about 3 mths for me to get the car.... Show details
Feature packed Car that is the best of Both worlds – Before purchasing this car I took my time and test drove an STI, RS3, AMG-A45 and a Golf R. I was still going to look at other cars but when i test drove this car, i put a deposit down straight away. The amount of features the built into this car is crazy. I've done 40,000 km in it and haven't had a single issue and i've definitely used my fair… Read more
share of the launch control and sports mode too.
Also very fun to gap the cars of friends who turn their head and say "you purchased a KIA"
Lovely vehicle with oomf but so far 7 year warranty and after service lacking – Bought from new during COVID. Less than 600km and left back indicator stops working on a Friday. We call the closest dealer to be told they will call back in 30mins to an hour. No call back, we call back 2pm the same day and are told can't take the car in until next week- Weds. Told to drop it off in the morning before 8:30am and leave with us all day. Not Happy. Show details
Best of both worlds - Sports Car and Family Sedan – I upgraded from my favourite XR6 ute to a family-sized sedan that can fit a baby seat. I got the 2018 GT and it drives like a dream. When it's just me I can enjoy the V6 twin turbo in "SPORTS" mode which tightens the suspension and gets through the gears quick. When it's the missus and the bub she can select the "Driver 2" profile which adjusts… Read more
the seating setting to her preferences. She can also select "ECO" or "COMFORT" mode which softens the suspension and tames the engine to drive more like a traditional sedan.
Great value for money! (with 7 year peace of mind warranty) – Almost 12 months on since I took delivery of my brand new KIA Stinger GT, I thought I'd share my personal experience and opinion. I chose the KIA Stinger GT to replace my 15 year old Mazda as I believe it represented excellent value for money with regard to standard safety features and fuel economy. So far, almost 12 months on, I have not… Read more
been disappointed.
Despite its sporty coupe design, it is quite spacious with plenty of room in the back for my 3 children.
Parking is a breeze with the awesome 360 degree 3D camera view and both front and rear parking sensors.
Head up display is great, as is the autonomous emergency braking, blind-spot monitoring and the rear cross-traffic alert.
As I am not a 'Brand Snob', with all the standard safety features included (not a costly upgrade as with other makes) and with KIA's 7 year warranty, it was a comfortable purchase and certainly one that I have (so far) not lived to regret.
Our chosen dealership (and definitely not our closest) was Central Victorian KIA.
Our sales member 'Shaun' kept us informed every step of the way and was great to deal with.
We were so impressed with both car and dealership, that we have just signed up to purchase our 2nd Stinger GT!
Yes, it may sound 'corny' but soon we will own both a 'his' and 'hers' KIA Stinger GT :)
All in all, I believe that the KIA Stinger GT represents great value for money.
Kia Stinger GT 2018 – Great car to drive, performs very well, top quality standard and safety features looks great,Fuel economy is good for a performance car like this.Dealer was very good to deal with Greater Western Kia Show details
ProductReview.com.au has affiliate partnerships. These do not influence our content moderation policies in any way, though ProductReview.com.au may earn commissions for products/services purchased via affiliate links.