2020 Kia Stinger Reviews, Pricing & Specs

The Kia Stinger, a rear-wheel-drive (RWD) sports sedan, gets a new submodel called the Stinger GTS for 2020. Available in either RWD or...

The Kia Stinger, a rear-wheel-drive (RWD) sports sedan, gets a new submodel called the Stinger GTS for 2020. Available in either RWD or Dynamic All-Wheel Drive (D-AWD) with an added “Drift” mode, the GTS comes in bright orange and gets carbon fiber pieces for the grille, mirror caps, and side vents. Production is limited to just 800 units.

The base Stinger gets a 2.0-liter turbocharged 4-cylinder engine that makes 255 horsepower and 260 pound-feet of torque. Base and Premium trims get the smaller engine, while any Stinger with “GT” in its name gets the extra grunt of a 3.3-liter twin-turbo V6 that makes 365 hp and 376 lb-ft of torque. RWD and an 8-speed automatic with paddle shifters come standard. All-wheel drive (AWD) is an optional extra. With the 4-cylinder engine, the Stinger will manage 22 mpg city, 29 highway, and 25 combined with RWD. The 4-cylinder Stinger with AWD will do 21, 29, and 24. The V6 Stinger with AWD will manage 17, 25, and 20.

The Stinger's flat, direct cornering was honed at the famous Nurburgring race track in Germany. The Stinger includes MacPherson struts and a five-link rear suspension. The Stinger GT V6 gets Brembo brakes and staggered size Michelin Pilot Sport tires.

The new, limited-production GTS, when ordered with AWD, adds a “Drift” mode for the driver to select in addition to Drive, Comfort, and Sport modes. When selected, Drift mode sends 100 percent of the engine’s power to the rear wheels.

Inside, the Stinger gets leather seats, power heated front seats, a leather-wrapped steering wheel, dual-zone automatic climate control, a 7.0-inch infotainment touchscreen, and a 6-speaker stereo with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. The Premium trim gets a sunroof, a power adjustable steering column, an 8.0-inch digital display on the instrument panel, memory settings for the driver’s seat and steering wheel, an electronic parking brake, and a 15-speaker Harman Kardon stereo. The new Stinger GTS gets Alcantara for the steering wheel and console, a synthetic suede headliner, and wireless-device charging.

All Stingers are available with safety features like hill-start assist, blind-spot monitoring, rear cross-traffic alert, traction control, and a reversing camera.

The Stinger’s competitive price, good looks, and fun-to-drive character have already tempted thousands of buyers. Given its price, it doesn’t have much in the way of direct competitors, although similar but more expensive choices include the BMW 3 Series, Lexus IS, Mercedes-Benz C-Class, Cadillac ATS, and Jaguar XE.