The demise of the Ford Falcon XR6 Turbo and Holden Commodore SS has left fans of affordable performance sedans feeling downhearted. But an unlikely saviour has emerged from South Korea - the Kia Stinger.
Rather than just take over where Aussie sports sedans are leaving a gaping hole, Kia believes the Stinger will have a larger impact on its brand as it hopes it will fundamentally change the way Australian motorists perceive Kia.
This is Kia’s ‘WRX moment’, a chance for it to forever change the way buyers look at the Korean brand. Once known for cheap and simple cars it has worked hard and invested heavily in improving its product over the last decade. But to take the next step it needs the Stinger to break through the perception barrier that surrounds it.
“It’s not very often you get to launch a car that will change the perception of the brand, and that’s exactly what we think the Stinger will do,” said Damien Meredith, Kia Australia’s chief operating officer.
No pressure then…
The good news for Kia is the Stinger does live up to much of the early hype that has surrounded the car since its unveiling at the 2017 Detroit motor show in January. The Australian launch of the car took place on some of the most challenging roads around Canberra as well as an unrestricted blast around the Wakefield Park racetrack.
Kia is offering two petrol engine options for the Stinger, a 2.0-litre four-cylinder turbo and a 3.3-litre V6 twin-turbo.
The 2.0-litre produces 182kW of power and 353Nm of torque, while the V6 offers up punchier 272kW and 510Nm outputs. Both are paired to an eight-speed automatic transmission and send power to the rear wheels.
The combination of a powerful engine and rear-wheel drive configuration and the demise of the homegrown Holden Commodore and Ford Falcon has led to the suggestion that the Stinger will become the new affordable performance car hero.
But Kia Australia hasn't only got its sights set on those Aussie rivals, as it has boldly benchmarked the Stinger against the likes of the BMW 4-Series, Lexus GS F and RC F Coupe.
That ramps up expectations on the Stinger even more but Kia Australia’s local engineering team has done a good job of finding a balanced suspension tune for the car, endowing it with both comfort and dynamic handling.
There are actually two tunes for the car, because the S and Si models come with a passive suspension set-up, while the GT-Line and GT models which top the four-cylinder and V6 range respectively, get a more sophisticated adaptive suspension system.
The standard suspension tune offers up mixed results. On smooth roads it shines, providing excellent body control for such a big car while still feeling comfortable. But on bumpy back roads it feels less convincing, jittering over smaller imperfections and bouncing on bigger dips.
The adaptive dampers are part of the Drive Mode system that allows you to switch between Comfort, Sport, Smart, Eco and Custom modes for the driveline, engine noise and suspension (at least in the GT-Line and GT).
Comfort obviously offers up a softer, more compliant ride while Sport is firmer and offers more control. But it was the Smart setting that proved to be the pick on the twisting country roads between Canberra and Yass during our test drive. It is able to operate across both the Comfort and Sport settings so intuitively soaks up bumps when needed while still feeling sharp and responsive in the bends.
The ride may not be quite up to the standards we’re accustomed to from the decades of practice Holden and Ford had tuning its local sport sedans, but it’s an impressive first effort that feels engaging on the road.
On the track the Stinger was entertaining and fun to drive and displayed an eagerness to slide its tail around. In fact, it was almost too eager to cut loose at the rear end with very little effort needed to have a drift. Fortunately, it’s a progressive slide as it doesn’t snap or bite; as long you feel confident with the back end moving around it’s a blast to drive on track.
The 2.0-litre engine does an admirable job, feeling strong off the mark and pulling smoothly through the mid-range. But it lacks the kick-in-the-back the V6 can offer up and with only $3000 between the four-cylinder and V6 in S and Si trim, and $4000 to upgrade from GT-Line to GT, it makes sense to upgrade.
The twin-turbo six has more than enough grunt to get the Stinger moving, with Kia claiming it will sprint 0-100km/h in just 4.9secs.
What it lacks is a suitable soundtrack to match its performance. It sounds muted in the cabin and flat from outside the car. Even the GT model that pumps synthesized sound through the stereo speakers doesn’t sound much better.
Kia Australia are fully aware of the problem and will offer an optional exhaust system for the V6 as a dealer fitted accessory.
The gearbox is another slight disappointment, specifically the lack of a proper manual mode. While it operates smoothly in its automatic mode, there is no way to lock it into manual gear changes. You can use the shift paddles on the steering wheel but the gearbox defaults to doing things itself after only a few seconds of inaction. It also won’t hold gear if you’re driving hard on the road or track, instead shifting up automatically as soon as it gets near the redline.
While it’s hardly a deal-breaker it’s a glaring omission in a car pitched as a sporty machine.
Kia hasn’t just tried to copy luxury cars in terms of ride and handling, as the design is arguably the most impressive to date from the brand. Both the exterior, with its fastback silhouette, and the cabin, with its clean and sporty presentation, comes across more polished than any previous Kia.
There’s a simplicity to the interior, with three round air vents in the middle of the centre fascia and the infotainment screen sits proudly atop the dashboard. There’s decent small item storage and the seats offer both comfort and support.
While kneeroom in the back seats is good for a large car, the swoopy roofline does compromise headroom for adults.
The boot, which is accessed via a liftback, measures 406-litres with the rear seats up and expands to 1114L with the seats folded.
Kia is offering three trim lines for each engine - S, Si and GT-Line/GT (2.0-litre/3.3-litre respectively) - but all are well equipped.
The base S model gets artificial leather while the Si gets genuine cowhide and the GT-Line/GT are trimmed in higher quality Nappa leather.
Other major differences include a 7-inch infotainment screen on the S while the Si and GT-Line/GT get an 8-inch screen.
The S gets a six-speaker sound system while the Si has nine-speakers and there’s a premium 15-speaker set-up for the GT-Line/GT.
The GT-Line and GT get a comprehensive safety suite including autonomous emergency braking, lane keeping assist, driver attention alert, adaptive cruise control, blind spot warning and high beam assist all standard.
The Si gets AEB, lane keeping, driver attention alert and adaptive cruise control but the S misses out completely.
Pricing for the 200S starts at $45,990 and tops out at $55,990 for the 2.0-litre GT-Line. The V6 range begins at $48,990 for the 330S with the GT priced from $59,990 - hitting Kia Australia’s sub-$60k target for the range topper.
Like all Kias its covered by an industry-leading seven-year warranty and capped price servicing program. Over the first three years it will cost $1008 to keep the V6 model maintained, thanks to annual/10,000km service intervals.
Initial supply will be constrained to between 200 to 250 cars per month but within 18 months the brand is targeting a figure double that.
Of course it was impossible for the Stinger to live up to all the hype that preceded its arrival. But, the reality is Kia doesn’t need it to be a big seller. It only needs it to attract attention to its showrooms where new customers will find an existing range of appealing small cars and SUVs.
Kia is already a worthy rival to the mainstream competition, and it’s about time more people take notice. The Stinger is basically a really attractive, real-life advertising campaign. And, for those that buy one, they'll be treated to a bloody good car.
2017 Kia Stinger pricing
200S - $45,990
200Si - $52,990
GT-Line - $55,990
330S - $48,990
330Si - $55,990
GT - $59,990
*All prices exclude on-road costs.
2017 Kia Stinger specifications
On sale: Now
Engine: 2.0-litre four-cylinder turbo petrol/3.3-litre V6 twin-turbo petrol
Power: 182kW at 6200rpm/272kW at 6000rpm
Torque: 353N at 1400-4000rpm/510Nm at 1300-4500rpm
Transmission: Eight-speed automatic, rear-wheel drive
Fuel use: 8.8L/100km/10.2L/100km
20 Comments
Mr Majestyk | 2017-09-21 21:53:46
Very poor score for a brand new car that promised so much. I'd say gearbox is definitely a deal breaker, I only drive my auto in full manual mode, and won't accept a box that won't allow this. I think the score of 2/10 for fuel for the V6 a joke, a gutless Corolla can easily use that much fuel in traffic, and what do comparably powerful cars get? Not sure what sort of miracle figures you were expecting or have you been totally hoodwinked by the total BS Euro fuel figures, claiming 8l/100km from 375kW V8's etc.
Titan Mr Majestyk | 2017-09-22 05:09:22
Mr M, I don't think the Stinger's target market is necessarily that interested in a fully manual mode - I don't see it as a 'deal breaker' for most people. It's a luxury Gran Turismo car, not a sports car. I reckon I used the manual mode on my Holden Sportwagon probably 5 times (just to try it) in 6 years of ownership. I much prefer the 'S' automatic mode, which holds a gear for longer and shifts down quicker. It certainly hasn't put me off ordering a Stinger GT. And I'm not shy of manuals - I have four other vehicles, all manuals, and I greatly enjoy double declutching in them. But I agree, the score is pretty poor. 2/10 for economy? It's not an economy car! And where does the 5/10 for servicing come from, Mr Ottley? What's the problem? The article doesn't even mention servicing, so why such a lousy score?
Selector 2 Titan | 2017-09-22 08:18:34
Titan, I agree , I hardly ever use paddle shifters , manual mode or launch control in a Porsche and I'm getting more of the opinion that others are right about the pro teutonic stance of drive articles.
Selector_ 2 | 2017-09-21 23:14:31
I think a 2 fuel rating for 8.8L//10.2L/ per 100km for 2litre and 3.3litre engines respectively is a fair assessment. Modern high tech engines are capable of much better these days and not putting serious effort into engine development will have long term ramifications to the whole motoring industry as governments will simply regulate the industry. Euro brands manage to spend more on R&D; to achieve far better results and to date the only solution put forward by Hyundai / Kia solution was to cheat on their fuel consumption figures resulting in fines exceeding $42 million - better to have spent this money on real development. I am not aware of any cheating with regards to fuel consumption figures coming out of Europe in recent times.
Selector 2 Selector_ 2 | 2017-09-22 02:11:24
Evidence of cheating from Kia please Ms S_2 VW spambot, we all know VAG has been caught red handed.
Selector_ 2 Selector 2 | 2017-09-22 06:45:19
Woops - I decided to do some fact checking and can confirm - for the record VAG has never been caught or even accused of cheating fuel consumption figures - apologies for my earlier misguided response.
Selector 2 Selector_ 2 | 2017-09-22 08:13:02
And your evidence for Kia cheating fuel consumption figures is?...crickets chirping.
The truth | 2017-09-22 02:01:41
Selector_2 most Eurocrap get similar fuel economy readings. Kia/Hyundai are just a little more honest in their claims. Fuel economy is related to power output, not nominal engine capacity - basic laws of thermodynamics apply - it is a technical acronym called BSFC, brake specific fuel consumption. Do a bit of research on what it is and then explain how Eurocrap manages to defy the basic thermodynamic laws and extract more power from less fuel than mathmatcally possible.
Selector_ 2 The truth | 2017-09-22 06:53:40
Hi The Truth - I suggest you read up on how standardised fuel consumption figures are specified and obtained. The method very precisely specifies a test procedure so all figures from all cars can be compared on a level and repeatable playing field. A 375kW V8 can have a better result than a 500cc two stroke simply because the full 375kW is never called upon during the standardised test procedure. None of this rocket science and is easily understood by the average Mum and Dad punter buying a new car by simply looking at the windscreen sticker showing a standardised, repeatable fuel consumption figure which can then be directly compared to any other vehicle on the shopping list.
The truth Selector_ 2 | 2017-09-22 12:00:05
...and the standardised testing procedure allows for 5 litres of fuel in the tank, tyres pumped to the maximum pressure possible, and the removal of all excess weight including spare tyres, tools, and an actual driver. Sound like a realistic basis for comparison... How is that relevant to real use? Hyundai were caught by US CARB - California's EPA - several years ago about a complaint of claimed versus real life fuel economy. As a result they now err on the conservative realistic side when advertising fuel consumption. In reality you can claim whatever you like as the Eurocrap does. If Hyundai chose to use realistic figures that is their choice. If what you said about lab tests was correct then VAG dieselgate is a figment of peoples imagination because based on lab tests they were OK. Real on road yesting showed otherwise. Eurocrap uses 'Claims' versus Hyundai using 'Reality'. Which would you trust?
Bethel Thunderpatch | 2017-09-22 03:18:41
I'm not a huge fan of the car but I think you've been overly harsh on the scoring for fuel use. Kia is probably being quite honest about the fuel consumption here. I own a car with a 2.0 TFSI and it rarely scrapes in under 10l/100km unless its on the freeway. You should have done some real world testing and commented on it if you're going to be that damning.
Eurotrash | 2017-09-22 06:03:59
5/10 for Servicing when it has a 7 Year Unlimited KM Warranty? What more does it take??
Selector_ 2 Eurotrash | 2017-09-22 06:55:56
Warranty period and servicing are two different things :) My guess is the Stinger requires servicing more often than other modern cars i.e. 15-25,000k, 12 monthly.
Boo | 2017-09-22 08:07:46
Close to launch the car is an anti climax on price, performance, a real replacement for an SS Commodore etc and with only 200 units coming in per month you can see why. They can not get volumes so why offer value; I assume they are targeting the North American market. I have struck this car off my list on the above points. My expectations were developed by the media hype which clearly indicated a replacement for the local cars and a starting price of 40,000. When they quoted the Kia exec in a previous article he also suggested a much lower starting price than what we see here. In Canada it will sell in top spec for 47,000 with all wheel drive. Similar dollar and slightly larger market so buyers need to put dealers to the question on value and price.
Mr Majestyk | 2017-09-22 22:27:13
The target market is former SS and XR8 drivers, people that love manuals, soft auto's that are slow to change, won't hold a gear, slur changes and won't allow full manual override would be a huge turn-off. Comparing the Porsche PDK to this gearbox is a bit ridiculous.
Titan | 2017-09-23 00:47:33
Hello, Drive has re-considered it's score - now 7/10! That's due to the servicing - up from 5/10 to now 7/10. No wonder, the service interval is officially 10,000 kms/12 months. S_2, would you really want a 25,000 km service interval on a performance car?? Boo: the Stinger is not aimed at Commodore/Falcon owners. It's a global car, aimed at multiple global markets. Most of them have never heard of a Commodore V8. Their use of German engineers and designers says clearly that their target is BMW/Audi/MB. And on that basis, reading all the various reviews, it compares well for a lot less money. Did you really expect a twin-turbo V6 for $40k? Get real. The fact that you can get one for less than $50k is, frankly, bloody amazing. Strike it off your list by all means, but you are missing out on a bargain. As Kia establishes itself as a high-quality marque on a par with the Euros, prices will only go up. BTW, the dealer has admitted that the US market is taking a lot more cars than originally anticipated, so availability in Australia is reduced. I ordered my car in July, but it's not scheduled for delivery until mid-late October - on the water now, which says it was only shipped in the last couple of weeks. Two months to build it? I don't think so.
Selector_ 2 | 2017-09-23 01:56:02
Hi Titan - Nice to see the score adjusted based on service intervals, clearly Drive have read the reader comments and reacted accordingly - full kudos to them for doing that which in my mind scores bonus points to the Drive team.
Titan | 2017-09-23 02:24:53
S_2: agreed, agreed, full marks. But I do wish they'd get a better comments platform - the 'reply' buttons have vanished again!
Steve 0 | 2017-09-24 01:33:33
They just need to make a 2 door V8 powered version and I may be interested.
stevecro | 2017-09-24 02:13:29
I'm sure they'll do that for you SteveO. With its Australian input and mods it'll get an 8/10. Wow, a bit of excitement coming our way