As enthusiasts, we’re occasionally prone to having our heads in the clouds dreaming of depreciated luxury car bargains before realizing that anything with a “V12 Biturbo” emblem on the flank will likely be cataclysmically expensive as an everyday car and might not be reliable enough to suit commuting duties. However, there is something out there that’s recent enough to be reliable, upscale enough to feel nice, and cheap enough to justify over a base Corolla — the Kia Stinger GT.
Remember the hype when this thing came out? A twin-turbocharged rear-wheel-drive Kia with a top speed of 167 mph. It felt like the sky was falling, but who could blame the hysteria? This was an interpretation of a European performance sedan for people who couldn’t quite stretch to a European performance sedan. It looked damn good, hauled ass, and got the people going.
Seven years since it entered production, the hype around the Kia Stinger GT has died down, but that’s largely a good thing. After all, it’s still a quick and immensely practical car that’s now a secondhand bargain. Let’s take a closer look.
While entry-level Stinger models were offered with a two-liter turbocharged four-banger, and later a 2.5-liter turbocharged four-banger, the one you really want is the Stinger GT because it got a 3.3-liter twin-turbocharged V6 pumping out 365 horsepower at 6,000 rpm and 376 lb.-ft. of torque from 1,300 rpm to 4,500 rpm. Mated to an eight-speed automatic transmission and offered with rear-wheel-drive or all-wheel-drive, this V6 was good for a zero-to-60 mph run in 4.4 seconds during Car And Driver instrumented testing, and the quarter-mile in 12.9 seconds at 111 mph. Yep, that’s a 12-second Kia, and it’s a spacious, practical liftback. Oh, and don’t think this strong acceleration is purely launch control trickery. In the real world, Car And Driver found that the Stinger GT would outrun a Mercedes-AMG E 43, a BMW 540i, and an Audi A6 3.0T:
Perhaps the most striking facet of the engine’s power delivery is evident in the Stinger’s 5.0-second 5-to-60-mph time—quicker than every machine in our last comparison test of mid-size premium sports sedans. Acceleration is strong with this one.
Mind you, just because the Stinger GT is quick in a straight line and looks great doesn’t mean it’s perfect in the corners. The steering is accurate and beautifully weighted, the Brembo brakes offer Great White bite, and the available limited-slip differential is a welcome addition, but the car’s a bit underdamped in the rear, and it never quite shrinks around you. It’s still far sharper than something like a Lexus ES350 and ride quality is downright cosseting, but don’t expect it to be a 3 Series competitor. Still, it’s a lot bigger than a 3 Series, but it still knows how to run, and that’s before we get into the practicality and amenities on offer here.
Obviously, the killer app of the Stinger GT isn’t just that it’s fast, it’s that it’s a fast liftback. That enormous hatch raises up to reveal 23.3 cu.-ft. of cargo space with the rear seats up and 40.9 cu.-ft. of cargo space with the rear seats folded. More importantly, it has the cargo floor length of a midsize crossover, meaning if you don’t need a ton of height, the Stinger GT makes an immensely practical everyday family car capable of swallowing a stroller whole. Rear seat space is also excellent, but the best seats in the house are up front.
Yep, this is a cockpit that makes a great first impression. From splashes of satin metallic trim to a jaunty trio of round air vents to an abundance of soft-touch finishes, the Stinger GT’s interior punches above its weight class. Find the right spec, and you’ll even be able to savor such available amenities as a 15-speaker Harman/Kardon audio system, front and rear park assist, a head-up display, adaptive cruise control, and adjustable driver’s seat bolsters. We’re talking real luxury car stuff, and real luxury car comfort. I’ve been lucky enough to put hundreds of miles on Stinger GTs and loved every minute of it. As a supple, brawny mile-muncher, it’s one of the best out there for the money, and that’s when it was new. Now that they’re getting on in age a bit, the value is simply spectacular.
Take this 2018 Stinger GT2 for example, up for sale in Pennsylvania for $21,988. That’s $1,322 less than a base-model 2025 Toyota Corolla L, for context. Sure, this example might have a minor hit on its Carfax, but it also has a reasonable 77,576 miles on the clock, two owners from new, and for the most part, it looks like a sensible used car, not an obvious money pit waiting for an optimistic sucker.
Oh, and if that has too many miles and too few driven wheels for you, here’s a 2018 Stinger GT2 AWD up for sale in New Jersey with 58,037 miles on the clock. The asking price? $22,990, which is still less than a new Corolla. Plus, it’s in an actual color, which is just so nice to see. The Hichroma Red paint Kia offered on these things is a great shade, and there’s something cool about driving a car specced in its launch color.
However, it’s worth noting that you probably won’t be able to take advantage of Kia’s ten-year/100,000-mile limited powertrain warranty, because it’s only transferrable within five years or 60,000 miles of the vehicle’s in-service date. Mind you, the Stinger GT has proven to be fairly reliable, with the most common issues being the odd cracked spark plug, and the occasional failed coil pack. Considering factory-fit Denso spark plugs are fairly cheap at just a few dollars apiece, that’s not bad for something with this sort of performance.
Not only is the Kia Stinger GT a fast, practical, well-appointed used car, it also seems like one you’d actually want to own. Even though the majority of the hype around these cars has died down, they’re still great, and for new Corolla money, represent a tremendous bargain. Sure, they might be a bit thirsty, but 365 horsepower under your right foot is 365 reasons to smile.
(Photo credits: Kia, Autotrader Sellers)
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Damn these got a lot cheaper than they were 5 years ago, but I haven’t been shopping in obviously…
I was shopping Stingers against 335ixs and Stingers were still too new to be Honda Civic money aka 20k or under.
A 2014 335ix GT was under 20k 5 years ago and it had a 5.2 second 0-60 stock. Definitely 5 or under with a basic Dinan tune on stock parts.
I bought it’s flashy younger sibling, the Genesis G70. They’re not as practical but have a nicer interior and, IMHO, better looking as well. Purchased a 2019 3.3T AWD w/ only 19k miles around mid-2023 for less than $33k out the door, clean title, no accidents.
It’s had some niggling QC issues, like some trim bits that either squeak or break, but that’s it. All those were covered under warranty and thankfully my dealership has been excellent.
It may not be as fun as my GTIs and Mustangs over the years, but it’s plenty fast, attractive, comfortable and hopefully reliable. (Most people consider the V6 TT to be Hyundai’s most reliable engine, except maybe the Tau V8). And it’s been a complete breath of fresh air from the now-generic German saloons.
The internet has no shortage of armchair experts full of opinions but usually based on no first-hand experience of having owned or even driven the car on which they profess expertise. Some truly exceptional cars have mediocre reviews based on nothing.
The Stinger is one of those cars. I’ve owned my GT1 for three years. It’s one of the best cars I’ve ever had of the well over 100 I’ve owned in my life (yes, I’m not right in the head, have the car disease bad).
Think of it as a 5-series BMW but cost much less to buy, vastly less to repair and maintain, far more reliable, and without pretentions and snobbish airs.
It’s fast. Road tests put it as comparable if not a touch faster than a Mustang GT. Also owning one of those I can attest to that.
It’s comfortable, not in a ‘luxury’ car kind of way but in the good kind of ‘sport luxury’ (or ‘near luxury’ to the marketers) way. I’ve taken multiple 12 hour drives in it and emerge as relaxed as could possibly be. It’ll quietly cruise all day at 80+ mph.
It’s practical. It has AWD to deal with occasional snow or slick surfaces. It’s a hatchback – when was the last time you’ve seen one of those? I’ve carried eye-popping amounts of cargo in back, and can even sleep back there with the seats folded.
Styling is purely personal. There’s no right or wrong. Whatever you like is what’s right for you. I personally like the looks. It’s distinctive. FWIW, literally every time I’ve parked in the 3 years I’ve owned it, wherever it might be, parking lot, gas station, or on the street, people come up to me to talk about the car. Everyone asks what it is, and usually guesses Maserati or Jaguar.
One time at a brewery in Maine, I came out to find a couple of ‘bros’ who just parked their BMW X7 next to the Stinger making circumnavigations around the car. As I approached they both peppered me with rapid-fire questions, what kind of car is that? Who makes it? When I told them it was a Kia, they both got this anguished, pained look of shock, incomprehension, and pain on their faces, and one contorted his visage into an expression of extreme agony and squeaked out, “It’s a Kia?!?!?”. Yes, Tucker, it’s a Kia (there are few badges on the car and the script is so highly stylized as to be abstract).
The real knock people seem to have is the car was made by Kia. Not a brand associated with the brag value and cultural status sought by buyers of certain German cars. Kia dealers didn’t know what to do with the car. They were used to pushing economy transportation boxes. It took me a while to find a dealer who didn’t use the usual hard-sell of ‘howmuchyouwannapayamonth?’ most did.
I could care less about ‘prestige’ and ‘cachet.’ I just feel lucky to have bought a rare relative bargain in the car world, a true double-agent of a car that feels plush and comfortable to my aging and spreading ass, yet is fast and fun to this old-school car guy when I feel like pushing it a bit. I think it will be sought after in the future and appreciated more with time.
I’m sorry Kia discontinued it. I’d happily buy another one when this one wears out.
Your mileage may vary.
I have a 2018 Chroma Red RWD GT2 with an Eibach kit to fix the kinda bad stock suspension.
These things slap. So much fun.
The last couple of years had an uprated GT Line turbo 4 that was over 300 hp. I test drove one, it was good, but I didn’t buy it because Kia dealers suck. In the 2nd hand market, I’m betting it’s a really good deal. I ended up going in a different direction myself, but the car itself seemed really good.
I get the negatives here but those who are critical don’t know anything about cars or the Stinger at all. This car wasn’t beautiful I agree but if you bought one it’s for the way it drives and who built it. Albert Bierman was picked from BMW MSport division after spending many years as a BMW tuner there. He put all his skills into this car’s engineering and in most ways it paid off just fine. I’ve driven BMW, ALFA, ACURA, C8, and many more and the Stinger is a great car to enjoy driving and still use it daily.
It’s absolutely no track car but it can easily hang with most as long as you know how to drive which 80% of most don’t. It’s performance and all cars like this will eat gas so badly from acceleration which is why it’s built that way. I’ve had a 2021 and never once had a problem yet and it will do everything I need.
Don’t criticize if you never drove one please!
I very much want.one of these but am not sure of the fit for my Rubenesque figure. I also want to see how easy it is to access things in the engine bay.
I will admit the gas mileage worries me. And I bet I’d have close to as much fun in an Accord Sport 2.0T. OK, maybe not on the acceleration side, but I won’t need that very often.
Then the 2.5T models should be looked at. I had the Sonata N Line with the same engine, routinely exceeded the highway mpgs and was a great powertrain for daily driving and having some fun when the commute got boring.
Yes and I can get all kinds of crappy largely cheaper expensive autos that quickly depreciate cheaper than a new car. I never understood the intent of this series. A 1970s rolls Royce is cheaper than a new Toyota Camry but who would buy one as a DD? Can we at least compare the two vehicles head to head warranty to no warranty? It just isn’t interesting.
The purpose is to tempt you into making Autopian decisions.
There are plenty of reputable websites for direct comparisons. The Autopian is that seedy diner frequented by weirdos. Aka my kind of place
You lost?
Nobody is seriously cross shopping a new base model Corolla with a 7 year old Stinger. It’s just a price point comparison. Now let’s say you have around $25,000 to spend and want a roomy family car. Logic says that you should get an off lease Accord/Camry or stretch for a new base model. For the sake of normies you can also insert basically any small-ish crossover. If I were in that situation something like a Stinger GT would be mighty tempting. That’s a pretty great driving experience in a car that will do family stuff every bit as well as what a normal person would buy.
22 year old flat brimmed hat wearing guys might. Based on a few real world examples I’ve seen, they might also compare their Corolla budget to a 2007 Maserati Quattroporte and make a horrible financial decision.
To me these always looked like a mildly modernized Jensen Interceptor. Not really my cuppa. That and KIA kept it out of consideratiom.
I stopped reading at this point.
I had to create an account just to agree with you.
My problem was ergonomics. At 6 feet tall, putting the seat back far enough resulted in my shoulder constantly touching the B pillar. I test drove a couple of them but concluded I couldn’t live with that.
I’m 6’1″ @ 220lbs and it fits me perfect like a glove both Front & Rear also. The fit is why I bought the car since comfort is #1 as we age! The ONLY CAR to have automatic seat recline positioning when you enter it and it’s perfect.
It’s weird how cars fit different people. Last time I tried one on I was at 225 but I’m down to 200 now. Maybe I’ve lost some fat off my shoulders? It’s a great car.
I was interested in the GT when it came out because it seemed a relatively affordable enthusiast sedan. I like the look and sound of one on my daughter’s street. If I did any real roadtripping, I would certainly consider one
I can’t be the only one that always thought this thing was hideous looking right?
right??
I wouldn’t go as far as hideous, but it’s certainly unattractive. Straight from the factory it looks like a 22 year old spent a $500 gift card from PepBoys on it.
When I bought my last car I had it narrowed down to a Stinger or an S5. The Stinger is a really good car, but I just couldn’t get past the styling. Just a bit too boy racer with all the fake vents. Overall the shape is very nice, but just like with everything else Kia makes, if they would have toned it down 20% it would have been great.
My buddy has one that he keeps saying he wants to move on from. Says stuff like it’s too low, not practical, burns too much gas, blah blah blah. Wants to swap it for a crossover. Gross.
I loved these when they launched. I love them still. Future classics in my book.
Dude should never have bought it. He is clearly not a sports car person.
I really wanted to love these but just never really found my way to seriously considering one. They just feel like they’re so close in so many ways but just short of the mark in others. They look…good, but I’ve personally liked them less and less over time. The overall shape is just about perfect but they’re very busy and some of the fine details are a little overwrought.
The interiors also aren’t all that great. No one is going to get in one and mistake it for a BMW or Audi. Hyundai/Kia really didn’t figure out how to make a nice interior until very recently. For what it’s worth they do seem fairly reliable because high mileage ones show up in listings all the time…but with my issues with the Kona N color me skeptical of forced induction Korean motors.
The other kicker with these is the fuel economy is horrendous. Like, V8 fuel economy with a 6 cylinder horrendous. They’re rated at 17 city but in practice I’ve heard of people struggling to crack 15 in them. If I’m going to put up with mileage that bad I’d rather have an extra two cylinders. They’re also way more luxobarge than sports sedan dynamically speaking. Whether that’s a plus or minus is for the buyer to decide.
So…yeah. They’re cool but for me personally they come up a little short of compelling….especially when you can get a Genesis G70 for not much more. Those still have the dynamic pitfalls and miserable fuel economy, but they’re a lot more cohesive from a design perspective and have nicer interiors. And as much as it pains me to say it, I actually think the 2.5 liter 4 popper is the best way to have one.
It won’t sound as good but it’s still 300 horsepower and something like 23 or 24 MPG combined. There’s also the Genesis G80, which is a better barge and the 3.5 liter turbo 6 is more competitive than the old 3.3 liter one. It’s still a generation behind the Germans but it’s more powerful and better on gas than the 3.3.
The Stinger here was extremely unpopular, but I didn’t know it “wasn’t a sports saloon (liftback)”. One would’ve guessed that to compete with the Germans you’d try to match them dynamically.
Unfortunately there was only so much they were going to budget for this car and they pretty much put all of it into the styling as far as I can tell. The Koreans still have a long way to go when it comes to figuring out driving dynamics. They’ve gotten better, as evidenced by the N products, but guess how they managed to do it?
….they hired Germans, lol
Actually I have driven the (non-N versions) i30 Mk1 (extensively), Mk2 (briefly) and Mk3 (rental car, recently).
I have to say they are dynamically competent cars, on par with the European equivalents. The Mk1 was lively and entertaining (although steering was numb), a character that was somewhat tamed in the subsequent Mk2 and Mk3 iterations.
The Mk2 and Mk3 are more mature, but still drive decently. I personally found the jump between the Mk1 and Mk2 more noticeable (probably also related to the spec, the Mk1 was the basic petrol entry level model, the Mk2 a diesel mid-high grade model) and less so from Mk2 to Mk3 (mid-level petrol model). But the Mk3 was very agreeable to drive.
So would I of course, but to be fair there isn’t much other than dynamically soft luxury sedans, various Chargers or very old and very risky German iron that can be had in the same price range.
You can buy two Stingers for the price of a manual Holden/SS.
Valid point. I’m still saving my money for an IS500.
Or stick with six cylinders, put them all in a straight line as CarLord intended and get an F30 340i with a clutch pedal. As a bonus you get a substantial improvement in fuel economy.
Exactly, the Hyundai cough cough Genisis is just a better car. The Stinger is neither sporty nor comfy enough it is in a weird place on that spectrum. The G70 might be 5% less fun on a twisty road but it will be 100% better crunching miles and won’t hurt your eyes when you see it on your driveway every day.
Funnily enough, I just drove a G70 3.3T during Canadian Car of the Year testing, and it whips so much ass, I’d take it over any F30 on a twisty road. It’s nowhere near as practical as the Stinger, but ever since Genesis fixed the damping, it’s been brilliant, with shockingly good steering, praiseworthy body control, and a predictable propensity to get sideways when you plant the skinny pedal into the carpet.
I own it’s younger, flashier sibling- a G70 3.3T AWD. In regards to gas mileage I average around 22-24 w/ primarily city/suburb driving. Freeway is usually mid-high 20’s and on a 600 mile road trip I got 32mpg average. I will say though, when romping on it the mileage is no better than my Boss 302. (Of course disclaimer: YMMV.)
Oh, and the interior is just lovely. Much prefer it over the equivalent Germans. Can’t say the same about the Stinger’s though.
I like them, I do, even with the lift back since it is hidden pretty well. But it would be hard to go for one of those when the Genesis G70 exists and is often tested faster, while offing more luxury to boot. Used 2023 with 12K miles was purchased by my wife for $37k(3.3 T with AWD and top of line interior package). I have seen 2019’s with the first gen front fascia with 30K mile in the low 20’s All seem like genuine steals to me.
G70’s are a steal. Mid-2023 I bought a 2019 3.3T AWD w/ 19k miles for $33k OTD. That was a great deal for what you get and prices have only cratered more since then; evidence is your wife’s purchase. That’s so much car for the money AND you still have warranty!