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By Colin Ryan
Updated July 11, 2022
The 2023 Kia Stinger is a veritable sport sedan with a premium interior, a good warranty, and engaging performance. Pricing starts at $36,590.
The 2023 Kia Stinger sedan dials up both the sporty and luxury aspects of a mainstream badge on the move. Here is a car with sharp style and driving dynamics that come close to German rivals like the Audi A5 Sportback and BMW 4 Series Gran Coupe. It even deploys rear-wheel drive in its standard form.
Based on the same platform as the excellent Genesis G70, the Stinger pushes the boundaries of what to expect from Kia. Naturally, that might also mean higher prices, but the company still packs a lot of standard equipment, plus a 10-year/100,000-mile powertrain warranty, into a car that undercuts the German competition.
The 2023 Kia Stinger starts at $36,590 for the 4-cylinder GT-Line trim and $51,790 for the V6-powered GT2 model. All-wheel drive is a $2,200 option on both trims. A $1,105 destination fee applies to all Stinger models.
The closely related Genesis G70 starts closer to $38K and is a true sedan, without the Stinger’s hatchback. The front-drive-only Nissan Maxima sedan is in that same area. If the funds are available to go for something German, the Audi A5 Sportback is more like $44K (with all-wheel drive as standard), and the rear-drive BMW 430i Gran Coupe is closer to $45.5K.
Before buying a new Stinger, check the KBB.com Fair Purchase Price to see what others in your area paid for theirs. The Stinger’s performance is respectable in terms of resale value, and certainly not a deal-breaker.
The GT1 trim has been dropped for the 2023 model year. GT1 used to be a more affordable V6 option, but now the Stinger model range is limited to one 4-cylinder trim and one V6 trim.
There’s nothing particularly lacking in the 300-horsepower/4-cylinder engine under the GT-Line’s hood. It has a pleasant punch at low revs, there are paddle shifters behind the steering wheel for extra driver involvement, and all-wheel drive is available to apply thrust to the tarmac in the most effective way possible.
It’s something of a shame, though, to buy a new sport sedan and not have the sportiest version. GT2 has variable-ratio steering, a launch control mode in the transmission, Brembo brakes, and a forceful 368-horsepower twin-turbocharged V6.
Rear-drive examples also come with a limited-slip differential, while the optional all-wheel-drive system includes torque vectoring. This ensures optimum stability and cornering efficiency by subtly adjusting the speeds of various wheels. Going through a curve, the outside rear wheel has more torque than the inside.
The GT2 takes things further by adding an adaptive suspension as standard.
At first glance, it looks like a luxury car inside the 2023 Stinger, with the clean, crisp lines of the dashboard and a 10.25-inch infotainment touchscreen set on top. Closer inspection, though, reveals materials that are not quite as classy as those in an Audi A5 Sportback or BMW 4 Series Gran Coupe. But the Stinger doesn’t cost as much, so buyers can make up their own minds on how they’d like to spend their cash.
To emphasize the Stinger’s sportiness, a flat-bottomed steering wheel is wrapped in perforated leather, while aluminum pedals are ready to respond to the driver’s right foot.
Occupant space is plentiful up front. Rear legroom qualifies for an “OK” designation on account of its 36.4 inches. And rear headroom is affected by the sloping roof.
Behind the 60/40 split/folding rear seats is a luggage area of 23.3 cubic feet. Compare that with trunk space of 10.5 cubic feet in the Genesis G70.
Despite the 2023 Stinger being described as a sport sedan, it’s technically a hatchback — only with a sleeker roofline than a Volkswagen Golf, for example. It’s more like an Audi A5 Sportback.
Whatever it’s called, it works. However, newer Kia designs (like the K5 sedan and Sportage SUV) suddenly make the Stinger look a bit passé. Time waits for no car, it seems.
The GT-Line has 18-inch alloy wheels and the GT2 has 19-inch alloy wheels. And behind those bigger rims are the red calipers of the Brembo braking system.
Hatchback flexibility
Or fastback, sportback, liftback, whatever. It brings an extra element of practicality to a sporty 4-door car, enabling an impressive cargo hold of 40 cubic feet with the rear seats folded.
Brembo brakes
Brembo is an Italian company that specializes in stopping. Virtually every maker of exotic and fast cars has ordered from the Brembo catalog at one time or another. The examples in the GT2 have vented discs throughout, plus 4-piston calipers up front and 2-piston calipers at the back.
The different trim levels of the 2023 Stinger sport sedan sound really similar, which is less than ideal. But the thing to remember is that the GT-Line is the most affordable new Stinger.
It comes with LED headlights/daytime running lights/taillights, heated side mirrors with puddle lights, rain-sensing wipers, keyless entry/ignition, remote start, dual-zone automatic climate control, leather seating surfaces, heated front seats, 12-way power-adjustable driver’s seat, self-dimming rearview mirror, and rear parking sensors.
The infotainment system includes Apple CarPlay/Android Auto smartphone integration, wireless charging, satellite radio, navigation, USB ports front and rear, Bluetooth, nine speakers, and a 10.25-inch touchscreen.
Among the safety systems are forward collision warning with automatic emergency braking, blind-spot monitoring with rear cross-traffic collision avoidance, automatic high beams, lane-keeping assistance, lane-following assistance, and navigation-based adaptive cruise control.
The thing to remember about the GT2 version of the 2023 Stinger is that it has the V6 engine and therefore enjoys greater power. Other differences include a powered sunroof (optional in the GT-Line) and LED interior lighting.
The GT2 has an adaptive suspension, upgraded LED headlights, auto-dimming rearview mirrors, powered hatchback, power-adjustable steering column, head-up display, and a 360-degree camera system. There’s also nicer (Nappa) leather seating surfaces, memory settings for the driver’s side, heated rear outboard seats, 720-watt Harman Kardon surround-sound system, and greater adjustability for the front seats — which are also heated and ventilated.
All 2023 Stinger models are eligible for all-wheel drive and a heated steering wheel.
A turbocharged 2.5-liter 4-cylinder unit endows the GT-Line version of the 2023 Stinger with 300 horsepower and 311 lb-ft of torque. The GT2 variant has 368 horsepower and 376 lb-ft of torque supplied by a twin-turbocharged 3.0-liter V6.
Both engines connect to an 8-speed automatic transmission. Rear-wheel drive (RWD) is the standard configuration in every 2023 Stinger sport sedan, with all-wheel drive (AWD) offered as an option.
Premium gasoline is recommended in each case.
2.5-liter turbocharged inline-4 (GT-Line)
300 horsepower @ 5,800 rpm
311 lb-ft of torque @ 1,650-4,000 rpm
EPA city/highway fuel economy: 22/32 mpg (RWD), 21/29 mpg (AWD)
3.3-liter twin-turbocharged V6 (GT2)
368 horsepower @ 6,000 rpm
376 lb-ft of torque @ 1,300-4,500 rpm
EPA city/highway fuel economy: 18/25 mpg (RWD), 17/24 mpg (AWD)
More Stinger fuel economy information is available on the EPA’s website.
The Kia Stinger is covered by a 5-year/60,000-mile basic warranty and a 10-year/100,000-mile powertrain warranty. This is an excellent warranty giving the driver peace of mind.
Our Expert Ratings come from hours of both driving and number crunching to make sure that you choose the best car for you. We comprehensively experience and analyze every new SUV, car, truck, or minivan for sale in the U.S. and compare it to its competitors. When all that dust settles, we have our ratings.
We require new ratings every time an all-new vehicle or a new generation of an existing vehicle comes out. Additionally, we reassess those ratings when a new-generation vehicle receives a mid-cycle refresh — basically, sprucing up a car in the middle of its product cycle (typically, around the 2-3 years mark) with a minor facelift, often with updates to features and technology.
Rather than pulling random numbers out of the air or off some meaningless checklist, KBB’s editors rank a vehicle to where it belongs in its class. Before any car earns its KBB rating, it must prove itself to be better (or worse) than the other cars it’s competing against as it tries to get you to spend your money buying or leasing.
Our editors drive and live with a given vehicle. We ask all the right questions about the interior, the exterior, the engine and powertrain, the ride and handling, the features, the comfort, and of course, about the price. Does it serve the purpose for which it was built? (Whether that purpose is commuting efficiently to and from work in the city, keeping your family safe, making you feel like you’ve made it to the top — or that you’re on your way — or making you feel like you’ve finally found just the right partner for your lifestyle.)
We take each vehicle we test through the mundane — parking, lane-changing, backing up, cargo space and loading — as well as the essential — acceleration, braking, handling, interior quiet and comfort, build quality, materials quality, reliability.
Climate Control Air Conditioning | Available | ||
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Integrated Garage Door Opener | Port Installed |
Curb Weight | 3814 lbs. | ||
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EPA Passenger | 93.8 cu.ft. | ||
EPA Total Interior | 117.1 cu.ft. | ||
Fuel Capacity | 15.9 gallons | ||
Front Head Room | 38.3 inches | ||
Front Leg Room | 42.6 inches | ||
Max Seating Capacity | 5 | ||
Overall Length | 190.2 inches | ||
Front Shoulder Room | 56.4 inches | ||
Trunk or Cargo Capacity | 23.3 cu.ft. | ||
Turning Diameter | 36.7 feet | ||
Wheel Base | 114.4 inches | ||
Width with mirrors | 73.6 inches |
Alloy Wheels | Available | ||
---|---|---|---|
Moon Roof/Sun Roof | Available | ||
Number of Doors | 4 doors | ||
Power Folding Exterior Mirrors | Available | ||
LED Headlights | Available |
City | 22 mpg | ||
---|---|---|---|
Highway | 32 mpg | ||
Combined | 25 mpg |
Drivetrain | RWD | ||
---|---|---|---|
Transmission Type | Automatic | ||
8 speed | Available | ||
Recommended Fuel | Premium | ||
Hill Start Assist | Available |
Horsepower | 300 @ 5800 RPM | ||
---|---|---|---|
Torque | 311 @ 1650 rpm | ||
Engine | 4-Cyl, Turbo, GDI, 2.5 Liter |
Basic | 5 years / 60000 miles | ||
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Powertrain | 5 years / 60000 miles | ||
Corrosion | 5 years / 100000 miles |
Forward collision warning with automatic emergency braking
This is standard in every new Kia Stinger, enhanced by pedestrian/cyclist detection and junction turning assistance. This latter feature helps when turning left at an intersection, warning the driver if there’s any oncoming traffic that might otherwise go unseen.
Safe Exit Warning
If it’s not safe to leave the vehicle, this standard system will activate an alert. It even works when the ignition is off.
Brake fade compensation
Yet another standard safety feature across the 2023 Stinger sport sedan range, this is more useful for those who might take their ride on the track for a series of hot laps. If normal braking performance diminishes due to excessive heat, this automatically applies extra stopping power.
New 2023 Kia Stinger | New 2023 Volkswagen Arteon | New 2023 Nissan Maxima | New 2023 Chrysler 300 | ||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Price | $37,865 | $44,305 | $44,595 | $37,740 | |
KBB.com Rating | 4.3 | 4.1 | 3.9 | 4.1 | |
Consumer Rating | 4.8 | 5.0 | 4.3 | 4.7 | |
Fuel Economy | City 22/Hwy 32/Comb 25 MPG | City 25/Hwy 33/Comb 28 MPG | City 20/Hwy 30/Comb 24 MPG | City 19/Hwy 30/Comb 23 MPG | |
Fuel Type | Gas | N/A | N/A | N/A | |
Safety Rating | 5.0 | N/A | 5.0 | 4.0 | |
Seating Capacity | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | |
Basic Warranty | 5 years or 60000 miles | 4 years or 50000 miles | 3 years or 36000 miles | 3 years or 36000 miles | |
Horsepower | 300 @ 5800 RPM | 300 @ 5350 RPM | 300 @ 6400 RPM | 292 @ 6350 RPM | |
Engine | 4-Cyl, Turbo, GDI, 2.5 Liter | 4-Cyl, Turbo, 2.0 Liter | V6, 3.5 Liter | V6, 3.6 Liter | |
Drivetrain | RWD | FWD | FWD | RWD |
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The GT-Line version of the 2023 Stinger sport sedan definitely ranks as a good car, thanks to its high level of standard equipment and general talents. The more powerful GT1 and GT2 models are even better.
The 2023 Kia Stinger starts at $36,590 for the base GT-Line trim and $51,790 for the V6-powered GT2 trim.
Like every other Kia, the 2023 Stinger sports sedan has a powertrain warranty of 10 years or 100,000 miles, whichever happens first. It’s completely feasible to rack up another 50,000 miles or more with regular maintenance and sensible driving.