No sting in the tail with Kia’s exciting sports saloon

W

hat is it?

What’s the first thing that comes to mind when you think of Kia? Most likely, it’ll be a small, reasonably-priced hatchback that’s well-built but not particularly exciting.

Something along the lines of a Rio or a Cee’d.

Chances are, a 365bhp, twin-turbo V6 sports saloon would be the last thing you’d expect. However, with the new Stinger GT S, that’s exactly what Kia has gone and built. Quite a bold move for a company that’s traditionally made cars you’re more likely to see at the local garden centre than the race track.

What’s new?

The Stinger is an all-new car for the South Korean manufacturer, as well as its first attempt at a proper

performance saloon. It’s an evolution of the Kia GT

Concept that was unveiled six years ago at the 2011 Frankfurt Motor Show, and has been developed under the watchful eye of Albert Biermann — the former head of BMW’s M Division and

the man responsible for the cracking new Hyundai i30 N hot hatchback.

That development process has seen the Stinger put through its paces, too. It saw the new ‘gran turismo’ lap the infamous and unforgiving Nurburgring Nordschleife at least 480 times, and also travel to all corners

of the globe as part of its

extreme climate testing.

Launching a car such as the Stinger GT S could be seen as quite a risky move.

It comes at a time where emissions regulations are

becoming increasingly

stringent, and consumers are shifting away from big, powerful saloons.

It almost seems like the Stinger GT S would be the last car a sensible, volume manufacturer such as Kia would then go and produce. Based on our first drive, though, we’re certainly pleased common sense

appears to have been put to one side.

What’s under the

bonnet?

Below that long, low bonnet, sits the Stinger’s party piece. The top-spec GT S model is powered by a 3.3-litre twin-turbocharged V6 engine that develops a considerable 365bhp and 510Nm of torque — all of which is sent to the rear wheels via an eight-speed automatic transmission.

That V6 allows the Stinger GT S to complete the benchmark sprint from 0-60mph in just 4.7 seconds, making it the fastest-accelerating Kia ever produced. Top speed sits at a respectable 168mph.

As far as fuel consumption’s concerned, Kia claims the Stinger will manage 28.5mpg on the combined cycle, while CO2 emissions stand at 225g/km.

What’s it like to drive?

Kia is adamant the new Stinger GT S is a gran

turismo and not a sports car — though you’d traditionally consider a GT to be something like an Aston Martin, with a big V8 engine.

Regardless of how you

define the Stinger, as a first attempt at a properly performance-orientated vehicle, it’s seriously impressive. That V6 isn’t the shoutiest

or most characterful engine in the world, but it lends the Kia some real straight-line pace and means overtaking manoeuvres are dispatched with ease.

Twisty roads won’t cause the Stinger to break a sweat, either. While the steering doesn’t provide a huge amount of feel, it’s nicely weighted and allows you to place the car with confidence. Pop the car into sport with the drive mode selector and it becomes a bit livelier. In short, it provokes the Stinger just enough to make it the right level of angry.

Move out onto a dual-

carriageway or motorway and the Stinger settles down to become a comfortable, relaxing long-distance tourer. This is where you can see

the claimed ‘gran turismo’ characteristics shine through the most.

How does it look?

While we’ve never really been fans of the way fastback-style cars such as the Audi A7 and BMW 4 Series Gran Coupe look, the Kia Stinger manages to pull the image off rather well.

It’s by no means the prettiest car in the world, but it is handsome in its proportions, and that swept-back roofline really adds to its visual

appeal.

What’s it like inside?

Kia has really stepped

its game up as far as the Stinger’s interior is concerned. There isn’t a great deal of cheap and nasty

materials on display, and the circular air vents in the middle of the dash look like they could have been lifted straight out of the cabin of a Mercedes-Benz.

Interior space is generous too. The driver and front seat passenger are treated to plenty of headroom, and they certainly won’t be short of any elbow room thanks to a fairly wide centre console. That swooping roofline does cut into rear headroom somewhat, although the 2,905mm wheelbase means there’s no shortage of

legroom.

The Stinger’s hatchback-style boot has 406 litres of storage, so it can easily

swallow a couple of suitcases or a large weekly shop.

What’s the spec like?

In addition to the performance from the 3.3-litre V6, standard kit is also

incredibly generous.

All models benefit from an 8in touchscreen infotainment system that incorporates satellite navigation, DAB radio, Bluetooth, Apple CarPlay and Android Auto as standard. There are also leather-upholstered seats with heating and ventilation up front, and a 15-speaker Harmon/Kardon sound

system. A suite of safety

systems that include autonomous emergency braking and lane-keep assist are also fitted for peace of mind.

Verdict

The Stinger GT S strikes an excellent balance

between being a fast,

comfortable long-distance cruiser and a properly

exciting sports saloon.

While it’s not quite as

raucous as we’d hoped it might be, its dynamic abilities are impressive and are (hopefully) a sign of things to come from the South Korean manufacturer.