While Kia is one of the fastest-growing automobile brands in America, it has a reputation for building simple cars. However, do not let that reputation fool you because the 2020 Kia Stinger is one of the most exciting four-door vehicles currently available. And unlike many “sporty” cars, the 2020 Kia Stinger has the performance numbers to back up its looks. Not only is it built around a twin-turbo V6 that allows it to compete with the best its competitors can offer, but the 2020 Kia Stinger includes a host of performance features that will impress even the most discerning driver.
Real Power
The first thing anyone will want to know about a performance car is its engine. The 2020 Kia Stinger has two options, either a 2.0L turbocharged four-cylinder or a 3.3L twin-turbo V6. The 2.0L is the clear economy option and is only available on the base GT-Line trim. However, with 255 horsepower and 260 pound-feet of torque, this engine will still move the 2020 Kia Stinger along at a decent pace and accelerate from zero to sixty in 5.9 seconds. But while that is good enough to leave 90% of the cars on the road in your dust, it may not qualify the 2020 Kia Stinger as a genuine performance car to some of you car-enthusiasts.
That takes us to the twin-turbo V6. With 365 horsepower and 370 pound-feet of torque, this engine will propel the 2020 Kia Stinger to sixty miles per hour in just 4.7 seconds – a feat that is assisted by the car’s launch control system (unfortunately not available on the 2.0L Kia Stinger). For comparison’s sake, a BMW 330i only has an advertised zero to sixty speed of 5.6 seconds, and even the top-performance (and far more expensive) BMW M340i barely manages a win with its 4.4 second time. In short, if you are looking at a 2020 Kia Stinger, then the twin-turbo V6 is the engine to get.
Performance Features
However, the engine is far from the only impressive part of the 2020 Kia Stinger’s drive train. After all, the automotive world is filled with cars that can only go fast in a straight line. First, the 2020 Kia Stinger comes with a responsive eight-speed automatic transmission with steering-wheel-mounted paddle shifters for manual control when driving through corners. And if you choose the AWD variant of the 2020 Kia Stinger (the standard choice is, of course, RWD as befits a performance car), then it will also have a four-wheel dynamic torque-vectoring system to turn the car faster. Finally, the 2020 Kia Stinger includes a mechanical limited-slip differential to ensure that no power is wasted from losing traction. This is a crucial feature for any performance car and is a significant advantage for the 2020 Kia Stinger over many of its competitors. However, the limited-slip differential and dynamic torque-vectoring system are not available on the base four-cylinder GT-Line trim of the 2020 Kia Stinger, giving you yet another reason to upgrade to the twin-turbo V6 version.
Other performance details on the 2020 Kia Stinger are numerous. One of the simplest is that the front vents on the car are actually functional and help cool the brakes rather than being purely decorative like on so many cars today. And Speaking of brakes, even the base model has large 12.4” rear discs and 12.6” front discs. On the twin-turbo V6 models, those grow to 13.4” in the rear and 13.6” in the front, with Brembo four-piston calipers for maximum stopping power. Finally, the 2020 Kia Stinger has five different drive modes that you can switch between on the fly. These include Smart, Eco, Comfort, Sport, and Custom and allow you to control aspects of the car from throttle response to suspension feel.
A Luxurious Interior
The 2020 Kia Stinger is not a stripped-down car that sacrifices comfort to meet performance and cost goals. Not only is the interior filled with good-looking and comfortable materials, but it includes all of the luxury features that you would expect of a sports sedan. Entering and starting the vehicle is simple, with keyless entry and push-button start. Once you sit down, the leather trim twelve-way power-adjustable driver’s seat can be set to fit your body perfectly. And if it is cold outside, then the heated seats and heated steering wheel, along with the dual-zone automatic climate control, will quickly get you warm. The cabin is also filled with nice touches such as the D-shaped sports steering wheel or the shiny alloy sports pedals to remind you of the 2020 Kia Stinger’s sporting nature
And for when you are not driving at the limits, the 2020 Kia Stinger also has an excellent infotainment system. Standard equipment on the lower two trims consists of a 7” touch screen that integrates both Apple CarPlay and Android Auto so that you can make easy use of your phone no matter which operating system you prefer. And to charge you electronic devices, the 2020 Kia Stinger has a standard wireless phone charger as well as multiple USB ports to round out the package. However, this infotainment system can be upgraded to an 8” touch screen with both voice commands and integrated navigation as well as a 15 speaker Harman/Kardon sound system.
The 2020 Kia Stinger is also fairly unique in that it is a sportback rather than a traditional sedan. Although it is nearly impossible to tell from the outside, the entire back lifts to expose over 23 cubic feet of cargo space. And with the 60/40 folding rear seats, this can expand to nearly 41 cubic feet. Finally, there is also a hidden storage compartment for small items under the rear floor. This makes the 2020 Kia Stinger not only one of the best performing and most luxurious cars in its segment, but it also one of the most practical. While you would probably still want a pickup truck or SUV if you regularly transport large items, the 2020 Kia Stinger is a performance car that you can legitimately go shopping for furniture with.
Safety Equipment and Options
And despite being a performance car, the 2020 Kia Stinger has a full suite of modern driver’s aides. Standard features on all trims include blind-spot warning, lane change assist, rear cross-traffic alert, and rear park assist. The higher trims of the 2020 Kia Stinger add additional features such as driver attention monitoring, automatic emergency braking for both vehicles and pedestrians, lane departure warning, lane-keep assist, and adaptive cruise control. While some performance car purists may feel that such features are unnecessary, this equipment will make driving in traffic far safer and more relaxing without affecting performance when you have the road to yourself.
Other standard features that make the 2020 Kia Stinger an all-around comfortable car include the available power sunroof, noise-dampening glass in the door windows, an auto-dimming rearview mirror, and customizable multi-color LED interior lighting. Exterior lighting is also full LEDs on every version except for the base trim, which has halogen projector-beam headlights. Upgrades on the higher trims of the car include a sixteen-way power-adjustable driver’s seat and a twelve-way power-adjustable passenger’s seat, vented front and heated rear seats, a 7” LCD screen in the instrument cluster, a shift-by-wire gear selector, and a head-up display. Despite coming from an “economy car” manufacturer, these features, together with its excellent powertrain, clearly put the 2020 Kia Stinger firmly into the class of luxury performance vehicles.
