2022 Kia Stinger Review

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Even several years after its debut, there's still nothing else on the road quite like the Kia Stinger. This sleek hatchback offers a look and feel you won't find anywhere else in the class. It also has loads of cargo space. Overall performance doesn't quite live up to the sport sedan looks, but the Stinger won't leave you bored.

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2022 Kia Stinger Review

byReese Counts^{Vehicle Test Editor
Reese Counts has worked in the automotive industry since he started as an intern at Edmunds in 2015. He has written or edited thousands of car-related articles and tested and reviewed hundreds of vehicles over the course of his career. Reese is a vehicle test editor at Edmunds and has also contributed to Autoblog. Reese has also been featured on Yahoo! Finance, Engadget and AOL reviewing cars and covering automotive technology, auto shows and more. Reese learned to drive in his father's C4 Chevrolet Corvette and now owns his grandfather's 1999 Mercedes-Benz C43 AMG. A love for cars runs deep in his family.}

Pros

Entertaining levels of performance
Refined interior with hatchback utility
Generous warranty coverage

Cons

Limited headroom for rear passengers
Ride can get a little jittery at times
Sloping roofline hampers rear visibility

What's new

Updated styling
More powerful four-cylinder engine
Bigger infotainment display and more advanced driver aids
New Scorpion Special Edition trim
Part of the first Stinger generation introduced for 2018

Overview

The Kia Stinger is a sporty sedan that helped redefine what Kia stands for. There haven't been a lot of updates since its debut in 2018, but that all changes with the 2022 model year. First up is a new turbocharged 2.5-liter four-cylinder engine. It produces 300 horsepower and 311 lb-ft of torque. That's almost 50 hp more than last year and similar to what you might typically get from an upgraded performance engine in a midsize sedan such as Kia's K5. Oh, and the Stinger offers its own performance upgrade too: a 368-hp turbocharged V6, which gets a sportier exhaust sound for 2022.

Cost to Drive^{Cost to drive estimates for the 2022 Kia Stinger GT-Line 4dr Sedan (2.5L 4cyl Turbo 8A) and comparison vehicles are based on 15,000 miles per year (with a mix of 55% city and 45% highway driving) and energy estimates of $4.45 per gallon for premium unleaded in Ohio.}

Monthly estimates based on costs in Ohio

$210/mo

$181/mo

Avg. Midsize Car

Calculate my fuel costs

Outside, the Stinger receives a subtle styling update, most noticeable in the headlights and taillights. On the inside, a 10.25-inch touchscreen will be available as the top-of-the-line display and replace the previous 8-inch upgrade touchscreen. Other new tech includes a safe-exit warning system that alerts passengers of approaching traffic as they open a door and a blind-spot view monitor that shows a live image of what's in your blind spot. Rounding out the changes for 2022 is a new Scorpion Special Edition package that gives the Stinger a sportier look thanks to dark-painted wheels and exterior trim.

Overall, we think highly of the Stinger. But it is a niche sedan for people who want something that's sportier and more fun to drive than a typical midsize sedan but don't have the budget to get a luxury sport sedan. So should you get one? We think so. Check out our Expert Rating below to get our test team's full analysis of the 2022 Stinger's performance, utility and more.

What's it like to live with?

Edmunds spent a year with a 2018 Kia Stinger GT, racking up more than 18,000 miles during our test. We tested a well-equipped GT2 model with all the bells and whistles, including Kia's 3.3-liter twin-turbo V6 engine. Although the Stinger has been updated for 2022, our observations apply for the 2022 model.

Edmunds Expert Rating

Our Verdict^{The Edmunds Vehicle Testing Team evaluates a fresh batch of vehicles every week, pairing objective assessments at our test track with real-world driving on city streets, freeways and winding roads. The data we gather results in our Expert Ratings. They’re based on 30-plus scores that cover every aspect of the automotive experience.}

Great

8.1

out of 10

edmunds TESTED

Rated for you by America's best test team.

Performance

7.5/10

How does the Stinger drive? We tested the Stinger GT-Line with the turbocharged four-cylinder engine and rear-wheel drive. It's smooth and responsive and provides quicker acceleration than most other sedans in this price range. In Edmunds' testing, the Stinger hit 60 mph in 6.2 seconds, which is decently quick. There's also the V6-equipped Stinger GT1 or GT2 if you need more power. With that engine the Stinger rips from 0 to 60 mph in just 5.0 seconds.

Braking performance isn't quite as good. It took the Stinger GT-Line 133 feet to stop from 60 mph, which is longer than the braking distance we get from many SUVs we test. We blame the GT-Line trim's all-season tires, which aren't particularly grippy. Those tires also hold it back when it comes to handling, though the Stinger still feels responsive and fun on winding roads. It leans more in the corners than other sport sedans, but it's fairly composed overall. The Stinger's steering is a highlight. It's on the lighter side, but there's a decent amount of feedback. It's quick and precise and makes the car feel relatively nimble.

Comfort

8.0/10

How comfortable is the Stinger? While it doesn't balance comfort and performance as well as the V6-powered Stinger GT, we found the four-cylinder GT-Line to be smooth and refined. The suspension smooths out bumps and imperfections pretty well, but the ride can get a little jittery on rough pavement. The seats are the bigger letdown. The fronts are well shaped with plenty of support, but the padding is a bit too stiff and can reduce comfort on long drives. The rear seats are stiff too and somewhat flat. They're not uncomfortable, but they're not outstanding either.

The Stinger is pretty quiet. At idle, you occasionally need to look at the tachometer to see if the engine is still on. When you get moving, there's a mild amount of wind and road noise, but nothing unacceptable for the class. The standard dual-zone climate control works well and has easy-to-use controls.

Interior

7.5/10

How’s the interior? The Stinger's interior is a reasonably nice place to spend your time behind the wheel. The driving position is excellent. The seat and steering wheel offer a decent amount of adjustment, so it's easy to find a comfortable position and be able to reach the major controls. The seats are low, and that means it can be hard for some passengers to get in and out, but it does give the Stinger a sporty feel when you're behind the wheel.

The Stinger feels tighter inside than other midsize sedans, especially in the rear. The sloping roofline that creates the Stinger's slick profile means the heads of taller passengers are likely to rub up against the headliner. The front seat offers more room, but other midsize sedans (including Kia's own K5) are better. Visibility is a bit obscured. The rear window is tiny, and thick pillars can block your line of sight.

Technology

8.0/10

How’s the tech? The Stinger offers a decent array of in-car tech and driver aids, though there's nothing in here you won't find in other midsize sedans. Still, what Kia does offer works well. The infotainment and navigation system are easy to use and operate. The home screen allows for a bit of customization too. Apple CarPlay and Android Auto smartphone integration is standard, though there's no wireless connectivity. There is a wireless charging pad and a handful of USB ports and 12-volt outlets for charging.

The Stinger includes a number of standard driver aids and safety features. Those include blind-spot monitoring and forward collision alert. Most of the features are easy to use and work well. Kia also includes a lane centering feature. It's supposed to keep the car centered in the lane, but it constantly tugs at the wheel or ping-pongs between the lane lines. We ended up just turning it off in our testing.

Storage

8.5/10

How’s the storage? Pop open the Stinger's trunk and you'll find it's actually a sleek-looking hatchback. The cargo area offers 23.3 cubic feet of cargo space with the rear seats raised, more than almost any other midsize sedan out there. With the seats folded flat, the space opens up even more. Small-item storage is good too. The center console and door pockets are sizable, and a small bin in front of the large cupholders is a perfect place for a phone or sunglasses.

Fitting a car seat inside is a bit more difficult than some other sedans. While the car seat anchors are easy to access, the anchor on the seatback requires you to remove the cargo cover. The low-sloped roofline also might make getting a child in and out a bit frustrating too.

Fuel Economy

8.0/10

How’s the fuel economy? The Kia Stinger with the four-cylinder engine gets an EPA-estimated 25 mpg in combined city/highway driving. While that's slightly lower than other midsize sedans with similar horsepower, the Stinger got 26.9 mpg on Edmunds' real-world evaluation route. That's as good or better than what we've seen in much of the competition.

Value

8.5/10

Is the Stinger a good value? The Stinger's base price is high for a midsize sedan, but it comes well equipped from the get-go. You also get Kia's excellent five-year/60,000-mile basic and 10-year/100,000-mile powertrain warranty. Build quality feels appropriate for the price. While it's not as nice premium inside as some Mazdas or newer Kias such as the K5, the Stinger feels a cut above most midsize sedans.

Wildcard

8.5/10

Is there another midsize sedan that looks as interesting or as special as the Stinger? It's the sort of car that people take notice of, even if they don't know what it is, a matter not helped by Kia's divisive new logo. The mild tweaks that come with the refresh do enough to freshen the design without messing with what made it handsome in the first place. We just wish the four-cylinder GT-Line model was as fun to drive as it looks. Middling braking performance, underwhelming tires and somewhat soft suspension keep it from being a real joy. But if that's what you're after, get the GT1 or GT2.

Which Stinger does Edmunds recommend?

We suggest going with the midlevel GT1 trim. In addition to the V6 engine, the GT1 includes performance upgrades over the base model including Brembo brakes and a limited-slip differential.

2022 Kia Stinger models

The 2022 Kia Stinger is a midsize sedan available in three trim levels: GT-Line, GT1 and GT2. The GT-Line comes with a turbocharged 2.5-liter four-cylinder engine (300 horsepower, 311 lb-ft), while the GT1 and GT2 get a punchy turbocharged 3.3-liter V6 (368 hp, 376 lb-ft). Both engines are paired with an eight-speed automatic transmission. Rear-wheel drive is standard, and all-wheel drive is optional. Highlighted features for the Stinger include:

GT-Line
Comes standard with:

18-inch wheels
LED headlights
Rain-sensing windshield wipers
Keyless entry with push-button start
Leather upholstery
Power-adjustable driver's seat
Heated front seats
Dual-zone automatic climate control

Tech features include:

10.25-inch touchscreen display
Integrated navigation system
Apple CarPlay and Android Auto smartphone integration
Wireless charging pad
Nine-speaker audio system

Every Stinger also comes with driver aids such as:

Navigation-based adaptive cruise control (adjusts speed to maintain a constant distance between the vehicle and the car in front and can adjust speed based on GPS location)
Forward collision mitigation (warns you of an impending collision and applies the brakes in certain scenarios)
Lane keeping assist (steers the Stinger back into its lane if it begins to drift over the lane marker)
Blind-spot monitor with rear cross-traffic alert (warns you if a vehicle is in your blind spot during a lane change or while in reverse)
Rear passenger safe-exit system (can prevent a rear passenger from opening a door into traffic approaching from behind)
Parking sensors (alert you to obstacles that may not be visible behind the vehicle when parking)

There's one notable option on the Stinger GT-Line:

Sun and Sound package

Sunroof
15-speaker Harman Kardon audio system
Power-adjustable front passenger seat

GT1
Features on the GT1 generally mirror those on the GT-Line, though there are a few extras. The big news is the performance upgrades. Besides the 3.3-liter V6 engine, the Stinger GT1 includes:

19-inch wheels
Brembo brakes
Launch control for optimal acceleration
Limited-slip rear differential (can enhance traction during acceleration)
Torque-vectoring rear differential (can enhance agility while cornering; AWD models only)
Sunroof
LED interior lighting
Power-adjustable front passenger seat

GT2
Builds on the GT1 with:

Adaptive suspension (can improve both ride comfort and handling stability)
Upgraded LED headlights
Auto-dimming mirrors
Power-opening hatch lid
Power-adjustable steering column
Premium leather upholstery
Upgraded front seats with driver's seat memory settings
Heated rear seats
Ventilated front seats
15-speaker Harman Kardon audio system
Surround-view camera system (gives you a top-down view of the Stinger and its surroundings for tight parking situations)
Head-up display (displays important information in your sight line on the windshield)

The GT2 is available with the limited-edition Scorpion Special Edition package. It adds

White, black or silver paint only
Rear spoiler
Black exterior trim
Black 19-inch wheels
Carbon-fiber interior trim

Consumer reviews

Read what other owners think about the Used 2022 Kia Stinger.

5 (65%)

4 (23%)

3 (2%)

2 (4%)

1 (6%)

4.4

43 reviews

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Most helpful consumer reviews

Jack of all Trades, Master of One

Castillan, 09/04/2020

2020 Kia Stinger GT2 4dr Sedan (3.3L 6cyl Turbo 8A)

I have the fully optioned GT2 RWD version. This car is fantastic. I'm not sure what can be said that hasn't already been said, but I'll try to put my ideas down. This car is a sum of all that it is, along with a sum of all that it is not, and in understanding this, it still comes out on top as a master of what it truly is. Is it sporty? Yes, but it's not a sports car, and it … doesn't pretend to be. It gives you enough for a taste when the mood strikes, but it's not built to set any new lap records. It'll take off from a standstill (0-60mph in 4.7s) and roll-on fast enough with a strong smooth linear power delivery that will keep any true sports/muscle car honest in that they have to be serious about keeping the Stinger behind them, but it's no drag strip champion. It'll go around corners better than almost any family sedan you can name, but it's not setup for sports car scalpel-like corner carving. It doesn't have a manual transmission, but you can tell it you want to control shifts yourself, and it'll let you do that. The suspension, even in sport mode, leans more towards the comfort side of sport. The ride is almost never jarring. It's a highly capable sporty mile-eater, and if we accept that's what it actually is, then we can accept that the race-track and drag-strip is not what it was designed for. Is it a luxury sedan? Yes, but it's not top-shelf luxury, and it doesn't pretend to be. It gives you a good taste of quality leather trim, soft touch materials, brushed aluminium accents, quality controls, 3-zone automated climate control, a soft quality ceiling, plenty of room front and rear, stitched panels, with middling-firm but extremely comfortable ventilated/heated seats that makes it an enjoyable place to be for hours upon hours at a time, but it cheapens out at below knee height, and that's fine unless you spend all your time in the foot-wells. ie. it's luxury where it counts, and if you don't expect more than that, then all is well. Is it loaded with quality of life features? Yes, in this trim level. Tiltable/powered sun/moon roof, powered rear hatch, a sound system with crisp and clear sound quality reproduction that's capable of making your face vibrate with distortion free intensity. Parking assist, blind-spot monitoring, a clear reverse camera, lane keep warning/assist, frontal collision warning/auto-braking assist, 360 degree split-screen camera views, power ports front and rear, internal lighting everywhere, navigation and a fully featured infotainment system. It's all here. It may be missing a few of the very latest whizzbang sub-options (eg. no in-dash blind-spot camera view on lane-changes, physical dials instead of a fully digital configurable dash screen), but even if it doesn't have the absolute latest version of whatever feature, it will still offer a basic form of said feature. Is it a practical daily driver? Yes, amazingly so. With the 4 doors you can stick it in comfort drive mode and you're used to the throttle response, it'll perform family/commute duties all day, every day, in high comfort. We traded in our old Camry LE for this, and the Stinger is just as capable of the daily family runabout chores as the Camry was, just in better comfort. Can it carry much stuff? Can it or what?! Fold down the rear seats, and it's almost as roomy as a small pick-up truck with covered rear. I used a throw-down sheet to protect the upholstery, but I parked next to a guy in a pickup truck at Lowes, and it so happened that we were both buying stuff for flooring projects. I was able to fit underlay, the boards, tools, trim, the whole works for a 200sq.ft project in the one trip. The guy loading up next to me was pretty much the same thing, and the back of his pickup truck looked almost as full as my Stinger. Later I picked up a 55 gal aquarium for the wife with a flat pack cabinet. No problem. It still had plenty of room left over. This car truly is a jack of all trades, but a master of the one thing that matters most in a one-car family garage, versatility....and that's what this car is, a highly comfortable mile-eating sporty grand-tourer with a capital V on Versatile. Love it!

Awesome Beast!

Keith Cruickshank, 03/15/2020

2020 Kia Stinger GT 4dr Sedan AWD (3.3L 6cyl Turbo 8A)

The Kia Stinger GT with its 3.3 liter engine makes 376 lb feet of power. I've had admiring looks everywhere I go! Comfortable seating, lots of power, spacious rear storage and thousands cheaper than Audi S5 and BMW. It nor only best these competitors in power it excels in value. Providing a stellar value proposition . Get yours today! You will be amazed at how awesome this car is!

Perfect!!

dmichael885, 04/29/2020

2020 Kia Stinger GT-Line 4dr Sedan AWD (2.0L 4cyl Turbo 8A)

I had no intention of buying a Kia when I started looking. I was looking into BMW 5 and Audi A6. The Kia was as fun to drive and the interior caught me off guard with how nice it was. I couldn’t be happier with my purchase and saved money in the process. Win-win

Got myself a 2021 Stinger GT2!

Phil S. , 07/09/2021

2021 Kia Stinger GT2 4dr Sedan (3.3L 6cyl Turbo 8A)

I took a lot into consideration when deciding to buy a Stinger, but it ended up beating out other new Kia models, as well as the more expensive luxury sedans (I.e. Mercedes, audi, Lexus, etc.). The Stinger occupies a fairly niche class in the car market (Performance sedans from non-luxury brands), and actually shares the class with cars like the Dodge Charger. Despite being from a … "non-luxury" brand, the quality of the Stinger easily rivals that of typical luxury brands. All in all, I love my car. It's a blast to drive, the ride is incredibly smooth, and it has great all around performance. I passed up the typical "luxury" brands because of the increased costs, and because I have no interest in being associated with the Uber-bougie reputation those brands are associated with. As for what I think about the vehicle, I would agree with the "cons" described by Edmunds' professional reviewers in that it has pretty poor rear visibility due to its fastback design. It sits rather low as well and with the sloping roofline, it can be difficult to get in and out of. There is some slight jitteriness at times, but I feel this is minimal and isn't worrisome to me. Beyond the aforementioned styling issues, etc., I absolutely love the look and feel of the vehicle. The interior and exterior quality is outstanding for the class of vehicle the Stinger falls in. The interior is incredibly comfortable. While I missed out on the larger 10'' infotainment screen of the 2022, I feel the 8'' screen of the 2021 is plenty large enough. The UI took some getting used to as the car has a lot of available tech, but was easy to use once I spent some time with it. My only other [slight] complaint is the gas mileage. Though, this is somewhat relative, as depending on the vehicle you are coming from, fuel economy may be better or worse. For me the drop to 17/25/20 was an adjustment. That said, I would like to point out that when driven on the Eco setting and driving mildly, my MPG has been consistently higher than the EPA ratings above. When driving on a Highway with 60-70 MPH, the inertia of the car is enough to carry it over hills easily and I was able to get 29 MPG. My combined MPG is usually 21-23. Even though I'm driving on Eco, I feel very loss of performance. All-in-all, I love my new car, and I definitely don't regret my purchase. I love driving my Stinger, and I love seeing other Stingers on the road. I feel like I'm part of an underappreciated car club; especially since the roads in my area are dominated by Lexus, Mercedes, Audi, and BMW. When I see someone driving one of the typical "luxury" brands, I can't help but think that they got duped into paying a lot more for an insignia rather than actual value.

We have a limited number of reviews for the 2022 Kia Stinger, so we've included reviews for other years of the Stinger since its last redesign.

See all 43 reviews of the Kia Stinger

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2022 Stinger Highlights

Trim:

GT-Line

Base MSRP Excludes Destination Fee	$36,290
Engine Type	Gas
Combined MPG	25 MPG
Cost to Drive	$210/month
Seating	5 seats
Cargo Capacity All Seats In Place	23.3 cu.ft.
Drivetrain	rear wheel drive
Warranty	5 years / 60,000 miles

See all features & specs

Safety

Our experts like the Stinger models:

Forward Collision-Avoidance Assistance: Alerts you if a front impact is imminent and applies the brakes if you don't react in time.
Lane Keep Assist: Warns if you are drifting out of your lane and gently nudges you back.
Blind-Spot Collision Warning System: Illuminates a warning light if a car is in your blind spot and beeps if you activate your turn signal in that direction.

NHTSA Overall Rating

The National Highway Transportation Safety Administration offers independent analysis.

Frontal Barrier Crash Rating
Overall4 / 5
Driver5 / 5
Passenger4 / 5
Side Crash Rating
Overall5 / 5
Side Barrier Rating
Overall5 / 5
Driver5 / 5
Passenger5 / 5
Combined Side Barrier & Pole Ratings
Front Seat5 / 5
Back Seat5 / 5
Rollover
Rollover5 / 5
Dynamic Test ResultNo Tip
Risk Of Rollover8.7%

IIHS Rating

The Insurance Institute of Highway Safety uses extensive crash tests to determine car safety.

Small Overlap Front Driver-Side Test
Good
Small Overlap Front Passenger-Side Test
Good
Moderate Overlap Front Test – Original
Good
Moderate Overlap Front Test – Updated
Not Tested
Side Impact Test – Original
Good
Side Impact Test – Updated
Not Tested
Roof Strength Test
Good
Rear Crash Protection / Head Restraint
Good

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2022 Kia Stinger Review

2022 Kia Stinger Review

Pros

Cons

What's new

Overview

Cost to Drive^{Cost to drive estimates for the 2022 Kia Stinger GT-Line 4dr Sedan (2.5L 4cyl Turbo 8A) and comparison vehicles are based on 15,000 miles per year (with a mix of 55% city and 45% highway driving) and energy estimates of $4.45 per gallon for premium unleaded in Ohio.}

What's it like to live with?

Edmunds Expert Rating

Performance

Comfort

Interior

Technology

Storage

Fuel Economy

Value

Wildcard

Which Stinger does Edmunds recommend?

2022 Kia Stinger models

Consumer reviews

Read what other owners think about the Used 2022 Kia Stinger.

Trending topics in reviews

Most helpful consumer reviews

Jack of all Trades, Master of One

Awesome Beast!

Perfect!!

Got myself a 2021 Stinger GT2!

2022 Stinger Highlights

Safety

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2022 Kia Stinger Review

2022 Kia Stinger Review

Pros

Cons

What's new

Overview

Cost to DriveCost to drive estimates for the 2022 Kia Stinger GT-Line 4dr Sedan (2.5L 4cyl Turbo 8A) and comparison vehicles are based on 15,000 miles per year (with a mix of 55% city and 45% highway driving) and energy estimates of $4.45 per gallon for premium unleaded in Ohio.

What's it like to live with?

Edmunds Expert Rating

Performance

Comfort

Interior

Technology

Storage

Fuel Economy

Value

Wildcard

Which Stinger does Edmunds recommend?

2022 Kia Stinger models

Most helpful consumer reviews

Jack of all Trades, Master of One

Awesome Beast!

Perfect!!

Got myself a 2021 Stinger GT2!

2022 Stinger Highlights

Safety

People who viewed this also viewed

Related Used 2022 Kia Stinger info

Vehicle reviews of used models

Shop similar models

Shop used vehicles in your area

Popular new car reviews and ratings

Research other models of Kia

Research similar vehicles

Other models

Join Edmunds

Cost to Drive^{Cost to drive estimates for the 2022 Kia Stinger GT-Line 4dr Sedan (2.5L 4cyl Turbo 8A) and comparison vehicles are based on 15,000 miles per year (with a mix of 55% city and 45% highway driving) and energy estimates of $4.45 per gallon for premium unleaded in Ohio.}