The 2022 Kia Stinger GT is the ultimate sleeper. It’s a grand tourer with luxury and power in equal measure. The brand name might not give people the chills, but South Korean automaker Kia has got a winner with this sporty saloon.
There are three configurations for the 2022 Kia Stinger GT. There’s the GT-Line, GT1, and GT2. The GT-Line model comes with nearly every advanced safety feature on the market and a peppy turbocharged four-cylinder engine. The GT1 steps up to V6 power and adds plenty of performance upgrades to match. The GT2 takes the interior of the Stinger to the heights of luxury with heated seats and Nappa leather. There’s also the Scorpion special edition model.
The Scorpion special edition outfits the Kia Stinger GT with a stylish rear spoiler, black fender accents with matching side mirrors, and smoky chrome exhaust ports. There are black 19-inch polished wheels under the fenders and special body paint colors like Snow White, Aurora Black, and Ceramic Silver. The interior gets bonus carbon fiber trims.
Performance Capabilities of the 2022 Kia Stinger GT
The standard 2022 Kia Stinger GT-Line has a 2.5 Liter turbo-four under the hood. It produces 300 horsepower and 311 lb. ft. of torque. The Kia Stinger had a version of this four-cylinder powertrain in the 2021 model, but this turbo four-cylinder engine is new for 2022. It produces about 40 more HP than the previous year’s entry-level Stinger.
2022 Kia K5 Trim Levels and Standard Features
Transmission
The 2022 Kia Stinger has an 8-speed automatic transmission with paddle shifters. There’s an available electronic shift-by-wire transmission, as well. There are five different driving modes that link up throttle, torque, suspension, and steering to create unique driving profiles.
You can outfit the Kia Stinger GT with rear-wheel drive or all-wheel drive. Rear-wheel-drive models come with a limited-slip differential (LSD) while all-wheel-drive Stingers get an electronically controlled transfer case and dynamic torque vectoring control. The all-wheel drive has torque vectoring just like the Audi S4 and the AMG C43. Those sports cars are a bit faster though. The Audi S4 can go from zero to 60 in 4.2 seconds.
Engine
The top models are the Stinger GT1 and GT2. These models come with a 3.3. Liter, twin-turbo V6 engine that pumps out 368 horsepower and 376 pound-feet of torque. It rips from zero to 60 in 4.7 seconds. The 2022 Stinger GT1 and GT2 have launch control and a valved exhaust system. The electronic variable exhaust affects the engine note for a robust, athletic sound.
Suspension
The 2022 Kia Stinger GT comes with high-performance dampers, a multi-link rear suspension, and MacPherson struts in the front. An electronically controlled suspension comes standard on the GT1 and GT2. The GT1 and GT2 also have larger red Brembo brake calipers.
Fuel Economy
Gas mileage might be the thorn in the paw of the 2022 Kia Stinger. Rear-wheel-drive models equipped with a four-cylinder engine get the best gas mileage. The GT-Line with rear-wheel drive gets 22 MPG in the city and a surprising 32 miles per gallon on the highway. However, all-wheel-drive models suffer significantly. The GT1 and GT2 with all-wheel drive and a V6 powertrain only get 17 MPG in urban settings and 24 MPG on the highway.
Style Elements of the New Kia Stinger
The Kia Stinger was always an aggressive-looking sports car. The 2022 model comes back with sharper wheel designs, improved LED lighting, and four exhaust ports in the rear. The LED taillights now cross the whole rear-end liftgate. It’s as if the Stinger finally looked in the mirror and realized just how competitive it really can be against the big name brands.
The 2022 Kia Stinger has a long hood, swept-back windshield, and low-riding interior that marks it as a grand tourer. There are chrome air intakes on the front and sides of the vehicle. You can outfit the Stinger GT with 18-inch wheels on the GT-Line model. The GT1 and GT2 come with 19-inch Spire alloy wheels. Michelin all-season tires are optional. Pilot Sport summer tires come as standard equipment on all the new Stinger GT models.
Real Review of the 2021 Porsche 911 Turbo
Luxurious Interior of the 2022 Stinger GT
The interior of the 2022 Kia Stinger GT has a cockpit aesthetic reminiscent of the Mercedes-Benz SLR coupe. The center console of the Stinger GT has three large air conditioning vents in the place where most automakers place their touchscreen interface. The 2022 Kia Stinger GT has shifted the display to the top of the dashboard so that drivers won’t need to take their eyes off the road to access navigation and infotainment. The Stinger comes with a 10-and-a quarter-inch touchscreen display.
“No detail was too small to be obsessed over,” noted Orth Hedrick, Executive Director, Car Product & Telematics on the Kia website.
Colors
The interior has red, black, or beige Nappa leather upholstery with glossy black and chrome accents sprinkled throughout the cabin. The front bucket seats are oriented in a low, almost reclining posture. The rear bench fits two people and provides the type of stretching room you’d expect from a grand tourer.
Dimensions
There are 23.3 cubic feet of cargo volume and 93.8 cubic feet of total passenger volume. There are 37 inches of headroom and 36.4 inches of legroom in the rear. Front passengers have the best use of the interior space with 38.3 inches of headroom and 42.6 inches of legroom.
Tech
The 7-inch LCD instrument cluster is bright with a functional layout. It tells you pertinent performance data such as turbocharger boost levels and cornering g-forces. A Heads-up Display projects your vehicle’s speed and navigation directions. The interior also has ambient LED lighting that comes standard.
The entry model doesn’t come with a sunroof. You can add the Sun and Sound package which outfits the Stinger with a wide sunroof, 8-way power adjustable passenger seats to enjoy it, and a premium Harman Kardon sound system with 15 speakers.
Safety Features from Kia
In the safety department, the Stinger GT comes with automatic emergency braking, blind-spot collision warnings, and lane-keeping assist. You don’t have to pay an extra premium for these features. They come standard on the 2022 Kia Stinger GT.
The only safety feature that doesn’t come standard on all Stinger GT models is the blind-spot view monitor. Otherwise, every 2022 Stinger GT gets rear cross-traffic collision avoidance, driver attention warning, forward collision warnings, and pedestrian detection.
At the Finish Line
The 2022 Kia Stinger has an MSRP of $36,090 for the GT-Line model. If you’re not that interested in performance, then it’s a hard sell to choose the GT1 over the entry-level GT-Line Stinger. It already produces 300 horsepower and that’s more than enough power for most drivers. Plus, all of the best safety gear comes standard on the entry model. The 2022 Kia Stinger GT2 costs $53,490. It’s simply the best performance vehicle that Kia has ever produced.
“Nobody expected such a car. Not just the way it looks but also the way it drives.” – Albert Biermann, Head of Vehicle Test & High-Performance Development
The Kia Stinger quietly competes with the Audi S4, BMW M340i, and the Mercedes-Benz AMG C43. It’s just as capable and stylish with a much prettier price tag. The Kia Stinger could possibly be Kia’s last internal combustion engine (ICE) sports car. Then again, perhaps consumers will demand that automakers keep making a small batch of ICE vehicles for people who simply love them and don’t want to make the shift to electric cars. In either case, the 2022 Kia Stinger GT is a sure bet. It costs less than a German sports car but hangs with the pack. If you’re a driving purist then it shouldn’t matter what logo is on the hood. It’s what’s under the hood that matters the most.