When you think of a sports car, your thoughts probably instantly go to a two-door coupe. While this is usually the case, there are other vehicle designs out there, including the 2020 Kia Stinger. The Stinger is genuinely unlike anything else you’ll find on the market, especially for its price range. With the powerful V6 twin-turbocharged engine, you’ll feel like you spent twice the kind of money (at least) as you did with the 2020 Kia Stinger. Truthfully the only real way you can experience the thrill of a Stinger is if you stop by a neighborhood Kia dealership and take it for a test drive yourself. However, before you make it out to the lot, here is just a bit of insight to help wet your whistle.
Two Engine Options
The Kia Stinger is available with two different engines. Each of these engines is paired with an eight-speed automatic transmission. This helps provide smooth shifts and acceleration. Because let’s get real here. We’ve all been in a car where the changes between gears seem to lag, and the engine is almost screaming out, wanting to shift up, but the transmission hasn’t caught up. Well, with the eight-speed transmission, that is a thing of the past.
The entry-level engine for the 2020 Kia Stinger is a 2.0L Turbocharged I4. Even though it is a smaller engine, it still has plenty of power where it counts. This includes 255 horsepower and 260 lb-ft of torque. Plus, with your I4, you’ll be able to go from 0 to 60 in 5.9 seconds. If you want the larger, more powerful engine, you will end up with a 3.3L Twin-Turbo V6. This engine is going to give you 365 horsepower and 376 lb-ft of torque. All of this put together, and you’ll end with the capability of going 0 to 60 in 4.7 seconds.
Several Trims To Choose From
The 2020 Kia Stinger will come out with several trims available. The base trim is the GT-Line, which has an initial MSRP of $33,090. This will come using the 2.0L Turbo I4 as the standard engine. The next trim up is the GT, which has a starting MSRP of $39,500. With this trim, you’ll receive the upgraded 3.3L V6 Twin Turbo as standard. It also gives you the upgraded Brembo Brake system and 19-inch alloy wheels, plus several upgrades. If you’re considering the 2020 Kia Stinger, we highly suggest starting with this. While the price point is more than $6K higher, we think the combination of the improved sound system, larger engine, and better brakes (plus several other upgrades) it is more than worth the price increase.
Next up is the GT1 and finally, the GT2. The GT1 has a starting MSRP of $45,400 and comes with a sunroof, larger touchscreen, and available torque-vectoring AWD (which allows it to function closer to a four-wheel-drive drivetrain thanks to shifting torque to different wheels). The GT2 has a starting MSRP of $50,300 and comes with added seat features, Nappa leather, and an impressive smart power trunk.
The Finely Tuned Chassis
In the day of crossovers and sedans being built side by side, you’ll often find several vehicles are constructed on the same assembly line. This is actually why a vehicle obtains the “crossover” title. It is because it is a sport utility vehicle built on a sedan frame (realistically though many original SUVs could be considered a crossover of pickups as early SUVs were built on truck assembly lines). The 2020 Kia Stinger is not like that, though. Other vehicles will often share the same chassis, which means one car might not handle or perform as well as the other. However, the Stinger has been expertly tuned to give you optimal feedback and exceptional grip.
The expertly tuned chassis begins with the MacPherson front strut and f-link rear suspension geometry. This allows the entire suspension system to keep up with your engine. One of the bigger problems cars with powerful engines tend to run into is the suspension has not been adequately tuned to keep up with the faster performing car. This leads to slipping, and the suspension does not offer a smooth ride. You need a responsive suspension that can take everything the road throws at it. This is all possible with the MacPherson Struts and rear suspension design.
The Stinger is primarily a rear-wheel-drive sedan. By handing control of the vehicle to the rear wheels, it is easier to drive and make the necessary corrections to the front end of your vehicle. If you are accustomed to front-wheel-drive cars, it will take some getting used to as you won’t need to steer as hard to correct the nose of your vehicle. You’ll also be able to make harder turns with the rear power. Of course, when it is needed, the all-wheel-drive drivetrain can take over.
Brakes To Match
It doesn’t do you any good if you can’t stop your Stinger. That is why it is so important to pair exceptional brakes to a car with a powerful engine. With the 2020 Stinger, Kia has included a Brembo Brake system. And don’t worry, everyone will be able to see your brake setup as the calipers are painted a bright red. This way, even when the wheels are in motion, the red calipers with the white “Brembo” logo will shine through.
The front calipers use four pistons to apply pressure to the brake pads. This ensures the brake pads are pressed against the rotors evenly. Cars that have only two pistons upfront may not receive even pressure, which can lead to warping of the pads. It also causes the brakes to take longer to stop.
Sounds Of More Than The Engine
There is a major thrill with the turbo V6 engine coming to life. However, there will be times where you want to listen to more than just the engine. When this is the case, you’ll want to take advantage of the Harman Kardon Premium Audio system. This system pumps 720 watts of pure musical power into your vehicle through 15 expertly placed speakers. This includes speakers built into the doors, seats, front dash, and throughout the entire vehicle. Combined with the excellent soundproofing of the Stinger and you’ll listen to your music and not all the city noise going on around you.
Discover The Thrill Of The Four-Door Sports Car
Let’s face it. Sometimes a sports coupe isn’t all that practical. Perhaps you have a family and need room for more than just one passenger. Or maybe you need trunk space, and the two-door, two-passenger design isn’t something that will give you what you need. Whatever the case may be, when you want performance at an affordable price tag with a four-door design, the 2020 Kia Stinger is exactly the kind of car you should be driving. But don’t merely take our word for it. We absolutely love the 2020 Kia Stinger, but we’ve found the best way to truly experience it is to naturally sit behind the wheel. So visit your local Kia dealership to take it for a spin!
