Kia Stinger gets more muscle
But bigger, more advanced turbo V6 engine unlikely for South Korean CommodoreKia recently upgraded its flagship sports sedan in Europe and Asia – including Australia – and now a significant update for the US-market Kia Stinger is about to emerge.
While the vehicle’s future remains in limbo, the US-spec 2022 Kia Stinger will premiere on March 16 with “more power, more technology and a refined design”, according to Kia’s North American operations.
Pundits hoping the extra power and technology will take the form of the lusty new 3.5-litre twin-turbo V6 (280kW/530Nm) from the Genesis G80 may be disappointed, however.
It’s understood the US-market model will continue to offer the same 3.3-litre twin-turbo petrol V6 as other markets, which gets a small 2kW (2.6hp) power bump and no extra torque, resulting in 274kW of power (368hp) and 510Nm of torque.
However, Kia could be set to replace the entry-level 2.0-litre turbo-petrol engine (182kW/353Nm) with a more potent 2.5-litre turbo-petrol four (225kW/420Nm), which adds more muscle.
All engine types are hooked up to a conventional eight-speed automatic transmission.
Other changes to the US-market 2022 Kia Stinger will mirror the changes seen in the upgraded Aussie versions, with minor exterior changes but lots of cabin loot, including a larger 10.2-inch central touch-screen replacing the smaller 8.0-inch unit.
Several active and passive safety upgrades will be added too, chief among them a blind spot monitor borrowed from the award-winning Kia Sorento that sends a live video feed to the driver’s instrument display when the indicator is chocked on.
New leather seat upholstery and adjustable ambient LED lights in the cabin are also part of the upgrade package.
The US market and its acceptance of the Kia Stinger will be crucial to its future, and if the update fails to reignite interest in the model, Kia may not renew it for the next generation.
One of the reasons the Stinger has failed to fire up new car buyers is the cost of up-spec models, which many buyers believe are too expensive for a Kia.
In Australia, the range starts at $49,550 plus on-road costs for the 2.0-litre turbo-petrol model (182kW/353Nm) and tops out at $60,990 for the V6 turbo Stinger GT, which accounts for the lion’s share of sales.
Given the US-market Kia Stinger price has gone up by around $US3000 on some models, the car’s continued development is not set in stone.
The sales of the Kia Stinger in Australia are up almost 30 per cent after the first two months of 2021, from 261 to 338 units, suggesting the facelift has generated more interest among buyers.
However, the idea that the Stinger would swoop in and convert rusted-on Holden Commodore and Ford Falcon buyers with its big engine and rear-drive set-up never eventuated.
In recent times, Kia Australia’s chief operating officer, Damien Meredith, declared that Aussies are out of love with rear-drive vehicles.
Related: Kia Stinger cops hefty price rise
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