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2025 Car Mileage with the Best Gas Mileage2021 Kia Stinger Review: A Stylish and Engaging Sport Sedan
How does the 2021 Kia Stinger compare to other sedans in its price range? We look at powertrain, trim levels, and more. Find out our thoughts here.
2021 Kia Stinger – kiamedia.com | Shop 2021 Kia Stinger on Carsforsale.com
What’s new for the 2021 Kia Stinger?
The 2021 Kia Stinger sees no changes for this model year.
The Breakdown
Incredible performance
Hugely practical
Elegant styling
Outdated tech
Some cheaper materials
No luxury panache
We hope we get a second generation
2021 Stinger Specs
- 255 horsepower from base engine
- 260 lb-ft of torque from base engine
- 4 available trims
- 23.3 cu-ft of cargo capacity
- Android and Apple connectivity
- IIHS Top Safety Pick
- Unbeaten 10-year powertrain warranty
2021 Kia Stinger Powertrain
The base engine in the Stinger GT-Line is a 2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder with 255-hp and 260 lb-ft of torque. That’s more than enough to put it at or well above many other sedans in this price range. The other three trim levels use a twin-turbocharged V6 with 365-hp and 376 lb-ft of torque. Quite simply, it’s on a different level with regard to performance. It’s seriously fast and has no trouble embarrassing cars that cost much more. Buyers who go for the RWD version will get a limited-slip differential to help with exiting turns more quickly and AWD owners get Kia’s torque vectoring to help keep speed up through turns.
Regardless of which powertrain you choose, the way the Stinger handles and behaves when driven vigorously actually stands out more than any other characteristic in our eyes. To say that it might be better than big-name brands like BMW, Audi, or Mercedes in terms of driving refinement isn’t a stretch. Steering inputs are met with clear verbose communication from the chassis and tires. Impressively, it takes seriously irresponsible driving to unsettle the Stinger and we can’t say that about many other sedans today. The GT1 and GT2 trims get an adaptive suspension that makes this car even better in the bends. There are a lot of front-wheel-drive-biased sedans on the market that pretend to be fast and fun to drive but the Kia Stinger proves that they’re just posers.
2021 Kia Stinger Fuel Economy & MPG
The EPA estimates that the 2.0-liter Stinger will get up to 22 mpg in the city and 29 on the highway which is excellent for the class. The V6 drops those numbers to 17 and 25 respectively which isn’t too bad but might be low enough to put off some buyers.
Interior, Comfort, & Cargo Space
Kia has come a long way with regard to its cabin quality in recent years and the Stinger is no exception. The seats are supportive, sporty, and comfortable. The layout feels modern and engaging too and we appreciate the excellent outward visibility. The rear seats are comfortable and spacious enough for adults too. Cargo area is excellent too thanks to the hatchback. In fact, it’s that hatchback design that makes the Stinger one of the most well-rounded cars in this segment.
The only downside with regard to the Stinger’s interior is that Kia certainly saved some cash in certain spaces. For instance, the door sills and floor mats are very generic. In addition, the steering wheel features quite a bit of cheapish feeling rubber and plastic. Some of the buttons are also that same hard plastic. These are the most obvious features that demonstrate how Kia made a car this good and this inexpensive.
Entertainment & Technology
Perhaps the only place where the Stinger is disappointing is when it comes to technology. It was good when it first arrived on the scene many years ago but today, it’s outdated. The infotainment system is a simple 7-inch unit and while it works great for what it is, it’s just too small and a bit too slow to keep up with the competition. An 8-inch unit is available but isn’t much of an improvement. Thankfully, Android Auto and Apple CarPlay are both standard which eases some of the frustration. Finally, we’d love to see the gauge cluster updated to keep in line with more advanced Kia models that have digital displays. Thankfully, they addressed these issues with the 2022 model year.
Safety Features
The 2021 Kia Stinger is an IIHS Top Safety Pick and was awarded five stars by the NHTSA in its crash testing. In addition, every Stinger comes with blind-spot monitoring and rear cross-traffic alert. While we’d love to see more advanced driver assistance features come standard, we’re happy that they’re available.
2021 Kia Stinger Trims & Pricing
GT-Line – $31,135
The base Stinger comes with the 2.0-liter engine along with 18-inch wheels, dual-zone automatic climate control, a 7-inch infotainment system, six speakers, a wireless charging pad, heated front seats, and a power-adjustable driver’s seat. An optional Sun and Sound package adds a 15-speaker Harman Kardon premium audio system, integrated navigation, a larger 8-inch infotainment system, a sunroof, and a power-adjustable passenger seat.
GT – $40,635
This trim gets the V6 and adds LED headlights, ambient interior lighting, a nine-speaker audio system, front parking sensors, adaptive cruise control, and either a limited-slip differential or torque vectoring depending on whether you choose rear or all-wheel-drive.
GT1 – $46,535
Consider the GT1 as the first luxury trim of the Stinger with a power-adjustable steering wheel, ventilated front seats, automatic wipers, adaptive suspension dampers, forward collision mitigation, lane departure mitigation, the 8-inch infotainment screen along with 15 speakers, a sunroof, and auto-dimming wing mirrors.
GT2 – $51,435
This trim gets every option including a heads-up display, adaptive headlights, adjustable thigh bolsters for the driver’s seat, premium leather upholstery, heated rear seats, and a 360-degree camera system.
Warranties
Every Stinger comes with an excellent five-year or 60,000-mile limited warranty and a ten-year or 100,000-mile powertrain warranty. Those are unbeaten across the entire automotive landscape and frankly, other brands need to catch up.
What We think
2021 Kia Stinger – kiamedia.com | Shop 2021 Kia Stinger on Carsforsale.com
It should be no surprise that we love this car. Every important aspect of a sedan, not just a sports sedan, is present here save for incredible fuel economy. The tech isn’t perfect but despite being a little older it’s still highly functional. This car is comfortable, practical, and stylish. It also has an incredible warranty that even extends to the second owner. At the end of the day, the way this car drives makes up for any of its very minor shortcomings. It encourages drivers to be more engaged behind the wheel and that’s not something most vehicles can claim, especially at this price.
