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The vehicle cruises with ease and gets to triple digit speeds in no time
Performance – Globally the Kia Stinger GT is available with a choice of 1 diesel and 2 petrol engines. The one we’re driving is the range-topping trim which comes powered by a 3.3-litre twin turbo Lambda II V6 petrol motor which produces 365 HP of power at 6000 RPM and 510 Nm of torque at 1300-4500 RPM. Switch it on and the traditional V6 motor’s growl makes its presence felt. On the move, initially, you will notice some lag but as the revs build, especially in the mid and top-end, there is good amount of performance on offer. The engine feels punchy and just keeps pulling, pulling and pulling. Power delivery is linear and the 0-100 km/hr sprint is covered in under 5 seconds (4.7 to be precise). The powerplant redlines slightly above 6000 RPM and only in the higher rev band, you do notice some wind and tyre noise creeping into the cabin. Otherwise, NVH levels are great.
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The 8-speed automatic gearbox feels lethargic to respond
The V6 petrol engine has a lot of grunt and offers exciting performance
An 8-speed torque converter gearbox takes care of the transmission duties. It swaps cogs efficiently and there are steering mounted paddle shifters should you choose to manually take control of things. However, in the manual mode, the gearbox tends to upshift quite soon thereby robbing off some fun. Fuel efficiency is around 6-9 km/l if driven sedately.
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The chassis of the Stinger is well-tuned offering tight handling
Driving Dynamics – We have to say that this is the most dynamic Korean car we’ve ever driven! Handling is great and the steering, well, at city speeds is light and weighs up just right at highway speeds. The feel and feedback from the steering too is generous. There are five driving modes to choose from, Smart, Comfort, Eco, Sport and Custom. These alter the responses from the engine, steering, transmission and the dampers. The ride quality is compliant on good roads but feels choppy on the bad section of road due to the low profile rubber. Having said that, the highway stability is good as the Stinger feels glued to the roads at all times and the grip from the tyres is commendable. The brakes are strong and offer tremendous stopping power.
