2021 Kia Stinger GT S priced from £42,595
Kia’s rear-wheel drive Stinger has been updated inside and out, with more customisation on the menu
The Kia Stinger GT hit the road in 2018 as an alternative V6-powered rival to the Audi S5 Sportback and BMW 440i Gran Coupe, and has now been given an update for 2021. The changes have focused on refining its looks, improving quality and updating the interior tech. Currently the sole choice on offer in the UK, the GT S will set you back from £42,595 and is available to pre-order from today.
At the front you’ll find subtly redesigned LED headlights, with tweaked optics and darkened lenses. The rear has more substantial changes, with a new diffuser surrounding enlarged quad exhaust tips. The rear lighting has also been redesigned with a now de-rigueur lightbar spanning the width of the rear rather than just illuminating the outer sections like before.
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Kia will also offer more customisation for buyers, with various design packages and new exterior colour options, such as Ascot Green, now on the options list. 18-inch wheels come as standard, however a freshly-designed 19-inch set is available on the options list. There are also new interior colour options, depending on trim level.
The cabin architecture remains mostly unchanged, but Kia has updated the upper dash to support a larger 10.25-inch infotainment display and extended ambient lighting. High-spec Nappa leather trims are available in black, red or beige alongside the options previously available, with the steering wheel now featuring more premium metallic trim to match the updated instrument cluster.
A host of new driver assistance systems and tech have also been introduced, ranging from the ability to connect more than one Bluetooth device at a time, to the new optional 7-inch instrument cluster and the ‘Blind-Spot View Monitor’, displaying video feeds of blindspots in the instrument cluster at critical points.
A 3.3-litre twin-turbocharged V6 remains under the bonnet, with a more free-flowing valved exhaust system the only change. Oddly, power output has seen a marginal decrease to 361bhp, with torque unchanged at 376lb ft. This is sent to the rear wheels via an eight-speed torque converter automatic for a 4.7sec 0-60mph time and 167mph top speed.
Priced from £42,595 for the GT S, it represents a £1450 increase to the outgoing model. This price hike becomes less significant when the price of its rivals are taken into consideration, however. Mercedes-AMG charges £48,795 for the C43 saloon, while BMW’s latest M340i xDrive is priced yet higher at £50,875, and while both have supposedly more desirable badges, share a similar level of performance and standard equipment as the big Kia.
