It seems only yesterday that we were waving goodbye to our long-term Stinger, the first Kia ever to conduct a credible burnout on these pages.
Such wanton displays of exuberance have hardly been intrinsically linked to the South Korean brand since it was launched in the UK in 1991 with the misleadingly named Pride hatchback, but the Stinger (aside from being much more suited to its moniker) is a bit of a departure from normality. For starters, there’s the method of propulsion: a 3.3-litre turbocharged petrol V6 sending a useful 365bhp and 376lb ft to the rear axle, which is good for a 0-62mph time of 4.9sec and a top speed of 168mph.
A genuinely fast car, then, and one that doesn’t fall apart at the sight of a sharp bend, either. After five months with our long-term test car, we deemed it more a grand tourer than a bona fide B-road weapon, but it didn’t come away all that red-faced from a battle with the Jaguar XE S and BMW 440i, which is testament to its well-roundedness and segment-leading value for money.
This last factor really got tongues wagging following the Stinger’s launch in 2017. Little more than £40,000 bagged the top-spec V6 car, and anyone who baulked at the prospect of a cut-price sporty exec with a Kia badge was quickly silenced by its laudable build quality and remarkably well-appointed cabin.
There were flies in the Sunset Yellow ointment, though, among them the car’s dim-witted gearbox and limited array of drive modes, but little really to discourage the discerning driving enthusiast on a budget from taking the plunge.
The appeal only becomes more intense when the price gets lower, too, such as on the 2019 car we found. Its Ember Orange paint will prove polarising, but given how rare the Stinger is, it’s likely to turn heads whichever the colour. At just 18 months old, it has fewer than 6000 miles on the clock and packs every goodie in the box. Give in to the buzz and add it to your hive. Sorry.
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I like that silk finished esprit, another car for my dream garage.
Agree 100% about the Swift, lightweight FWD hatches with appropriate tyres is the way to go. My boss prefers taking his wife's winter tyred Yaris out in the slippy stuff to his own heavy Freelander.
I dont agree on the Lotus, though, that old-looking paint finish has completely devalued it for me. In contrast, that lovely shiny orange on the Stinger looks great.