2021 Kia Stinger details revealed – All you need to know

- New ‘Smartstream’ 2.5-litre T-GDi engine for North American customers

- Will go on sale in Korea in third quarter of 2020

Kia Motors has revealed full details for the updated Stinger that features a range of upgrades to amplify its gran turismo character. Along with a refreshed design, the enhanced Kia Stinger includes Kia’s latest driver assist and safety features, as well as improved interior packaging for greater space and comfort. The new Kia Stinger will go on-sale in Korea during the third quarter of 2020, with sales due to commence in many of Kia’s global markets later in the year.   

Engines

The upgraded Stinger offers a revised range of three powerful turbocharged gasoline engines. A new engine has been added to the Stinger line-up, exclusively for North American customers. The new ‘Smartstream’ 2.5-litre T-GDi (Turbocharged Gasoline Direct Injection) four-cylinder engine sits directly between the two existing gasoline powertrains, producing 296bhp at 5,800 rpm and 422Nm of torque between 1,650rpm to 4,000rpm. 

The most powerful engine in the Stinger line-up, a twin-turbo 3.3-litre T-GDi V6 from Kia’s ‘Lambda’ engine family, remains unchanged. The engine gets the Electronic Variable Exhaust Valve system except for units sold in Europe and Russia. This features a small butterfly valve in the exhaust which opens and closes, producing a more prominent, deeper exhaust note in Sport driving modes, or a quieter, more subdued exhaust note in Eco or Comfort mode. The revised exhaust flow path helps to liberate an extra 3bhp from the engine (for a total of 363bhp at 6,000rpm). Its 510Nm torque is accessible from 1,300 to 4,500 rpm.

The 2.0-litre turbocharged four-cylinder ‘Theta’ engine, remains unchanged since the car’s launch in 2017. The engine produces 248bhp at 6,200rpm and 353Nm torque from 1,400 to 4,000 rpm. All three engine options are paired with an eight-speed automatic transmission. 

Features 

Along with an updated cabin, the Kia’s Stinger gets an upgraded touchscreen infotainment system. Depending on market and specification, the upgraded Stinger is now available with an optional new 10.25-inch touchscreen display. Bluetooth multi-connection enables users to connect up to two mobile devices at the same time – one for hands-free phone and multimedia use; the other for media use only. Its advanced split-screen display lets users control or monitor different vehicle features at the same time, customizing the screen with a series of different widgets. The 10.25-inch system offers Apple CarPlay and Android Auto as standard, with a voice control system for many of the car’s features, such as heating and ventilation, audio and navigation.

A new eight-inch touchscreen display with a narrow-bezel design is also available, replacing the previous seven-inch system. Depending on the market, the larger display also offers wireless Android Auto and Apple CarPlay connectivity. Drivers have a choice of two instrument cluster displays, based on vehicle specification. The standard 3.5-inch mono-TFT cluster is now replaced with a larger 4.2-inch colour-TFT LCD cluster, delivering improved visibility and displaying a wider range of information to the driver. In addition, a fully-digital, high-resolution seven-inch ‘Supervision’ cluster is available – a full-colour display with vivid graphics for different driving modes, delivering crystal-clear information to the driver. 

Along with new connected car features, the new Stinger also gets the existing Advanced Driver Assistance Systems (ADAS). The Kia Stinger is unlikely to be launched in India anytime soon.