westcoastGT
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Sign me up right now. The all-new Kia Stinger is here and it’s really, really good. This new sports model is a twin-turbocharged Korean rocket built to satisfy your need for thrills ‘n’ thrust.
Turns out, she’s pretty fantastic in the snow, too.
Here’s the setup: $44,000 gets you into a Kia Stinger, and $50,000 gets you into a top-dog Stinger GT Limited with all of the fancies. Both rock a 3.3-litre V6 with twin-turbo, good for 365 horsepower. All units get four doors, four seats, eight paddle-shiftable gears, and an all-wheel-drive system as good as any I’ve ever tested.
My tester was wearing a set of (advised) Pirelli Sottozero winter tires, and we travelled through some of the worst weather of the year together. If you’re considering a Stinger for year-round use, but you’re worried about how it’ll do in the winter, don’t be.
The AWD system works all but instantly, is smart and intuitive, and comes backed by braking, steering and stability control systems that are finely honed for predictable, pleasing and obedient responses on all surfaces — even in several inches of deep slush.
Stick two of the Stingers’ four tires in deep snow or slush, and the other two on bare pavement, and drill the brakes. Outcome? It bites hard, stops in a hurry, and does this all while staying straight as an arrow, rather than pitching violently to one side, which is the normal reaction in many rides. Expert programming of the chassis control systems is a key reason why.
Accelerate over greasy surfaces, with traction coming and going under each wheel, and it’s a similar story: little wheel spin, no fuss and traction galore. There’s even a heaviness to the steering, which helps the Stinger feel locked on while still transmitting decent feel about the traction situation at the front tires to the driver.
The engine is a flexible performer: drive gently and you hardly know it’s there, other than via a quiet but ever-present hum. Massive low-end torque gets you up to speed in a jiff, with just a glance at the throttle.
Hammer down and it feels like a sumo wrestler is sitting on your chest (don’t ask) as the Stinger rapidly consumes the pavement ahead. Paddle-activated shifts come after a brief delay but are generally satisfying. I can’t imagine anyone wishing for more power, though it’s totally happy to play nice when a leisurely drive is in order. 2018 Kia Stinger GT Limited offers thrills, thrust and winter capability
Turns out, she’s pretty fantastic in the snow, too.
Here’s the setup: $44,000 gets you into a Kia Stinger, and $50,000 gets you into a top-dog Stinger GT Limited with all of the fancies. Both rock a 3.3-litre V6 with twin-turbo, good for 365 horsepower. All units get four doors, four seats, eight paddle-shiftable gears, and an all-wheel-drive system as good as any I’ve ever tested.
My tester was wearing a set of (advised) Pirelli Sottozero winter tires, and we travelled through some of the worst weather of the year together. If you’re considering a Stinger for year-round use, but you’re worried about how it’ll do in the winter, don’t be.
The AWD system works all but instantly, is smart and intuitive, and comes backed by braking, steering and stability control systems that are finely honed for predictable, pleasing and obedient responses on all surfaces — even in several inches of deep slush.
Stick two of the Stingers’ four tires in deep snow or slush, and the other two on bare pavement, and drill the brakes. Outcome? It bites hard, stops in a hurry, and does this all while staying straight as an arrow, rather than pitching violently to one side, which is the normal reaction in many rides. Expert programming of the chassis control systems is a key reason why.
Accelerate over greasy surfaces, with traction coming and going under each wheel, and it’s a similar story: little wheel spin, no fuss and traction galore. There’s even a heaviness to the steering, which helps the Stinger feel locked on while still transmitting decent feel about the traction situation at the front tires to the driver.
The engine is a flexible performer: drive gently and you hardly know it’s there, other than via a quiet but ever-present hum. Massive low-end torque gets you up to speed in a jiff, with just a glance at the throttle.
Hammer down and it feels like a sumo wrestler is sitting on your chest (don’t ask) as the Stinger rapidly consumes the pavement ahead. Paddle-activated shifts come after a brief delay but are generally satisfying. I can’t imagine anyone wishing for more power, though it’s totally happy to play nice when a leisurely drive is in order. 2018 Kia Stinger GT Limited offers thrills, thrust and winter capability
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