Long Term

2018 Kia Stinger GT Long-Term Update | It's a hatch!

Sportback, actually

  • Trim
    GT1
  • Engine
    3.3L Twin-Turbo V6
  • Power
    365 HP / 376 LB-FT
  • Transmission
    8-Speed Automatic
  • 0-60 Time
    4.7 Seconds
  • Top Speed
    167 MPH
  • Drivetrain
    All-Wheel Drive
  • Engine Placement
    Front
  • Seating
    2+3
  • Cargo
    23.3 CU-FT
  • MPG
    17 City / 25 Highway
  • Warranty
    5 Year/ 60,000 Mile
  • As Tested Price
    $46,620
Our long-term 2018 Kia Stinger GT is a lovely sedan. We've talked a bit about what it's like to live with day-to-day and just how well the GT badge fits on a car like this. It's racked up more than 10,000 miles in the few months it's been in our fleet. I'm personally hoping we can crest 20,000 miles before its year with us is up. The sleek design (both inside and out), sharp handling and peppy 3.3-liter twin-turbo V6 might get all the attention, but people tend to forget it's practical, too. Just look at that cargo area!

I sometimes forget that most people don't spend all day and night thinking about cars, poring over photos and spec sheets like we do. When I posted a photo on Twitter last month, one commenter seemed quite surprised to realize that the Stinger had a hatch rather than a trunk. It's one of my favorite things about this car, but it seems it's not common knowledge. If we can't get a true wagon, hatches like the Stinger, the Porsche Panamera and Audi A5/S5/RS5 Sportback are great alternatives.
The Stinger has 23.3 cubic feet of space with the seats up, though Kia doesn't list the area with the seats down. For reference, the Kia Optima has 15.9 cubic-feet in its trunk.

Winter in Detroit sucks, and the Stinger GT's standard Michelin Pilot Sport 4S summer tires aren't ideal for sub-freezing temperatures. Nokian Tyres was kind enough to donate a set of Hakkapeliitta studless winter tires for the Stinger (more on those in another post soon). When the tires arrived, I put the seats down and threw all four in the back of the car and took it to the tire shop. I had to remove the sun shade, but that was the only real fitment issue.

2019 Kia Stinger GT

About a week later, just before Christmas, Amazon dropped the price on a 55-inch TV I've had my eye on for months. I placed my order and had it shipped to our office lest package thieves steal it from my porch. I wasn't sure it would fit in the Stinger, but it was just about perfect. Another half inch and I would have needed our long-term Honda Ridgeline.

Related Video:

Kia Stinger Information

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