Fresh Kia Stinger gets new lights, more noise & grunt

KIA Motors Australia (KMAu) has revealed pricing and detailed specification lists of its new facelifted Stinger sports-sedan with the big rear-wheel-drive fastback scoring a new bi-modal exhaust resulting in a marginal power bump for the six-cylinder variants.

On top of the facelift and new exhaust, KMAu has also seized the opportunity to update the Stinger’s interior with the main change being an enhanced (bigger) 10.25-inch touchscreen infotainment system.

The upgrades do come at a cost however with the base 200S now carrying a $49,550 asking price before on-road costs, marking an increase of $2160.

It is a similar story with the more lavishly equipped GT-Line however its price increase of $740 to $57,230 is more modest, unlike the 330S and flagship GT which have gone up by $2940 and $2270 apiece to $53,330 and $63,260 respectively.

On the style front – often the most important part of a facelift – the Stinger has been treated to new darkened LED headlights and redesigned tail-light clusters, the latter of which is complemented by a new full-width light signature designed to mimic the outline of the integrated boot-spoiler.

Chequered flag-resembling LED rear indicators have also been added to the package while the 330S and GT also pick up larger diameter exhaust tips; a visual clue as to the new bi-modal system fitted as standard.

The addition of the new system was primarily conceived to enhance the soundtrack of the twin-turbocharged 3.3-litre V6 petrol engine residing under the bonnet but in practise it has ended up liberating an extra 2kW of power, boosting the total kilowatt count to 274 while torque remains steady at 510Nm.

No changes have been made under the bonnet of the four-cylinder (2.0L turbo) models which continue to develop 182kW/353Nm.

Drive in all variants is still sent exclusively to the rear wheels via an eight-speed automatic transmission.

Kia Motors Australia chief operating officer Damien Meredith said that while the Stinger was launched into an uncertain market, its sales have been consistently pleasing, especially the six-cylinder variants.

“Australians have always loved and desired a performance edge to their family transport, and in the Stinger they have the joy of driving enthusiastically and the confidence of safe family touring,” he said.

“While it is no surprise that it is the performance engine which garners the most interest and excitement, the 2.0-litre variant is a slow burner with growing interest in an increasing number of areas.”

Safety is the other key area to have been given an upgrade as part of the facelift with all variants now coming as standard with cyclist detection and junction assist functions within the autonomous emergency braking system, improved lane keep assistance and as well as lane following assist.

The GT-Line and GT up the ante further with rear cross-traffic collision-avoidance assist, blind spot collision-avoidance assist, blind spot view monitor as seen on the Sorento as well as safe exit warning.

Other key upgrades across the range include multi-connection Bluetooth connectivity and remote engine starting while the 200S and 330S’ 3.5-inch mono-TFT display has been replaced by a more advanced 4.2-inch colour-TFT unit.

The GT-Line and GT meanwhile score 64-colour ambient lighting, revised interior stitching and four different opening heights for the power tailgate.

Hyundai Motor Group product division boss Thomas Schemera said the upgraded Stinger builds on the previous model’s “well-established grand touring ethos, with a renewed sense of design flair, new technologies, and greater usability enhancing its appeal for buyers in markets around the world”.

KMAu has sold 1661 Stingers so far this year ending November, accounting for 57.1 per cent of the sub-$70,000 large car segment, marking a one per cent sales increase year-on-year.

2021 Kia Stinger pricing*

*Excludes on-road costs