Feature: 2019 Kia Stinger GT - YouTube

Now, this is a well-kept secret and when it was unboxed during the most recent Manila

International Auto Show, it caused quite a bit of buzz.

I say every manufacturer has to have a ‘halo car,’ it has to have a car that people would

want to get behind the wheel and drive, and for Kia Philippines, I must say it’s the

Kia Stinger.

Come on, let’s take a drive.

Let’s get to know the Kia Stinger.

There’s something about the purity of a four-door sedan with a longitudinally mounted

engine driving the rear wheels.

This is a very traditional layout, and it’s something that hasn’t been abandoned by

leading car manufacturers in the world—I mean, BMW, Audi.

I’m likening the Stinger to the sedans that those car manufacturers produce, and it’s

a really big surprise coming from a Kia,

you know?

It feels very European to me right now, it feels very German actually when it comes to

the feel of the switchgear and the surfaces, all of the switchgear and everything feels

very high-class.

You know, you even have the seats that can be heated or cooled.

So you got the touchscreen display.

The Stinger has Apple CarPlay and the Android version of it so it’s really

convenient, but I must say, it also has one of the best-sounding stereos I’ve ever come

across.

Our photographer Ian Magbanua is a music producer, and he pointed out, ‘Wow, each door has

a bass, mid-range, and a tweeter,’ and it just sounds really good and the bass is really

good.

You’ll enjoy your tunes in the Stinger.

It has an excellent driving position, the seats can be adjusted in so many ways, it

also has additional lumbar support.

Now, for guys who enjoy driving, it’s kind of difficult to get the right driving position

if you’re a tall guy. But with a telescoping wheel, I can just bring it forward and

it’s almost at my chest and it’s the perfect driving position

for me and I just love it.

Combined with what the Stinger is, it’s a driver’s car for sure.

Under the hood is 3.3-liter twin-turbocharged V6 that generates 365hp and 510Nm of torque.

That torque goes through the rear wheels through an eight-speed automatic transmission that shifts

lightning quick.

Now, let’s get to the good stuff.

The good stuff that I really appreciate is that the Stinger is fitted with an LSD at

the back as standard.

So you can really feel this as you’re exiting corners, the Stinger just powers out of them

with ease.

I love that they highlight that this sedan has an LSD because that’s something performance-oriented

drivers always look for in their cars.

One of the nicer features that this car has is the electronically controlled damping,

and it all can be done through a drive mode selector.

You can choose between Sport, Comfort, Smart, Eco, and Custom.

Here we are, we’re driving on Sport mode now, and the paddle shifters behind the

wheel, de rigueur of course, very convenient, naturally.

But power delivery is just fantastic, and the eight-speed transmission just shifts so smoothly.

Now, the brochure says that the top speed of the Stinger is 270kph so, I can’t even

imagine going that fast on our local roads, but yes, it’s nice to have a car that has

that capability.

You can tell a lot about a car by how well it manages crappy roads.

Driving on EDSA, the roads really suck, you know what I’m saying?

Despite this car being delivered to me with 37psi all around, and despite it riding on

these massive 19-inch rims, the ride is surprisingly good.

But it’s not enough for a car to isolate you from the bumps, it has to also give you

the proper road feel and feedback.

Now, the Stinger, in the short time that I’ve had it,

It already delivers the best of both worlds and I must say, I’m really impressed by

that.

Every car brand needs a halo car, and in the case of Kia Philippines, the Stinger is it.

You can say that it was a bit unexpected that they brought the Stinger in, but I think what

an awesome move because now there’s a Kia that all guys, young and old, can totally

drool over.

So this has been Paulo Rafael Subido, Editor in Chief of Top Gear Philippines.

I’m gonna enjoy this car a bit more so until the next time, stay driven, guys.