The Kia Stinger arrive in Malaysia with its official launch today. That aspiration
comes with aggressive pricing. Fully imported and available in two variants,
the Stinger retails at RM 239,888 for the base 2.0 GT-Line, while the full-fat
GT is just over the RM 300,000 mark at RM 309,888.
The base
mill is a 2.0 litre Theta II turbocharged and direct-injected petrol
four-cylinder, making 251 hp at 6,200 rpm and 353 Nm of torque from 1,400 to
3,500 rpm. It’s paired to an eight-speed automatic transmission and, yes, drive
is sent to the rear wheels. 0 to 100 km/h is dispatched in six seconds flat. More power comes in
the shape of the GT, which is powered by a 3.3 litre Lambda II twin-turbo V6
that delivers a stonking 365 hp at 6,000 rpm and 510 Nm of torque between 1,300
and 4,500 rpm. It cuts more than a second off the zero-to-100 km/h time,
blitzing past the benchmark in just 4.9 seconds.
The Stinger sports a dynamic exterior design, with the long
front end dominated by the signature “tiger nose” grille and sweptback full-LED
adaptive headlights. The sweeping roofline features the Optima‘s complex
C-pillar and rear windscreen intersection, while the LED tail lights feature
slim extensions that wrap around the sides.
Both the GT-Line
and GT get larger front air intakes, a more aggressive rear diffuser design and
chrome trim on the grille, front intakes, bonnet vents and door mirror caps.
The front fender vents, which are also trimmed in chrome, improve aerodynamics
by reducing turbulence over the car’s flanks.
As for wheels, the
GT-Line gets 18-inch multi-spoke alloy wheels, while the GT rolls on staggered
19-inch Y-spoke items – both are wrapped in Continental SportContact 5 tyres.
Four exterior paint options are offered on both models, including HiChroma Red,
Deep Chroma Blue, Panthera Metal and Aurora Black.
Inside, there’s a
simple, driver-oriented dashboard with Audi-style triple round centre air
vents, a freestanding centre display up top and a tall transmission tunnel. A flat-bottomed
leather-wrapped steering wheel sits ahead of large analogue gauges, between
which sits a seven-inch colour multi-info display.
