The 2022 Kia Stinger officially debuted Thursday before it hits American shores, and there’s one overarching theme you need to keep in mind — more power.
Kia’s sporty flagship is getting a few nips, tucks and tweaks for the upcoming model year. Headlining the model year changes is a brand new engine exclusively for Korea and the North American market. Sitting in the middle of the range is a new 2.5-liter turbocharged ‘Smartstream’ engine. The 2.0-liter four-cylinder and 3.3-liter twin-turbo engines remain, so buyers will have another option. The 2.5-liter mill, similar to what’s coming in the K5 GT, puts out 300 horsepower and 311 lb-ft of torque. As it happens, that splits the difference almost perfectly between the other two powertrain choices.
As for the 3.3-liter V6, that gets a small power bump as well. Now, the engine puts out 368 horsepower (up 3, from 365 hp). Its 376 lb-ft of torque remains the same. While not a huge jump, a new electronic exhaust valve offers up a bit more punch while providing more noise. The butterfly valve only opens up in Sport mode, so it stays relatively quiet while driving around normally. Make no mistake, the Stinger GT has plenty of punch, but as more of a grand tourer the exhaust note has been a bit muted. As an enthusiast, more noise is always a welcome change.
It’s worth noting, however, that the exhaust valve will not feature on European or Russian models.
The 2.0-liter and transmission stay the same
One engine that is not changing in the 2022 Kia Stinger is the base 2.0-liter. It’s punchy enough, managing 255 horsepower and 260 lb-ft of torque. Across the entire engine lineup, the eight-speed transmission also remains the same. Again, the 2.5-liter is already coming to the Kia K5 with that transmission as well, so we weren’t expecting a major shift with the Stinger. Both four-cylinder and V6 GT models will be available in either rear or all-wheel drive configurations, as well.
On the technology front, the 2022 Kia Stinger now gets an upgraded 10.25-inch infotainment display. The 8.0-inch unit that was at the top end now replaces the old 7.0-inch unit. A 4.2-inch TFT display in the instrument cluster is now standard as well, while a 7.0-inch cluster is an option. As before, Android Auto and Apple CarPlay feature on both infotainment systems.
Driver assistance features carry over from the existing Stinger, but Kia added a few different options. Safe Exit Warning, Bling-Spot View Monitor, Lane Following Assist, Highway Driving Assist and Rear Occupant Alert also join the host of safety features available on the 2022 Kia Stinger lineup.
The refreshed Stinger will go on sale globally in the coming weeks.
