Kia Stinger [UK] (2021)

A gran turismo, not a sports car

Kia Stinger is not a hard-edged sports car created to be brutally fast at the expense of comfort. Rather, it is about the joy of the journey, where getting to the final destination can be an anti-climax.

"The Stinger has nothing to do with being the first to arrive," says Gregory Guillaume. "This car is all about the journey. It's about passion. To embody that passion we believe that proportion is everything. From the wheelbase to the glasshouse, the width and the height - even the shape of individual body panels - getting the perfect balance is critical." Stinger is 4,830mm long, 1,870mm wide and just 1,400mm tall, and has a 2,905mm wheelbase.

It was inspired by the elegant grand tourers Guillaume saw as a child growing up in 1970s France, wafting their occupants effortlessly from Paris to St Tropez and other glamour spots on the Riviera. Even as a young boy Guillaume was drawing his own ideas for elegant grand tourers, hoping that one day they might become reality. They were his inspiration for the 2011 GT Concept and, subsequently, Stinger.

Stinger exhibits classic gran turismo proportions - long bonnet, short front overhang, long wheelbase, cabin positioned towards the rear of the car, lengthy rear overhang beneath broad shoulders and a 'Coke-bottle' nip in the waist. It sets a template for Kia's bold and exciting future and is the final step in the company's transition from a manufacturer of purely rational, durable, value-centric cars to one able to compete with the world's best for desirability, design and technology.

This may be a new kind of Kia, but the design cues which have stood the company in good stead are all in evidence. What Guillaume calls the "sleek and sharky" front end has a new interpretation of Kia's 'tiger-nose grille mounted between complex headlamp units. There is a castellated upper edge to the windscreen. And the flanks are simple and unadorned. Visual engagement also comes from the large lower grille and air intake, dark chrome highlights and bold rear diffuser with quad tailpipes, and the 19-inch wheels.

What exterior decoration does appear is there to aid aerodynamics and ensure the car remains stable at the high speeds it is capable of. There are air curtains at the front and finned gills behind the rear wheel arches to reduce wake as turbulent air passes around the large wheels and tyres. The final shape of Stinger called for intense collaboration between designers and aerodynamicists to make airflow around the car as clean as possible without diluting its stunning styling. As a result, the bodywork has been tapered slightly towards the rear and there is a partially flat underfloor tray, while the rear spoiler has taken on a slight ducktail shape to reduce lift. Even the roof was lowered slightly to give Stinger more of an aerofoil profile.

An interior fit for cross-continent travel

Kia Stinger's luxurious interior is a blend of cocooning intimacy and space for five people and their luggage. Occupants slip down into their Nappa leather low-slung seats.

There is a horizontal sweep to the high-mounted, wing-shaped dashboard - also covered in leather - which is broken only by the new 10.25-inch touchscreen for the navigation and infotainment system. Leather also adorns the door armrests, the flat-bottomed steering wheel and the gearshifter, which also has chrome sections.

The seats are snug and enveloping, and the two in front have eight-way power adjustment - with a memory function on the driver's side - and a two-way power cushion extender plus four-way power lumbar adjustment. The front seats and steering wheel are heated, and the seats are also ventilated, while the outer rear seats are also heated.

The luxurious ambience is enhanced by an aluminium-finish centre console, a chrome strip running all the way around the cabin, suede-feel headlining, satin chrome interior door handles, aluminium pedals, stainless steel door scuff plates and five aeronautically inspired spoked circular air vents.

To enhance comfort, dual automatic air conditioning is fitted to every model, while to aid the driver there is a 7.0-inch LCD Thin Film Transistor (TFT) supervision cluster and a customisable head-up display which allows key information - speed, navigation instructions and audio, cruise control and blind spot detection information - to be projected onto the windscreen. There is also a 360-degree around-view monitor.

DAB radio with MP3 compatibility and multi-connection Bluetooth and music streaming is standard, along with Apple CarPlay™ and Android Auto™. A concert hall quality 15-speaker harman/Kardon® premium system with subwoofer, external amplifier and front centre speaker is also standard. It features Clari-Fi, which restores the sound often lost when digital music files are heavily compressed, and QuantumLogic Surround Sound, which redistributes signals from the original recording to deliver multi-dimensional playback.

DESIGN AND PACKAGING

In 2011 Kia unveiled its GT Concept on the eve of the Frankfurt Motor Show. It was created at the company's European design studios next door to the show site, and a pointer to the fact that Kia did not intend to remain rooted in its then range of workaday hatchbacks, saloons, estates and SUVs forever. Since that day, the most frequently asked question at Kia events has been "when are you going to put the GT into production".

Gregory Guillaume, the Head of the European design studio, says: "All of our concept cars have a reason, a purpose. They are not designers' indulgences. They illustrate what we are thinking. Ultimately, what matters is what comes on to the street, not what stays in the design studio - and we knew the GT Concept would, one day, go into production."

So, when a rear-wheel-drive gran turismo based on the GT Concept was signed off for production, where better to turn than Guillaume and the Frankfurt studio.

Turning a concept into a production car is no small feat, however. "On a concept car everything is exaggerated. It's an abstract," says Guillaume. "Actually, we think the production car came out nicer than the project car - there were some areas we were never really satisfied with, like the C-pillar. So we started to change that area and it affected the whole car."

Exterior

The idea behind the concept car was simple. It would echo the spirit of iconic 1970s gran turismo cars, the elegant and powerful vehicles capable of powering passengers from Paris to the Côte d'Azur for the weekend in impeccable style and at high speed. "As a child growing up in France in the 1970s, I was unconstrained by the limits of engineering and I drew cars that were to my eyes, beautiful, dynamic, original and, of course, very fast. I believed those dreams could be a reality.

"Those dreams were the inspiration for the GT concept in 2011. It embodied that grace, flair and dynamism, without being aggressive or gauche. But it was more than just a design exercise. Once Stinger was given the green light for production, the idea was to channel the spirit of those iconic gran turismos to create something emotional and elegant."

The GT Concept embodied grace, flair and dynamism, without being aggressive. "We were convinced from day one that we would take this concept car from motor show plinth to the road, knowing that we have the freedom within Kia to stretch the brand in many directions," says Guillaume. "Stinger is not about outright power, hard-edged dynamics and brutal styling at the expense of luxury, comfort and grace. Stinger has nothing to do with being the first to arrive at the destination - this car is all about the journey. It's about passion."

Guillaume believes that to embody that passion, proportion is everything. From the wheelbase to the width and height - and even the shape of individual body panels - getting the perfect balance is critical.

Key to its road presence are its rear-wheel-drive proportions - a long bonnet and short

830mm front overhang, an extended wheelbase (2,905mm) to deliver a spacious cabin, and a long rear overhang (1,095mm) with strong, broad shoulders. Kia Stinger's stance, proportion and visual balance are designed to lend the car an air of elegance and athleticism, rather than aggression and brutality. Stinger measures 4,830mm in length and 1,870mm in width, and is 1,400 tall. The 'Coke-bottle' shape of the car's flanks highlight the shoulder line, as well as the fastback silhouette.

This may be a new kind of Kia, but the design cues which have stood the company in good stead are all in evidence. What Guillaume calls the "sleek and sharky" front end has an interpretation of Kia's trademark 'tiger-nose' grille mounted between complex headlamp units. There is a castellated upper edge to the windscreen. And the flanks are simple and unadorned. Visual engagement also comes from the large lower grille and air intake, dark chrome highlights and bold rear diffuser.

What exterior decoration does appear is there to aid aerodynamics and ensure the car remains stable at the high speeds it is capable of. There are air curtains at the front and finned gills behind the rear wheel arches to reduce wake as turbulent air passes around the large wheels and tyres. The final shape of Stinger called for intense collaboration between designers and aerodynamicists to make airflow around the car as clean as possible without diluting its stunning styling. As a result, the bodywork has been tapered slightly towards the rear and there is a partially flat underfloor tray, while the rear spoiler has taken on a slight ducktail shape to reduce lift. Even the roof was lowered slightly to give Stinger more of an aerofoil profile.

Interior

External gran turismo visual cues are complemented by the layout and atmosphere of the low-slung cabin, with a steeply-raked windscreen and high dashboard running along a horizontal plane. The dashboard's centre console is split into two specific areas: the infotainment controls sit neatly below a large colour touchscreen, while the climate and ventilation controls are lower down. In front of the driver is a thick, leather-wrapped flat-bottomed steering wheel and a single instrument binnacle with a combination of analogue and digital instrumentation. The large gauges are ringed in metal and accentuated with sweeping red needles.

Kia Stinger's luxurious interior is a blend of cocooning intimacy and space for five people and their luggage. Occupants slip down into their Nappa leather low-slung seats. There is 974mm of headroom in the front and only slightly less - 939mm - in the rear. The respective figures for legroom are 1,083mm and 925mm, and for shoulder room they are 1,433mm and 1,391mm. The boot capacity with the 60:40 split rear seats upright is 406 litres, which extends to 1,114 litres when they are lowered.

The wing-shaped dashboard - also covered in leather - is broken only by the 10.25-inch touchscreen for the navigation and infotainment system. Leather also adorns the door armrests, the flat-bottomed steering wheel and the gearshifter, which also has chrome sections.

The seats are snug and enveloping, and the two in front have eight-way power adjustment - with a memory function on the driver's side - and a two-way power cushion extender plus four-way power lumbar adjustment. The front seats and steering wheel are heated, and the seats are also ventilated, while the outer rear seats are heated. The chunky transmission tunnel that separates the driver and passenger compartments reinforces the car's rear-drive layout.

The luxurious ambience is emphasised by an aluminium-finish centre console, a chrome strip running all the way around the cabin, suede-feel headlining, satin chrome interior door handles, aluminium pedals, stainless steel door scuff plates and five aeronautically inspired spoked circular air vents.

To enhance comfort, dual automatic air conditioning is fitted to every model, while to aid the driver there is a 7.0-inch LCD Thin Film Transistor (TFT) supervision cluster and a customisable head-up display which allows key information - speed, navigation instructions and audio, cruise control and blind spot detection information - to be projected onto the windscreen. In addition, there is a 360-degree around-view monitor.

DAB radio with MP3 compatibility and multi-connection Bluetooth and music streaming is standard, along with Apple CarPlay™ and Android Auto™. A concert hall quality 15-speaker harman/Kardon® premium system with subwoofer, external amplifier and front centre speaker is also standard. It features Clari-Fi, which restores the sound often lost when digital music files are heavily compressed, and QuantumLogic Surround Sound, which redistributes signals from the original recording to deliver multi-dimensional playback.

"Working on this car was a dream. I still get a buzz, a thrill when I think about it, and I have been thinking about it for a very long time. It fills me with pride, and now I just cannot wait to see it on the road," says Guillaume.

DYNAMICS

The Nürburgring Nordschleife (North Loop) became known as 'The Green Hell' for very good reason. It runs for more than 13 miles through the Eifel Mountains in Germany, and contains 73 corners, a 300-metre difference in height between its highest and lowest points and has gradients of up to 17 per cent.

Driving round it demands constant hard acceleration and braking and heavy cornering. There are changing surfaces and cambers offering an unrivalled test of a car's dynamic prowess. As a test facility it is merciless, which is why Kia has established a base there. Every new model - including Stinger - is tested there to hone its suspension, steering and brakes. The testing regime was so punishing that brake pads had to be changed halfway through each day.

During the original development of Stinger, prototypes were put through at least 10,000km, or 480 laps, of high-stress driving around the Nordschleife - not to set a lap time which would be irrelevant to customers, but to ensure the finished product would be a genuine gran turismo.

The automatic transmission was a key focus for powertrain testing. Nordschleife testing identified a need to manage heat in the transmission more efficiently: initially, the temperature of the gearbox oil was rising higher than what was deemed acceptable by the engineers. To counteract this, an oil cooler with a larger surface area was adopted.

Suspension and steering

Kia Stinger's dynamics presented the engineers with a new challenge. Because this was going to be a totally new kind of car for Kia, the chassis engineers were given a blank canvas for the suspension and steering characteristics. Their brief was to create a true gran turismo which would drive the way it looks. The shape of the car inspired efforts to imbue Stinger with agile handling and high levels of body control for enthusiastic driver, but with a compliant ride that would ensure high-speed cruising comfort over long distances.

The Stinger has MacPherson struts at the front and fully independent multi-link suspension at the rear. Dynamic Stability Damping Control (DSDC) adapts the stroke length of the dampers on the move, and is controlled by acceleration, braking and steering sensors. Drivers can change the characteristics of the shock absorbers via the Drive Mode Selector, which offers five modes - Eco, Normal, Sport, Sport+ and Smart settings. In Normal mode, low levels of damping force ensure maximum cruising comfort. The suspension continues to firm up slightly under heavy cornering, but the effect is less pronounced than in Sport mode.

For the latest version, the Stinger's suspension has undergone further tuning. The characteristics of the shock absorbers' hydraulics, as well as the logic dictating the performance of the DSDC system, have been adapted to improve ride comfort at a cruise, while ensuring the Stinger's handling performance on winding roads remains as responsive as ever. As a result, the Stinger behaves in a more agile and responsive manner under cornering, with a slight reduction in the level of understeer. Its greater high-speed balance further reinforces its ability to tackle long-distance driving.

The Stinger's rack-mounted motor-driven power steering system (R-MDPS) has provided the chassis engineers with further flexibility for tuning the new model. R-MDPS lets drivers choose between two steering modes via the Drive Mode Selector: Normal and Sport. These modes change the level of steering effort required, and also the variable steering ratio. The steering has received further fine-tuning, resulting in a more connected feel for drivers with more immediate cornering responses, whilst offering a comfortable level of steering effort in any driving mode. Particularly in Sport mode, the level of steering effort required has been dialled back slightly to ensure the car remains easy to handle at all speeds.

In Sport mode, Stinger requires increased on-centre steering effort but offers more direct responses due to the increase of damping force from the adaptive dampers, reducing the need for larger steering inputs. Normal mode reduces the steering effort from the on-centre position for more measured steering responses at a cruise. Normal mode also requires more effort as the steering wheel turns, with a linear build-up of resistance to give driver's greater confidence. The result is a steering system providing the same duality as the suspension - one that's as relaxing and confidence-inspiring to use in a straight line as it is immediate and engaging on more enjoyable roads.

Right-hand-drive versions of the Stinger were put through a further level of dynamic testing in the UK to hone the steering and suspension for the country's uniquely challenging roads.

There are newly designed 19-inch alloy wheels with 225/40 R19 tyres at the front and even wider 255/35 R19 tyres at the rear for the latest model. Stinger sits on Michelin Pilot Sport 4 S tyres for maximum grip and response, and even better comfort.

Brakes

The 361bhp 3.3-litre twin-turbo V6 in the Stinger 'GT S' enables the car to accelerate from 0 to 60mph in just 4.7 seconds, making it the fastest-accelerating production Kia ever. Its high-performance brakes therefore needed to be up to the task in hand.

To ensure this would be the case, a rigorous range of braking challenges was devised, taking in the famous Grossglockner High Alpine Road in the Austrian Alps for constant downhill brake testing. Private test facilities in Northern Germany and Eastern Spain, as well as the Nürburgring, were also used.

Kia Stinger's brakes not only had to offer strong and consistent braking power. A reassuring and responsive feel to the pedal was also demanded by the engineers, even after repeated heavy braking, for maximum driver confidence. More development work has been carried out on the Stinger's brakes than on any previous Kia.

The 'GT S' features a new braking system developed with Brembo. The 350mm front and 340mm Brembo discs are holed and grooved, providing high heat capacity and reduced fade levels under repeated heavy use. They are paired with the most powerful calipers ever found on a Kia.

Early in Stinger's development, engineers considered carbon ceramic brakes to maximise the braking power. However, as a Kia, Stinger needed to remain affordable to buy and maintain. Brembo's brakes proved more than up to what was required of them.

Kia's internal tests are designed to validate brakes at temperatures of up to 700°C (1,292°F). Engineers went even further for the Brembo brake system, with temperatures rising to more than 800°C (1,472°F). Even at these temperatures, Stinger's brakes continue to offer consistent braking power and pedal feel.

All roads and all weathers

Kia did not confine Stinger testing to the Nürburgring. Prototypes were driven for more than 1.1 million kilometres - the equivalent of 27 times around the Equator - to test Stinger's durability. Extreme climate testing took place across Europe, the Middle East, Asia and North and South America. Stinger was subjected to extreme cold and heat and high altitude, and faced the unique demands of the desert, permafrost regions, congested city centres and mountain passes.

Kia Stinger was plunged into Arctic winters to ensure predictable, stable, gran turismo handling in all conditions with the engaging, fun-to-drive character of a rear-wheel drive car. From the development facility in Arjeplog in Swedish Lapland, Kia honed Stinger in a range of low-grip environments, including a skid-pan, handling circuit and slalom test on the surface of the frozen Uddjaure lake. Kia's winter test regime saw the car being driven in temperatures as low as -35°C (-31°F).

Stinger's on-road refinement was equally important, but customers also want to enjoy the sound of the engine at work. Stinger is the first Kia with an Active Sound system to enhance the engine note via the car's audio rather than through an actuator which channels noise into the cabin. The Active Sound system was engineered in Europe and is consistent with the type of engine, authentically enhancing the distinctive V6 engine note. Sound engineers have paired the system with Stinger's Drive Mode Selector, enabling drivers to change the level of engine noise in the cabin. The sound becomes slightly louder and more aggressive in tone as drivers switch modes.

Albert Biermann, Kia's Head of Vehicle Test and High Performance Development, says: "Testing the car in extreme conditions allowed us to focus on its stability and predictability in every configuration and in all driving conditions. Crucially, these tests allowed us to engineer a car which retains the driving appeal that buyers look for in a gran turismo. We want enthusiastic drivers to be able to enjoy the thrill of driving their Stinger in all conditions without compromising on safety."

A gran turismo must provide exceptional comfort for occupants on the long distances it is designed to cover, but it must also reward enthusiastic drivers with pliant but controlled suspension, alert steering which does not make the car nervous and powerful brakes. Thanks to the extensive testing regime on all kinds of roads, in all weathers and across several continents, Stinger meets those demands. Right-hand-drive cars have undergone additional testing in the UK to meet the unique challenges of the country's roads.

ENGINES

Everything about Kia Stinger has been engineered to ensure it is an authentic modern gran turismo. From its torquey turbocharged V6 engine to its eight-speed automatic transmission, fully independent suspension - with switchable modes - powerful brakes and variable steering, it is a car built for covering long distances swiftly, comfortably and safely while delivering maximum driving pleasure.

The body is composed of 55 per cent high-strength steels to keep weight to a minimum so that Stinger is as lithe and agile as it looks while ensuring robustness in the event of an accident, and there is a battery of advanced driver assistance systems to make that accident less likely. And extensive work on sound-deadening ensures it is as refined as it is comfortable, but occupants can still enjoy the refined sporting tones of the Stinger's turbocharged engine thanks to an Active Sound system - the first in a Kia.

Grand tourers should not only be beautiful, comfortable and luxurious, they must also be fast. The turbocharged engine chosen for Stinger are ideally suited to its role as a long-distance gran turismo.

To ensure occupants can enjoy the refined sporting tones of the Stinger's turbocharged engine, the car is the first Kia to be fitted with an Active Sound system. This relays the engine note to the cabin through the car's audio system rather than the more conventional actuator. It was engineered in Europe and can be customised through the Drive Mode Selector according to which of the five programmable settings the driver has chosen.

The 3.3-litre, 3,342cc twin-turbo V6 T-GDi is a member of the Lambda II range and produces 361bhp at 6,000rpm and a huge 510Nm of torque starting at 1,300rpm and continuing uninterrupted until 4,500rpm.

It features an aluminium block and heads and was developed during a rigorous testing regime focused on responsiveness and efficiency with durability and reliability. There are twin single-scroll turbochargers, an air-cooled intercooler and an integral turbo and exhaust manifold to reduce weight. An electronic wastegate and thermostat help to improve responsiveness. Continuously variable valve timing (CVVT) enhances intake operation range and operation speed while reducing pumping loss. There are sodium-filled exhaust valves to boost performance and efficiency while offering structural reinforcement for improved durability.

The twin-turbo V6 makes Stinger the fastest-accelerating Kia ever. From standstill to 60mph takes just 4.7 seconds, and the top speed is 167mph where permitted. Yet the extensive testing regime to ensure durability and responsiveness has also helped efficiency: combined fuel consumption is 28.0 mpg, while CO2 emissions are 229g/km.

Eight-speed automatic gearbox

The Kia Stinger transmits drive to the rear wheels through an electronic eight-speed automatic gearbox. It was designed in-house and rewards drivers with immediate shifts and optimum fuel efficiency. Stinger's transmission marks Kia's first use of a Centrifugal Pendulum Absorber (CPA) torque converter more typically found in aviation and racing applications. CPA reduces torsional vibrations through the drivetrain.

The transmission offers up to five different shift and throttle programmes, accessed through the car's electronic Drive Mode Selector. Drivers can leave the car to shift for itself, or change gears with steering wheel-mounted paddles. A Limited Slip Differential is fitted, so that torque is transferred to the rear wheel with most grip.

ISG, Kia's engine stop/start system to ensure no fuel is wasted and no emissions are released when the car is stationary, is standard. The engine cuts out as soon as the driver brakes to a standstill and restarts when the brake pedal is released.

TECHNOLOGY

At the centre of the Kia Stinger's upgraded cabin is a larger touchscreen infotainment system, providing enhanced functionality to meet customers' changing expectations of in-car technology.

The upgraded Stinger is fitted as standard with Kia's new 10.25-inch touchscreen display. The infotainment system also allows Bluetooth smartphone pairing for two phones concurrently, enabling separate phones to be used for phone calls and music. Its advanced split-screen display lets users control or monitor different vehicle features at the same time, customising the screen with a series of different widgets. The larger 10.25-inch widescreen system offers Apple CarPlay™ and Android Auto™ as standard, with voice control for many of the car's features, such as heating and ventilation, audio and navigation. A wireless charger allows smartphones to be topped up without wires trapsing across the cabin.

The standard touchscreen navigation has full European mapping and a Traffic Messaging Channel. Stinger also has Kia Connected Services with TomTom™, giving access to traffic, speed camera and weather information plus local search details in a number of categories, from the location of Kia dealerships to nearby restaurants.

A concert hall quality 15-speaker harman/Kardon® premium system with subwoofer, external amplifier and front centre speaker is featured as standard on the Stinger. It features Clari-Fi, which restores the sound often lost when digital music files are heavily compressed, and QuantumLogic Surround Sound, which redistributes signals from the original recording to deliver multi-dimensional playback.

The upgraded model includes a high-resolution 7.0-inch digital display within the instrument cluster. This full-colour display with vivid graphics for different driving modes delivers crystal-clear information to the driver between the speedometer and tachometer. It is also fitted with a customisable head-up display, which projects driving information onto the base of the windscreen in the driver's line of sight. The system shows alerts from the car's numerous driver assistance technologies, details of vehicle speed, and turn-by-turn navigation instructions.

The upgraded Kia Stinger also features a 'connected car' Remote Engine Start system, which allows owners to start their car remotely using the Stinger's smart key. A 360-degree surround view camera system is standard, as well as front and rear parking sensors, giving the driver a bird's eye view when manoeuvring in tight spaces. A smart key with button start is standard, and a Smart Power Tailgate takes the effort out of closing the boot when you have armfuls of shopping.

The Stinger also offers Kia's innovative UVO Connect telematics system, connecting drivers by providing invaluable information via the in-car touchscreen and on their smartphone. Featuring Kia Live services and accessible through the 10.25-inch LCD widescreen, the system displays live traffic information, weather forecasts, points of interest, and details of potential on- and off-street parking (including price, location and parking availability). UVO Connect also enables drivers to send route directions to their car before a journey and check the location of their vehicle at any time.

A series of new 'Phase II' features will make their first appearance on the new Sorento. UVO Connect's Phase II features provide customers with several new benefits, such as more accurate journey times, 'last-mile' navigation assistance, and a range of features to enhance connectivity and usability. These can be accessed through an enhanced UVO smartphone app or via vehicles' on-board infotainment systems.

One of the most useful Phase II features to be offered in UVO Connect-equipped vehicles is 'Online Navigation'. This service draws on cloud-based real-time and historical traffic data to more accurately predict traffic levels, giving customers a more accurate picture of journey times and estimated time of arrival. This differs from traffic prediction tools found in conventional navigation systems, which only rely on in-car route planning and real-time traffic information to estimate journey times.

Kia's new 'Last Mile Navigation' feature will help customers continue navigating to their final destination, even after they have parked up and left their car behind. This offers Kia customers the ideal solution for navigation in towns and cities where parking hubs are often some distance away from shops, cafés and restaurants. Once the vehicle's ignition has been turned off, this new feature sends a push notification to the UVO app on the user's smartphone if their destination is between 200 metres and 2 kilometres away. The app lets users seamlessly access Google Maps navigation to complete their journey on foot. Alternatively, users can engage an augmented reality function, 'AR Guidance', which opens the smartphone's camera and blends the image with AR turn-by-turn directional arrows.

Customers can also use a new 'User Profile Transfer' feature on the UVO app. This enables them to check and change their vehicle settings directly from their smartphone, including navigation, radio and Bluetooth preferences, at a time and place convenient for them. When the ignition is turned on, customers are automatically greeted with their preferred settings, saving time and making each journey more enjoyable. It also lets Kia owners back-up their in-vehicle UVO preferences via the cloud and transfer settings from one vehicle to the next. This system will benefit customers who regularly switch between different UVO Connect-equipped Kia cars, for instance, fleet drivers who use pool cars, or families with more than one UVO Connect-equipped Kia in their household.

The Phase II UVO Connect system will draws upon a wider range of 'best-in-class' data providers for its Kia Live Services functionality, giving customers more accurate information. Instead of being limited to one data provider, Kia Live Services brings together data from a range of specialist providers for traffic information, parking availability and cost information, locations and pricing for fuel stations and EV charging points, weather forecasts, and online POI search and speed camera information (speed camera location data depends on market).

SAFETY

Kia Stinger may evoke memories of the golden age of gran turismos, but it is not a retro car. Its advanced driver aids take into account that roads are busier and there are more distractions than ever before.

Stinger's safety provisions begin with its sturdy body, 55 per cent of which is composed of high-strength steels so that rigidity and crash protection do not come at the expense of excessive weight. Structural adhesives are used extensively and the attachment points for the powertrain and chassis, where loads are most concentrated in the vehicle's frame, are extremely rigid. By strengthening the longitudinal and transverse structures and using an engine room strut bar, the frame exceeds competitive car standards.

In terms of crashworthiness, the Stinger exceeds all competitors. The side member is formed from 80 K-class steel. The rear lower member is formed from 150 K-class steel, and as much available crash space as possible has been included. To protect passengers in a rear collision, the lightweight high-stiffness body in white (BIW) is so strong that it surpasses European car standards.

To achieve this, the lower part of the body, a critical area in a collision, is made of hot stamped, ultra-high-strength steel with a large steel plate. Carefully defined load paths channel impact forces away from the passenger cell, and there are seven airbags - including one for the driver's knees - to protect occupants.

However, Kia Stinger has been engineered to ensure that, as much as possible, such features will not be needed through a comprehensive network of advanced driver assistance systems. Standard equipment includes Forward Collision Avoidance Assist, which automatically intervenes to stop the car if the driver fails to respond to a potential accident, and there is Lane Keep Assist to prevent a driver straying into an adjoining lane accidentally, and High Beam Assist to adjust the headlights according to other traffic and local lighting. An Active Bonnet is standard, to reduce damage to pedestrians' heads in a collision.

Stinger has Electronic Stability Control linked to Vehicle Stability Management (VSM) to correct potential skids without any intervention from the driver. VSM incorporates a new dynamic torque vectoring system which monitors driver inputs and road conditions and automatically applies power and braking g-force to the inner rear wheel to minimise understeer and enhance tractability and steering feel.

The upgraded Kia Stinger carries over the same Advanced Driver Assistance Systems (ADAS) that it offered previously, as well as a series of new features and updates to provide even better protection for the driver, their passengers and other road users.

The latest cutting-edge safety technology has been added to the new Stinger, including a new Blind-Spot View Monitor (BVM) that acts as a 'second pair of eyes' for drivers by eliminating a driver's left- and right-side blind spots. It displays a high-resolution video feed within the instrument cluster's digital display if the driver indicates to change lane with another vehicle in their blind spot. The video feed comes from discreet wide-angle lenses hidden beneath the door mirror housings, giving drivers a wider viewing angle of their blind spots.

Lane Following Assist (LFA) helps the vehicle stay in the centre of its lane, while Highway Driving Assist (HDA) maintains a set distance from the vehicle in front on a motorway or A-road, and also keeps the car in the centre of its lane, even on a curved road.

Safe Exit Warning (SEW) detects vehicles coming up from behind on either side of the Stinger when parked and stopped, alerting occupants with a sound and visual warning if they attempt to open the door into oncoming traffic. Rear Occupant Alert (ROA) provides a warning to the driver if they leave behind any pets or children when they exit the car.

Forward Collision-Avoidance Assist (FCA) now offers protection when turning across the road into a junction by identifying oncoming traffic on the other side of the road. Furthermore, it offers increased activation range when detecting a vehicle, pedestrian or cyclist. The Lane Keeping Assist (LKA) is now able to detect the edge of a road, as well as the lines in the road, providing steering assistance to prevent the driver leaving their lane without signalling. Blind-Spot Collision-Avoidance Assist (BCA) provides an enhancement over the existing Blind-Spot Collision Warning (BCW). Instead of simply warning drivers of cars in adjacent lanes on the highway, BCA helps drivers avoid a potential collision by applying differential braking.

Intelligent Speed Limit Assist (ISLA) is a new feature for the latest Stinger, with system based on traffic sign recognition. Driver Attention Warning (DAW) now has an increased operating speed of up to 130mph, and also alerts drivers if they fail to notice the car in front move off from a stop. The navigation-based Smart Cruise Control (NSCC) helps drive around curved sections of a motorway or A-road, automatically reducing the vehicle's speed to an appropriate level before entering the curve. It reverts to the original speed as the vehicle leaves the curve and returns to a straight road.

The Rear Cross-Traffic-Collision-Avoidance Assist (RCCA) has been upgraded and now helps to prevent collisions with crossing vehicles while reversing by taking emergency action, whereas previously the system only warned the driver with a sound.

SPECIFICATION HIGHLIGHTS

There is just one, high-specification version of the Kia Stinger in the UK, powered by the tremendous 3.3-litre V6 T-GDi twin-turbocharged direct-injection petrol engine. Drive is sent to the rear wheels through an eight-speed automatic gearbox.

As a halo model in the Kia line-up, it is luxuriously equipped, and features an extensive range of advanced driver assistance systems and connectivity services as standard. Leather upholstery and trim, a power-adjustable memory driver's seat, heated seats and steering wheel, a smart key entry system with an engine start/stop button and a new 10.25-inch touchscreen navigation and infotainment system are just a few of the highlights.

Kia Stinger's luxurious interior is a blend of cocooning intimacy and space for five people and their luggage. Occupants slip down into their low-slung Nappa leather seats. There is a horizontal sweep to the high-mounted, wing-shaped dashboard - also covered in leather - which is broken only by the 10.25-inch touchscreen. Leather also adorns the door armrests, the D-shaped steering wheel and the gearshifter, which has chrome sections.

The seats are snug and enveloping, and the two at the front have eight-way power adjustment - with a memory function on the driver's side - and a two-way power cushion extender plus four-way power lumbar adjustment. The front seats and steering wheel are heated and the seats are also ventilated, while the outer rear seats are also heated.

To enhance comfort, dual automatic air conditioning is fitted to every model, while to aid the driver there is a 7.0-inch LCD Thin Film Transistor (TFT) supervision cluster and a customisable head-up display which allows key information - speed, navigation instructions and audio, cruise control and blind spot detection information - to be projected onto the windscreen. In addition, there is a 360-degree around-view monitor.

DAB radio with MP3 compatibility and multi-connection Bluetooth and music streaming is standard, along with Apple CarPlay™ and Android Auto™. A concert hall quality 15-speaker harman/Kardon® premium system with subwoofer, external amplifier and front centre speaker is also standard. It features Clari-Fi, which restores the sound often lost when digital music files are heavily compressed, and QuantumLogic Surround Sound, which redistributes signals from the original recording to deliver multi-dimensional playback.

There are new 19-inch alloy wheels with an intricate, geometric design, as well as an electric one-touch sunroof and LED headlamps, LED daytime running lights and tail lamps. There are quad exhaust pipes and the brakes have been co-developed with Brembo.

To emphasise the quality designed and engineered into Stinger, the luxurious ambience is enhanced by an aluminium-finish centre console, a chrome strip running all the way around the cabin, suede-feel headlining, satin chrome interior door handles, aluminium pedals, stainless steel door scuff plates and five aeronautically inspired spoked circular air vents. Furthermore, changes made to the new model include a metallic finish to sections of the steering wheel and a chrome bezel around the instrument cluster. The rear-view mirror is now frameless, creating a modern look and enhancing rear visibility. A new mood lighting system allows drivers to select one of 64 colours to subtly alter the character of the cabin.