2021 Kia Stinger nabs a new engine option for US
Now, you can have your Stinger with a 2.5-liter turbo-four, but curiously, the 2.0-liter turbo-four sticks around.
A lack of engine options never seemed to be the thing holding the Kia Stinger back, but the Korean brand plans to provide another choice regardless. On Thursday, Kia said the 2021 Stinger will arrive in the US with three engine options -- with a 2.5-liter turbo-four the new kid in town. It joins the 2.0-liter turbo-four (the base engine) and the range topping 3.3-liter twin-turbo V6. The brand didn't release trims and prices, so it's unclear just how much you'll need to dish out for the 2.5-liter engine, but it's safe to assume the choice acts as a bridge between the lesser 2.0-liter and more powerful 3.3-liter engines.
The new-to-the-Stinger turbo-four makes 300 horsepower and 311 pound-feet of torque, which handily outdoes the base 2.0-liter engine. Entry-level Stingers rock 252 hp and 260 lb-ft of torque. The new engine's figures also match outputs found in the 2021 Genesis G80 -- one of the many new Hyundai Group vehicles to sport the engine. The familiar 3.3-liter twin-turbo V6 sticks around, but now there's a dollop of extra power.
Thanks to a new variable valve exhaust system, which promises a deeper exhaust note, Kia engineers squeezed an extra 3 hp out of the engine for a total of 368 hp. While a small butterfly valve works on the soundtrack, the system lets the car exhale more freely to provide the extra power. No matter which of the three engines, an eight-speed automatic handles shifting duties.
We already learned more about the 2021 Stinger's premium aspirations with a reworked interior, new touchscreen and additional driver-assist and active safety gear previously. It's clear this refresh focuses on Kia's hot buzzword to describe the car: "Gran Turismo," or "Grand Touring." Comfort and performance is the name of the game. The Stinger's cabin is already pretty well upholstered and put together, but it looks like the 2021 model will deliver even more. And finally, the Stinger will get remote start capabilities. It's a feature strangely lacking from the current car. Not only will remote start be onboard, but updated tech will let you warm or ventilate the seats ahead of time.
The 2021 Kia Stinger will first go on sale in South Korea before it launches around the world later this year.
