2018 Kia Stinger GT Undercuts Audi S5 Sportback by Nearly $15,000

When Kia first revealed the production Stinger GT, it was big news. Never in the past had the South Korean automaker built anything like a rear-wheel-drive, five-door sports sedan. But even when we let race car driver Randy Pobst loose to review the Stinger on Streets of Willow, we still had one big question: how much would it actually cost? Turns out, it won’t be cheap, but compared to the competition, the Kia Stinger GT will be remarkably affordable.

Based on Kia’s initial pricing, the Stinger will start at $32,795 including destination. There’s also a Premium trim level that adds $5,100 to the Stinger’s base price. But if 255 hp and 260 lb-ft of torque isn’t enough for you, there’s the Stinger GT

 

 with a 3.3-liter turbocharged V-6 that makes 365 hp and 376 lb-ft of torque. That version starts at $39,895 but jumps up to $44,395 if you want the fancier GT1 package. The GT2 package, meanwhile, starts at $50,395. Kia notes that these prices are estimates and may change before the car goes on sale in December.

If you prefer all-wheel drive, Kia will charge you $2,200 to add it to any trim level. In Sport mode, Kia’s all-wheel-drive system sends up to 80 percent of available power to the rear wheels. If needed, as much as 50 percent of available torque can be sent to the front wheels. 

For comparison, the Audi A5 Sportback, perhaps the Stinger’s most logical competitor, starts at $43,575 when you include destination. That means the Stinger is more than $10,000 cheaper if you don’t require all-wheel drive. If you step up to the S5 Sportback, the pricing gap between it and the Stinger GT is even more drastic. The four-door S5 starts at $55,375 including destination, costing approximately $15,000 more than the Kia. Pricing on other comparable luxury sedans is similar to Audi’s.

If you want to compare the Stinger to a non-luxury model, the Dodge Charger is about the only car that comes close. It carries a less-expensive base price of $29,090 and comes with a more powerful engine than the base Stinger. But if you want a Charger that’s quicker to 60 mph than the Stinger GT, you’ll have to spring for the $41,090 Charger R/T Scat Pack. But while that car has the advantage of a 485-hp V-8, the Kia will likely out-corner it. Plus, the Charger doesn’t have nearly as nice an interior as the Stinger GT.

Yes, you’ll have to give up the luxury badge or a big, rumbly V-8, but now that we know pricing, the Stinger GT looks like one heck of a bargain. 

The post 2018 Kia Stinger GT Undercuts Audi S5 Sportback by Nearly $15,000 appeared first on Motor Trend.

from Motor Trend http://ift.tt/2fsTAI2