Kia Stinger V6 cops hefty price rise

UPDATED 08/12/2020: Kia has announced full details and pricing of the facelifted Stinger, including confirmation of a blind spot view monitor, also seen in the Kia Sorento.

It delivers a live video feed of the vehicle's blind spots onto the existing 7.0-inch digital 'supervision' screen.

Updates to the AEB system include cyclist detection and a junction assist feature that can brake the car if the driver fails to see an approaching vehicle.

Kia has made further tweaks to lane keep assist that now gets road edge detection to more ably keep the car in its lane automatically, and lane following assist has also been upgraded.

Top-spec GT-Line and GT models get rear cross traffic collision avoidance assist as well, which Kia says "monitors and if necessary brakes to avoid traffic from either side of the vehicle when reversing".

Top-grade models will also get blind spot collision avoidance assist which uses the blind spot detection and electronic stability control to prevent a collision with cars in the adjacent lanes.

Six-cylinder turbo Kia Stinger models get the bi-modal exhaust system with larger exhaust tips, while two new alloy wheel designs are offered as well.

The new 2021 Kia Stinger has begun arriving in dealerships nationally, with the minor update bringing price increases of up to $2940 across the range.

The large rear-wheel drive sports sedan continues with four model variants, now starting at $49,550 plus on-road costs for the Kia Stinger 200S with a 2.0-litre turbo-petrol four-cylinder engine (182kW/353Nm) – a price rise of $2160 – while the GT-Line is $740 more expensive at $57,230 plus ORCs.

The higher-performance V6 models, powered by Kia’s muscular 3.3-litre twin-turbo engine which gets a meagre 2kW power boost (274kW/510Nm), have copped the biggest price hikes, the 330S priced from $53,330 – up $2940 – and the range-topping Stinger GT now at $63,260 plus ORCs, which is $2270 more than before.

Both engines are paired with an eight-speed automatic transmission.

Helping offset the price increases with the 2021 Kia Stinger is an upgraded infotainment system with larger 10.2-inch touch-screen (replacing the previous 8.0-inch unit), metallic-look highlights around the digital instrument cluster and on the steering wheel, ambient LED interior lights with 64 colour choices, and new seat upholstery patterning offered in red, black or beige Nappa leather.

There are no major mechanical changes, but larger exhaust outlets are expected to be fitted to V6 models and the modified front-end carries redesigned headlights and tail-lights.

Full details are expected to be released soon.

This is the first significant upgrade to the Kia Stinger since mid-2017 – and possibly the last given the Korean car-maker hasn’t yet decided whether to continue into a new generation.

In addition to the Kia Stinger changes, Kia Australia has also raised prices on almost all other models in its range.

Popular vehicles like the Kia Seltos and Sportage SUVs, and the Rio, Picanto and Cerato passenger cars, have all had a modest increase of between $200 and $500.

Kia explained the price rises away as a side effect of currency exchange rates.

“Smaller price increases across the range are due to usual exchange rate pressure,” a spokesperson said.

Kia continues to perform well in the Australian new-car marketplace and is threatening to overtake Mitsubishi and claim a top-five position this year with only a few weeks of trading left.

Its position is expected to strengthen in coming years when it finally gets hold of key volume-selling new models including a one-tonne ute to compete with the Toyota HiLux and Ford Ranger, along with a Toyota Prado-rivalling off-road wagon.

How much does the 2021 Kia Stinger cost?
200S – $49,550 (+$2160)
GT-Line – $57,230 (+$740)
330S – $53,330 (+$2940)
GT – $63,260 (+$2270)
*Prices exclude on-road costs