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2022 KIA STINGER AWARDED IIHS TOP SAFETY PICK+


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Refreshed Sport Sedan Receives Top Honors

  • 2022 Stinger bests 2021 Top Safety Pick rating with addition of standard LED headlights
  • Newly awarded 2022 Stinger joins the 2021 K5 (built after November 2020) as second Kia TSP+ model for 2021; 2021 Soul, Forte, Seltos (built after August 2020), Sportage, Sorento and Telluride rank as Top Safety Picks when equipped with optional front crash prevention and specific headlights

IRVINE, Calif., July 2, 2021 – The 2022 Stinger sport sedan has been awarded the Insurance Institute of Highway Safety (IIHS) Top Safety Pick Plus (TSP+) rating with the implementation of standard LED headlights. Previously a Top Safety Pick, the refreshed 2022 Stinger earned ratings of ‘good’ in all six IIHS crashworthiness evaluations, including the driver-side small overlap front, passenger-side small overlap front, moderate overlap front, side, roof strength and head restraint tests. The Stinger comes standard with Forward Collision Avoidance Assist that earned a superior rating in the vehicle-to-vehicle evaluation and an advanced rating in the vehicle-to-pedestrian evaluation.

For the 2022 model year, the Stinger is refreshed inside and out, including a new 2.5-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine, more horsepower for the twin-turbo V6, along with interior and exterior design elements.  The new model year also brought numerous standard Drive Wise advanced driver assistance systems that were previously not available across all trims, including Forward Collision Avoidance Assist with pedestrian detection, cyclist, and junction turning, Forward Collision Warning, Lane Keep Assist, Lane Follow Assist, Lane Departure Warning, Driver Attention Warning, and High Beam Assist.

“The Stinger fundamentally changed the way consumers viewed the Kia brand,” said Sean Yoon, president and CEO of Kia North America, Kia America. “This latest Top Safety Pick Plus rating from IIHS validates Kia’s relentless pursuit of improvement and advancement, and perfectly complement the Stinger’s highly regarded performance capabilities.”

The Stinger is the second Kia model to earn TSP+ following the 2021 K5 (built after November 2020), which earned a its rating earlier this year. Kia vehicles with  Top Safety Pick ratings are  the 2021 Soul, Forte, Seltos (built after August 2020), Sportage, Sorento and Telluride when equipped with optional front crash prevention and specific headlights.


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2022 Kia Stinger Official Close-up Look

Kia’s Proven Sport Machine Evolves with Precise Design, Safety, Tech and Performance Upgrades 

  • Stinger elevates “the game” with distinctive LED exterior lighting, new geometric alloy wheels, and more aggressive quad exhaust design  
  • GT-Line joins the high-horsepower club with a potent 2.5-liter turbo-four-cylinder engine that delivers 300 horsepower and 311 lb.-ft. of torque; gaining 45-HP from the outgoing 2.0T with no sacrifice in fuel economy
  • GT’s 3.3-liter twin-turbo V6 ups performance with a bump in power and is complemented by a new electronic variable exhaust for an even more visceral experience 
  • Befitting of a gran tourer, Stinger’s interior refinement and luxury evolves with black gloss and chrome garnishes in the cockpit, a new standard 10.25-inch navigation display, enhanced LED ambient mood lighting and a new Nappa leather seat design 
  • Kia’s latest Advanced Driver Assistance Systems (ADAS), including Auto Emergency Braking Technology, Blind Spot Collision Avoidance, and Lane Keeping Assist are now all standard 

IRVINE, Calif., March 16, 2021 – The Stinger established a new era in Kia’s history when it debuted in 2017 as a 2018 model, but that was just the start of the story.  It “crashed the party” in a way never expected and converted enthusiasts stuck in the old “German is better” doctrine. For 2022, Stinger continues to evolve and maintain its position as Kia’s halo sport sedan while pushing frontiers in expected style, performance and engineering. It’s been revamped with new exterior design details that offer a more upscale appearance, enhanced performance thanks to a more powerful standard engine, and an unparalleled driving experience with several technologically advanced driver assistance systems as standard. 

“The Stinger confidently shows Kia’s ability to build a sport sedan that can compete – and beat – the best the world has to offer. It is definitive proof of our proud and evolving engineering prowess,” said Sean Yoon, president & CEO, Kia Motors North America and Kia Motors America. “We continue to push Stinger to new heights as it is the catalyst behind our dynamic model lineup, from the award-winning Telluride to the highly praised K5. The Kia Stinger is world-class, and the refreshed 2022 model continues to evolve expectations.” 

The 2022 Stinger will arrive this spring and be available in GT-Line, GT1, and GT2 trims, with a special edition Scorpion model released at a later date. Watch the exciting 2022 Stinger reveal here

In True Sport Sedan Fashion
Building off a design hailed for its enthusiastic spirit and perfect sense of proportion, subtle styling enhancements focus on Stinger’s premium and performance-oriented appearance. Along with Kia’s dynamic new logo that adorns the center of the hood and wheel caps, changes to the exterior include: 

  • Standard LED headlamps with a new DRL signature or optional “Stinger-signature” LED DRLs and headlights
  • Standard rear LED taillamps bridged by an eye-catching new taillight design that spans the full width of the liftgate; GT trims get a full LED treatment with LED turn signals
  • New 18- and 19-inch wheel designs defined by lean and technical geometric shapes 
  • More aggressive exhaust tip design for enhanced visual appeal 

Stinger’s interior upgrades sharpen the renowned driver-centric experience: 

  • Black gloss and chrome details on the instrument panel add a touch of polish 
  • Modern stitching pattern on inside door panels casts a striking effect inside the GT; GT models with Nappa leather surfaces gain a new “chain link” design inspired by the wristbands found on high-end watches 
  • Ambient LED mood cabin lighting with vibrant selection of colors

The Scorpion Special Edition set to arrive this late Spring further accelerates Stinger appeal with: 

  • Select exterior colors: Snow White, Aurora Black, and Ceramic Silver
  • Rear spoiler 
  • Blacked out fender garnish, side mirror caps, and darkened exhaust tips 
  • Unique black wheels 
  • Interior carbon fiber pattern trim 

Tuned by Driving Enthusiasts…for Driving Enthusiasts
Of all the options, the 2022 Stinger GT-Line may soon be seen as the most captivating Stinger. It flexes with more power to accelerate away from the traditional definition of “entry-level:”

  • 2.5-liter turbocharged 4-cylinder engine
    • 8-speed automatic transmission with paddle shifters 
    • 300 horsepower and 311 lb.-ft. of torque for an estimated 0-60 mph time of 5.2 seconds 
    • RWD or available torque vectoring AWD 
    • Estimated 22/32/25 mpg1 (RWD); 21/29/24 mpg (AWD) 

The GT twin-turbo V6 continues to offer higher-performance upgrades including Brembo brakes and launch control, but hearts and pistons will pound a little harder with slightly more power on tap: 

  • 3.3-liter turbocharged V6 engine
    • 8-speed automatic transmission with paddle shifters 
    • 368 horsepower and 376 lb.-ft. of torque for estimated 0-60 mph time of 4.7 seconds
    • New electronic variable exhaust system enhances Stinger’s audible “calling card” – especially as it leaves other performance cars far behind
    • RWD or available AWD with torque vectoring 
    • Estimated 18/25/20 mpg (RWD); 17/24/20 mpg (AWD) 

Technology Upgrades that “Keep it in the Family”
Following in the footsteps of the K5 and Sorento, the Stinger pampers its passengers with the latest in infotainment and technology:

  • Standard 10.25-inch touchscreen display2 with navigation and standard Android Auto and Apple CarPlay, plus multi-connection Bluetooth3 wireless connectivity and split-screen functionality
  • Wireless charger4 for compatible smartphones 
  • Larger 4.2-inch color TFT center cluster is easier to read and offers a more vibrant exchange of information. 
  • Available 7-inch center cluster provides the safety of the available Blind Spot View Monitor with a live video view of adjacent lanes activated via the turn signal. This screen also projects the available Surround View Monitor, which utilizes four cameras to provide a 360-degree vehicle perspective

Stinger’s suite of Advanced Driver Assistance Systems5 (ADAS) has expanded and is now the class-leader in this luxury segment:

  • Forward Collision-Avoidance Assist with Junction Turning: Assists the driver in braking to help prevent a collision or lessen the effects in certain conditions when turning left and an oncoming vehicle is approaching
  • Safe Exit Warning6: Can alert the driver or passengers opening their door not to exit the vehicle when the system detects approaching traffic. When detected, a chime sounds.
  • Blind Spot Collision-Avoidance Assist: Under certain conditions, can detect vehicles traveling in the next lane. When a vehicle is “seen” in the blind spot, the vehicle brakes the outer wheel under certain conditions to help return the vehicle to its intended lane
  • Rear Cross Traffic Avoidance Assist: Helps detect most approaching cross traffic when in reverse. When approaching cross traffic is detected, the system alerts the driver and applies the brakes
  • Navigation-based Smart Cruise Control: leverages the navigation system to lower the vehicle’s speed proactively before upcoming curves
  • Lane Following Assist: Follows lane markings that the system detects and provides steering inputs to help maintain the vehicle in the center of the lane
  • Highway Driving Assist7: Uses federal highway speed limit information from the navigation system and, under certain conditions, will automatically adjust speed to be within the posted speed limit and maintain distance with the vehicle detected in front

The impressive Harman/Kardon8 premium audio system continues to be available, while UVO link telematics9 offers an array of advanced connected vehicle features, such as:

  • Connected Routing: A new cloud-based route calculation system that uses UVO cloud to calculate the optimal route using real-time maps, predicted upcoming traffic info based on historical information and AI to learn the preferred routes of users
  • Connected Weather: Provides weather information for more than 25,000 cities
  • Enhanced UVO voice assist feature allows voice control of the vehicle’s climate, seat and steering-wheel heating, audio system, and other functions
  • Connected User Profiles: Allows customers to add an additional driver to their vehicle. The drivers can have their individual UVO accounts linked to the vehicle and access to the remote features using the Kia Access App. The profile stores some select settings on the UVO cloud and can be shared with other compatible Kia vehicles.
  • UVO & Smart Speaker Integration lets customers use Amazon-Alexa or Google-Assistant enabled smart speaker or device to remotely control some functions (such as remote start)
  • Advanced notifications:
    • Engine Idle Notification and Automatic Engine Shut Off notifies the driver via the UVO link app if the engine is left idling and, after a pre-selected time, turns off the engine
    • Rear Occupancy Alert can send push notification alerts via the UVO link app if movement is detected inside the vehicle
    • 911 Connect and Roadside Assistance will automatically attempt to call 911 via the built-in UVO modem if an airbag deploys. For non-emergencies, it can connect with 24/7 roadside assistance and share the vehicle’s location
  • On-demand Find My Car with available Surround View Monitor uses the vehicle cameras to capture images of the vehicle’s surroundings and then share them via the Kia Access UVO app
  • Last Mile Navigation provides walking directions to the driver’s final destination if the vehicle is parked between 0.1 and 1.2 miles away
  • Calendar Integration syncs with owner’s cloud-based calendar and displays calendar events on touchscreen. Also provides navigation to event destination if address has been entered in calendar event
  • Valet Mode locks Stinger’s touchscreen, keeping personal information such as call history, address book, and navigation destinations private when vehicle is left with valet or other unknown person

    Kia America – about us

    Headquartered in Irvine, California, Kia America continues to top quality surveys and is recognized as one of the 100 Best Global Brands. Kia serves as the "Official Automotive Partner" of the NBA and offers a complete range of vehicles sold through a network of more than 750 dealers in the U.S., including cars and SUVs proudly assembled in America.*