Styling Size-Up: Kia Stinger GT vs. Four-Door Fastback Competition
You pick the style winner
Before the Kia Stinger GT came along, there were very few players in the four-door fastback category. Now Kia has thrown its hat into the ring to give the Germans a totally new type of competitor to worry about. Does the Stinger GT have what it takes to compete against the Audi A5 Sportback and BMW 4 Series Gran Coupe?
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You could argue that Audi and BMW erred on the side of austerity and restraint when designing their four-door fastbacks. But Kia followed a bolder look, adding hood vents and other athletic elements throughout the exterior. Up front, the fastback features Kia's signature tiger-nose grille and uniquely shaped LED headlamps.
Like BMW's fastback, the Stinger GT features a side vent just ahead of the front door. Its character lines may not be as bold as those on the BMW, but its wheels are much more jazzed up than the competition. As a vehicle in its segment should, the Stinger GT features a beautifully sloping roof. The model also has a subtle piece of silver trim that runs along the windows into the rear of the vehicle.
In the rear, the Kia Stinger GT receives dual exhaust tailpipes. The thin taillights hide underneath the top of rear deck lid, giving the Stinger GT an unusual back end. On the bottom corners, angular vents finish off the look.
Peek inside the Kia, and you'll find available Nappa leather seat covers as well as a large touchscreen (the screens of its rivals are controlled by knobs and buttons, not touch). Like the A5 Sportback, the GT's screen sits prominently on its own atop the dash. Circular air vents remind us of those we've see on Mercedes vehicles. The rest of the controls look very Kia, however.
Which coupe-ified luxury-performance car do you think is the style winner? Let us know in the comments below.
Last week, we instigated a styling showdown between two new EVs: the Faraday Future FF91 and the Lucid Air. And it looks like Lucid won the day.
"The Lucid wins this comparison hands down," declaredJ.B.W."It is equally edgy and restrained."
But there were some strong supporters of FF. "When it comes to design language you must stand out, and the Lucid gets lost quickly, while the FF is far from derivative," saidCaliDesigns777.
When I tell people I write about cars, the most common reply I receive is “Really?” I guess I never strike people as a car type as I drive down the freeway in the right lane going 60 mph in my old SUV. My gripes about driving in city traffic and fast drivers don’t help my case, either. For a time, the only cars I liked were old cars. Not old as in "classic" or "vintage," but as in well-worn. My first appreciation of cars came when I drove a very old Ford pickup. It wasn't perfect: I used a booster seat to reach the gas pedal, and the turn signal once fell off in my hand as I was learning to drive. But the thing I valued most was the memories. It took several years for me to truly become a "car person." Being a long-time writer and an avid reader has helped me develop a healthy curiosity and a desire to know how things work. This has made cars one of the most fascinating points of study for me because they are such intricate machines. I am interested in how cars can reach 200 mph, how they can run on hydrogen, and how they can drive and park on their own. I also enjoy learning how cars can solve problems whether it be in the form of reducing pollution, minimizing traffic, or helping people stay connected on the road. Yes, maybe I’m not a gearhead. Perhaps I’m a car nerd. Either way, I very much enjoy writing about cars and helping people stay in tune with the automotive industry. I wouldn't want to be writing about anything else. And don’t get me wrong: I know how to drool over a hot car. I am fascinated by the Tesla Model S, awed by the Lamborghini Veneno, and am hopelessly obsessed with the Audi R8.
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