Kia Stinger hatchback (2018-2022) review - MPG, running costs & CO2
The Stinger GT-S has a clear focus on performance not economy
Designed to be Kia's flagship performance car, the Stinger comes with a powerful 3.3-litre V6 petrol engine. Less powerful engines were previously offered but now only the range-topper remains. It’s undeniably thirsty, with official figures pegging it at 28mpg, and we only got close to that at a steady motorway cruise.
That’s quite some way off the Audi S5’s claimed economy of 40mpg, and the gap has only increased now Audi has put a potent diesel engine in the latest S5. The petrol BMW M340i is claimed to hit 36mpg, while the Peugeot 508 is now available as a plug-in hybrid with roughly the same power as the Stinger, and will offer far lower running costs as long as it’s plugged in regularly.
All of those cars are around £10,000 more expensive than the Kia, though, so the fuel consumption may seem less of a worry given how much less you’re paying.
Tax costs nearly £500 a year for the Stinger because it costs more than £40,000. This is applicable for the first five times the tax is renewed, then it drops to the standard rate.
Insurance group
Insurance is another area that contributes to the Stinger having among the highest running costs of any Kia. The flagship 3.3-litre GT-S sits in insurance group 42 out of 50.
Warranty
One area in which the Stinger gets the better of its rivals, though, is warranty coverage. Kia’s seven-year/100,000-miles of cover is one of the best available, eclipsing the three-year/60,000-mile and three-year/unlimited-mileage warranties offered by Audi and BMW respectively.
Servicing
Kia servicing costs are likely to be less than those of the traditional ‘upmarket’ brands, too. We expect Stinger models to need a service every 10,000 miles or 12 months, with the now-discontinued 2.2-litre diesel requiring attention every 20,000 miles or 12 months.
Fixed-price servicing is available in the form of Kia’s ‘Care-3’ and ‘Care-3 Plus’ packages, which last for three and five years respectively. Expect the Care-3 pack to cost around £300 and the Care-3 Plus around £600. These schemes are also transferable to the new owner if you sell the car.
