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AUTO REVIEW

the hood is relatively long – duh – but the rear end with its long more cash you can get into a Lexus IS200t or BMW 320i, and you
hatch is well integrated, and overall the look works. I especially like don’t have to explain your decision to your neighbors. And that’s a
the demonstrative front end highlighted by an assertive grille (two, problem that won’t go away until Kia establishes itself as a consistent
actually, one upper and one lower) and large air intakes lateral to producer of luxury and performance vehicles like those aforemen-
those grilles, as well as high door sills and short side windows. It’s tioned brands (and others) have. Once that happens, transaction
all kind of Gangsta, which I suspect is not accidental. prices and resale values will rise, and the virtuous cycle that has made
There’s nothing Gangsta about the interior though, which is pretty Mercedes, Lexus, and Audi into international cash cows will take Kia
standard fare for Kia. Yes paddle shifters are there to remind you into the automotive heavens. Easy to say, hard to do.
that this is a sports sedan – no manual is available – nice colored ac- The 2018 Kia Stinger is a good performance car for all the reasons
cents are scattered around generously, and the console and dash are listed above, and kudos to Kia for going the extra mile by putting
tilted towards the driver as they are in sports cars. But overall the their first performance sedan on a RWD/AWD platform. Here’s
sense from behind the wheel is that you’re in a Kia, not an Audi. hoping they continue to feed the enthusiast market. If they do, I
Pity, Kia had an opening there. predict good things for both sales and resale values.
Of course, an Audi-esque interior costs money, and that would’ve
caused the Stinger to have a higher price. As it stands, the Stinger If you’re in the market for this kind of vehicle, call Phil Hornbeak
starts at around $33,000 with base GTs going for just under $40,000. at 210-301-4367.
Adding AWD costs $2,200 regardless of which model you add it to.
As always, call Phil Hornbeak to get the best price on a Stinger or Stephen Schutz, MD, is a board-certified gastroenterologist
any other vehicle. who lived in San Antonio in the 1990s when he was stationed
Which brings me to the elephant in the room: this is a perform- here in the U.S. Air Force. He has been writing auto reviews
ance car that legitimately performs, a RWD/AWD car that could’ve for San Antonio Medicine since 1995.
been FWD, and it looks seriously good. But it’s a Kia. For not much

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