The last time we reviewed a Kia Stinger, we thought it'd be the last time we’d review a Kia Stinger. The year: the middle of 2020. It was a time when the roads were empty, the air was clear, and only one horseman of the apocalypse had arrived. Automotive outlets – including this one – were all panicked by rumors that the Stinger was a sales failure, and that Kia was ready to Thanos-snap it out of existence.

But something, somehow, had changed. As recently as the 2021 Los Angeles Auto Show, Kia was going on record saying that the Stinger was an important vehicle, and that they planned to continue to support it.

Thank goodness for that, because that means we were able to get yet another go in a brand-new Stinger, this one a 2022 Kia Stinger GT2.

Much has been said about the Stinger, most of it good, and all of it true. It’s not only the best car Kia makes, it’s one of the best sports sedans on the market, period. And in GT2 guise, it gets all the good stuff. We’re talking a low-slung, AWD, rear-biased platform. A twin-turbo 3.3-liter V6, which for 2022 gets a power bump up to 368 horsepower and 371 lb-ft of torque. And, despite sending that power through an 8-speed slushbox, a damn-quick 4.7-second 0-60 time.

Providing the contact patch for all that power is a set of Michelin Pilot Sport 4 tires, which wrap themselves around 19-inch alloy wheels. Helping bring things to a stop is a Brembo disc brake set up with Brembo four-piston calipers up front, and unbranded (but still Brembo) two-piston calipers in the rear.

The Stinger GT2 is a sports sedan that brands itself as a grand tourer. But, having taken it on a long (long) highway-heavy road trip, it’s not quite happy with that task. What the Stinger GT2 wants to be, is a sports car.

Its sport-tuned suspension is a bit too stiff over highway joints. Those Michelin Pilot Sport 4 tires are just grippy enough to tramline, while letting a ton of road noise into the cabin. And the engine, while capable of holding speed, feels unhappy when cruising at low rpm. A highway drive just feels punishing. Not for the driver, but for the car.

What the Stinger wants is a wide-open racetrack. Its engine is a delight when your right foot is planted on the floor—the way it delivers power and speed is nothing short of intoxicating. That sharpened steering and grip feel their most natural when you fling the car through several consecutive bends. And when you get experience the Stinger in its ideal habitat, who really cares about some bumpiness and road noise?

Sure, the inside is nice. This 2022 model gets new Nappa leather and a bigger touchscreen display. But the excellent driving position remains, as does the “just right” snug feeling of having the car wrap around you. And despite that tight sports car feel, the Stinger still manages to have plenty of room in the back seat for adults and room for luggage.

At the end of the day, the Kia Stinger GT2 remains a phenomenal machine. It’s just as much a genuine sports car as it is a luxury sedan, and for some reason, remains one of the best-kept secrets in all of car-dom. And whenever these insane dealer markups finally go away, it also offers one of the best values in the space with an MSRP of just $51,490.

Granted, it may be a couple of years before you find one at MSRP. But thankfully, whenever that time comes, we at least know the Stinger will still be around.

Stayin' Alive: The 2022 Kia Stinger GT2

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