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2018 Kia Stinger GT AWD Review: A 1,400-mile grand tour in Kia's grand tourer

They call the 2018 Kia Stinger a GT. It's powerful and sleek with a low-slung seating position, quick steering and, even with all-wheel drive, a tail-happy nature. It looks killer in red. And with its V6-powered engine, the letters GT are even festooned upon its liftgate. Well, that's nice, but how does it actually deliver on the grand-tourer formula of rapid, comfortable and stylish transportation? Well, to find out, I put the Stinger GT to a grand-touring test. Starting in the western Rockies and the remote ski town of Crested Butte, Colo., my destination would be home in Portland, Ore. The Google-suggested way is 18 hours on mostly Interstates 70, 15 and 84. However, interstates are boring and are better suited to a perfectly capable but utterly soulless family transportation appliance. A proper grand tour should include two-lane highways and scenic detours, so that's exactly what I'd do. It would add hours and miles, but also, most hopefully, a vastly more memorable experience. Well, as my photos will attest, the scenery didn't disappoint. And, as you'll see in the videos, neither did the Stinger. Episode 1: Setting Off Episode 2: It's a hatchback! Crested Butte, Colo., to Moab, Utah Crested Butte is way off the beaten path, a charming mountain village deep in the western Colorado Rockies mostly free from the usual uber-commercial, Disney-like feel of ritzier, easier-accessed ski towns. Its main street thoroughfare, authentically Western rather than engineered to be so, is surrounded by scattered subdivisions and majestic mountains beyond. It had been buried in 9 feet of snow just a few weeks prior. The local citizenry didn't seem particularly bothered by that. Though most of that 9 feet had melted, the ground was still very much white, requiring the Stinger GT to shed its usual summer rubber in favor of Michelin Pilot Alpin PA4 winter tires. These are specifically intended for performance car applications like the Stinger, sacrificing just a smidge of icy traction in favor of superior handling and steering feel when on dry pavement. There's no need to delay the verdict here: after 1,400 miles, the Stinger felt just as generally compelling and dynamic on the Alpins as when I drove it last November in Southern California on summer tires. The other half of the Stinger's snow defense is the GT's optional all-wheel-drive system, which adds $2,000 to its price tag (as-tested $52,300).

Kia Hotbots come back out to play with 2014 Forte

Kia is bringing back its so-called "hotbots," the slightly disturbing female robots that traipse about the uncanny valley while hustling the new Forte and "respecting the tech," for three new, humorous animated spots.
The Hotbots first debuted during Kia's latest Super Bowl spot, which followed the debut of the 2014 Forte sedan at the 2012 Los Angeles Auto Show. Each new spot follows the premise of the two originals, with the hotbots protecting the Forte while the oblivious owner stands by. Take a look at all three ads below, along with the two originals that kicked the series off.

2018 Kia Stinger GT Long-Term Review Introduction | A brand new day

Kia has come a long, long way since it entered the U.S. market back in the mid '90s. Initially, the Korean automaker was known for affordable economy cars with questionable reliability and a distinct lack of charisma. That's no longer the case. Kia turned its reputation around, building solid if slightly sedate cars and crossovers with handsome styling and one of the best warranties in the industry. Our new long-term 2018 Kia Stinger GT is the automaker's first real attempt to inject some life into the brand. The Stinger's development was helmed by some genuine all-stars. The design was led by Peter Schreyer — the man behind the original Audi TT — and Gregory Guillaume at Kia's European design studio. Engineering was handled by former BMW M Vice President of Engineering Albert Biermann. Biermann is now leading the way at Hyundai's N division. The end result is a front-engine, rear-drive sportback tasked with putting to rest Kia's budget-car image. The automaker has made no secret about targeting models like the Audi A7 and Porsche Panamera. What we got The Stinger comes in two flavors. The base model comes with a 2.0-liter twin-scroll turbo four-cylinder producing 255 horsepower and 260 pound feet of torque. We opted for the more powerful Stinger GT and its 3.3-liter twin-turbo V6. That engine — shared with models from Genesis — makes 365 horsepower and 376 pound-feet of torque. Both engines are mated to an eight-speed automatic. While rear-wheel drive is standard, we opted for all-wheel drive ($2,200) to better deal with Michigan winters. Our car comes in Hichroma Red with a red interior. Leather is standard on every Stinger model. A base GT starts at $39,250 and comes with LED lighting, 19-inch wheels with summer tires and Brembo brakes. Our GT1 package comes in at $46,350 and adds niceties like a sunroof, a Harman Kardon audio system and a heated steering wheel. Other features include dual-zone climate control and power-adjustable front seating. We added cargo mats and a cargo tray in the rear, bringing the total to $46,620. Why we got it Kia and Hyundai are working hard to move past their budget-car roots. In general, both companies are producing vehicles that no longer have to sell on value alone. For a while, Kia's lineup consisted mostly of vehicles that were closely related to a Hyundai counterpart, with sharper styling but few points of real differentiation.