Kiaās Stinger GT is remarkably similar to Fordās Mustang GT in that theyāre fun to drive, about the same price, similarly beautiful, and pretty darn close on the drag strip. Given ideal conditions and an ideal driver, the Mustang GT will eke out a victory in the quarter mile, but as has been proven before, and again in this video, the Mustang doesnāt always have the balls to get the win. Stock for stock, the Kia is factory-rated to run a low 13-second et, while the Mustang is occasionally capable of knocking down the quarter in less than twelve. Somehow, in this test, that wasnāt the case.
Throttle House doesnāt provide their elapsed times for either car, but they do show repeated victories with slim and shrinking margins for the Kia. Clearly the Mustang has the legs on the top end over the Korean sedan. Given a standing mile, or even another few yards, the Mustang would definitely overtake the fastback sedan. However, the Stingerās AWD and turbocharged torque are super beneficial off the start line in less-than-ideal conditions, or with a less than perfectly experienced driver. In the hands of a civilian, the Stinger would likely be faster nine times out of ten.
Okay, so the drag strip story has been told, what about a road course competition? Back to back comparisons find the Stinger with a more agile feel, and a more adept corner turn in. Through the corner, even, the drivers comment how balanced the Kia feels. It doesnāt quite have the grunt of the Fordās big V8, which gains speed on every straight. The Kiaās extra weight is also more punishing on the brakes and tires than the Mustang, which shouldnāt really be a surprise. The lap times at the Toronto-based track are not exactly a surprise, either. The Mustang beats the Kia, but the fact that the two can even be mentioned in the same sentence together is a victory for Kia.
If youāre looking for a fun car that you will drive with perhaps one other passenger, the Mustang is hard to beat. If you have a couple of kids and need a decent sized hatchback, however, and still want something fun to drive and exciting to look at, get the Kia.
