It’s no secret that we like the Kia Stinger. It’s a fun, rear- or all-wheel drive four-door fastback with driving dynamics on par with a lot of German metal. And while new ones can be had with significant deals if you know where to look, the pre-owned 2018 models may be an even better value.
The Kia Stinger starts new around $33,000 for a turbocharged four-cylinder model with RWD and tops out around $53,000 for a GT2 AWD with a twin-turbo V6. Despite some of the folks who say that that is way too much money for a Kia, the cars present a fantastic value compared to other offerings even at the asking prices.
That being said, there is nothing wrong with saving money by having someone else eat the depreciation, and like most premium Korean cars, these things have depreciated fast.
You can pick up a lightly used turbo-four model, which by the way is really under-appreciated, for under $25,000. That is about the same cost as a Honda Accord EX.
Of course, the V6 is the one that most people want and even those can be found in the upper $20,000 to low $30,000 range. So you could buy a V6 Camry with 300 HP to the front wheels, or get something with more horsepower and a bit more character.
The one thing to keep in mind with used Kias is that the 10-year, 100,000-mile powertrain warranty does not transfer to the second owner. It resets to five-years and 60,000 miles, so you would get the remaining balance of that—still a pretty great warranty. However, if you did find a certified pre-owned Stinger, you would get the remainder of the original 10-year, 1000,000-mile coverage.
At a time when sedans and performance cars are a shrinking segment, the Stinger is a great opportunity to drive something fun and interesting. It even makes for a pretty decent family car. Shop smart and you can avoid getting stung by the sticker price on one.