Following a successful introduction to the UK last year, the Kia Stinger has been awarded ‘Best Performance Car’ in the UK Car of the Year Awards 2018.
Evaluated and compared by a well-respected panel of UK journalists, the Stinger came top of its class, fighting off stiff competition in a segment normally associated with more premium brands. The Stinger impressed judges with its striking styling, excellent handling, high levels of equipment and appealing value for money.
Commenting on the Stinger win, Paul Barker – UK COTY judge, said: “A brave move by Kia to produce a great-looking grand tourer and an interesting addition to the sector. The 3.3-litre petrol engine is an absolute stormer.”
Echoing Paul’s comments was UK COTY judge Alex Grant, “The Stinger is a sign of how far Kia has come in the last decade; a genuine rival to the compact executive sports saloon, with a competitive choice of engines and striking styling. The accessibility makes it the best in this class.”
Introduced to the UK media in November 2017, the Kia Stinger encapsulated the company’s slogan of ‘The Power to Surprise’ boasting a twin-turbo V6 with the capability to launch the five-seater gran turismo from 0-60pmh in a time of 4.7 seconds, making it the fastest-accelerating Kia ever.
Paul Philpott CEO and President of Kia Motors UK Ltd said of the win: “Stinger is such an important car for Kia because it says so much about where our brand is heading. We are delighted that it has been recognised by the UK COTY judges as the best performance car for 2018. As Stinger goes on sale in the UK, we are very confident our award winning performance car will be a great success.”
The thirteen segment winners in the UK Car of the Year Awards 2018 are all put forward to the main award of ‘UK Car of the Year 2018’ which will be announced at the end of January. The Stinger has also been shortlisted for European Car of the Year as well as being nominated for World Car of the Year.
