
Is Kia ready for the big leagues? The real big leagues—the German, Japanese, and American sport-luxury sedans, that is.
The Cadillac ATS and Jaguar XE are the latest entrants into this segment and they've both brought a lot of performance to the table, not to mention style and value.
Then there are the segment defaults.
The BMW 3-Series has been the standard-bearer for more than three decades, but it's starting to look and feel a little soft.
The Mercedes-Benz C-Class, on the other hand, has brought a breath of sexy style to the segment as a shrunken-down S-Class.
And then there's the Lexus IS, which has been continuously updated and is stylish inside and out.
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Quick Specs | |||||
The 2018 Kia Stinger is a serious performance contender that is fun to drive, powerful, practical, and upscale, and it all comes at a bargain price. |
The 2018 BMW 3-Series makes its strongest case in performance for luxury compact buyers’ attentions. |
A sports car with a more practical body, the 2018 Cadillac ATS-V represents American engineering at its very best. |
The 2018 Jaguar XE is the other, other compact luxury sedan. It aims high, and mostly delivers. |
The Lexus IS needs more powertrain guts, and more styling glory, to tackle the cars it wants to take down. |
Very expensive and still not very large, the 2018 Mercedes-Benz C-Class nonetheless leads its luxury niche with fabulous style and fantastic power and grip. |
MSRP From | |||||
$31,900 | $34,900 | $35,495 | $35,725 | $38,210 | $40,250 |
Gas Mileage | |||||
17 MPG City / 29 MPG Hwy | 16 MPG City / 43 MPG Hwy | 16 MPG City / 31 MPG Hwy | 20 MPG City / 42 MPG Hwy | 19 MPG City / 32 MPG Hwy | 17 MPG City / 33 MPG Hwy |
Engine | |||||
Intercooled Turbo Premium Unleaded I-4 | Intercooled Turbo Premium Unleaded I-4 | Turbocharged Gas I4 | Intercooled Turbo Premium Unleaded I-4 | Intercooled Turbo Premium Unleaded I-4 | Intercooled Turbo Premium Unleaded I-4 |
EPA Class | |||||
Midsize Cars | Compact Cars | Compact Cars | Compact Cars | Compact Cars | Compact Cars |
Style Name | |||||
Base RWD | 320i Sedan | 4-Door Sedan 2.0L RWD | 25t RWD | IS 300 F Sport RWD | C 300 Sedan |
Drivetrain | |||||
Rear Wheel Drive | Rear Wheel Drive | Rear Wheel Drive | Rear Wheel Drive | Rear Wheel Drive | Rear Wheel Drive |
Passenger Capacity | |||||
5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 |
Passenger Doors | |||||
N/A | N/A | 4 | N/A | N/A | N/A |
Body Style | |||||
Sedan | Sedan | Sedan | Sedan | Sedan | Sedan |
Transmission | |||||
Automatic w/OD | Automatic w/OD | Automatic | Automatic w/OD | Automatic w/OD | Automatic w/OD |
Detailed Spec Comparison | |||||
2018 Kia Stinger vs. 2018 BMW 3-Series | 2018 Kia Stinger vs. 2018 Cadillac ATS | 2018 Kia Stinger vs. 2018 Jaguar XE | 2018 Kia Stinger vs. 2018 Lexus IS | 2018 Kia Stinger vs. 2018 Mercedes-Benz C Class |