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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 2018 Kia StingerGet Your Price |  2018 BMW 3-SeriesGet Your Price |  2018 Cadillac ATSGet Your Price |  2018 Jaguar XEGet Your Price |  2018 Lexus ISGet Your Price |  2018 Mercedes-Benz C ClassGet Your Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Quick Specs | |||||
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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. |
The Cadillac ATS remains a highly desirable underdog with its terrific ride and handling and willing powertrains. It's as fun-to-drive as any compact luxury sedan. |
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 | N/A | $35,725 | $38,210 | $40,250 |
| Gas Mileage | |||||
| 17 MPG City / 29 MPG Hwy | 20 MPG City / 43 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 | N/A | Intercooled Turbo Premium Unleaded I-4 | Intercooled Turbo Premium Unleaded I-4 | Intercooled Turbo Premium Unleaded I-4 |
| EPA Class | |||||
| Large Cars | Compact Cars | N/A | Compact Cars | Compact Cars | Compact Cars |
| Style Name | |||||
| Base RWD | 320i Sedan | N/A | 25t RWD | IS 300 F Sport RWD | C 300 Sedan |
| Drivetrain | |||||
| Rear Wheel Drive | Rear Wheel Drive | N/A | Rear Wheel Drive | Rear Wheel Drive | Rear Wheel Drive |
| Passenger Capacity | |||||
| 5 | 5 | N/A | 5 | 5 | 5 |
| Passenger Doors | |||||
| N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A |
| Body Style | |||||
| Sedan | Sedan | N/A | Sedan | Sedan | Sedan |
| Transmission | |||||
| Automatic w/OD | Automatic w/OD | N/A | 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 | |
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