Compare the2022 Kia StingerVS 2021 Cadillac CT4

For enhanced safety, the front seat shoulder belts of the Kia Stinger are height-adjustable to accommodate a wide variety of driver and passenger heights. A better fit can prevent injuries and the increased comfort also encourages passengers to buckle up. The Cadillac CT4 doesn’t offer height-adjustable seat belts.

The Stinger’s standard lane departure warning system alerts a temporarily inattentive driver when the vehicle begins to leave its lane and gently nudges the vehicle back towards its lane. A lane departure warning system costs extra on the CT4 and is only available on CT4 Premium Luxury/Sport.

The Stinger has a standard blind spot warning system which uses sensors to alert the driver to objects in the vehicle’s blind spots where the side view mirrors don’t reveal them and moves the vehicle back into its lane. A system to reveal vehicles in the CT4’s blind spot costs extra.

To help make backing out of a parking space safer, the Stinger has a standard cross-path warning system, which uses sensors in the rear bumper to alert the driver to vehicles approaching from the side, helping the driver avoid collisions. Only the CT4 Premium Luxury/Sport offers a cross-path warning system and it costs extra.

The Stinger’s driver alert monitor detects an inattentive driver then sounds a warning and suggests a break. According to the NHTSA, drivers who fall asleep cause about 100,000 crashes and 1500 deaths a year. The CT4 doesn’t offer a driver alert monitor.

Both the Stinger and the CT4 have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact airbags, driver knee airbags, side-impact head airbags, front seatbelt pretensioners, plastic fuel tanks, four-wheel antilock brakes, traction control, electronic stability systems to prevent skidding, crash mitigating brakes, daytime running lights, rearview cameras, available all wheel drive and around view monitors.

For its top level performance in IIHS driver and passenger-side small overlap frontal, moderate overlap frontal, side impact, roof strength and head restraint tests, with its optional vehicle-to-vehicle front crash prevention system, with its optional vehicle-to-pedestrian front crash prevention system, and its standard headlight’s “Good” rating, the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety grants the Stinger its highest rating: “Top Pick Plus” for 2021, a rating granted to only 68 vehicles tested by the IIHS. The CT4 has not been tested, yet.

The Stinger comes with a full 5-year/60,000-mile basic warranty, which covers the entire car and includes 24-hour roadside assistance. The CT4’s 4-year/50,000-mile basic warranty expires 1 year or 10,000 miles sooner.

Kia’s powertrain warranty covers the Stinger 4 years and 30,000 miles longer than Cadillac covers the CT4. Any repair needed on the engine, transmission, axles, joints or driveshafts is fully covered for 10 years or 100,000 miles. Coverage on the CT4 ends after only 6 years or 70,000 miles.

A reliable vehicle saves its owner time, money and trouble. Nobody wants to be stranded or have to be without a vehicle while it’s being repaired. Consumer Reports rates the Stinger’s reliability 16 points higher than the CT4.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2021 Initial Quality Study of new car owners surveyed provide the statistics that show that Kia vehicles are better in initial quality than Cadillac vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Kia 6th in initial quality, above the industry average. With 26 more problems per 100 vehicles, Cadillac is ranked 22nd, below the industry average.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2021 survey of the owners of three-year-old vehicles provides the long-term dependability statistics that show that Kia vehicles are more reliable than Cadillac vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Kia third in reliability, above the industry average. With 3 more problems per 100 vehicles, Cadillac is ranked fifth.

From surveys of all its subscribers, Consumer Reports’ January 2021 Auto Issue reports that Kia vehicles are more reliable than Cadillac vehicles. Consumer Reports ranks Kia 6 places higher in reliability than Cadillac.

The Stinger GT-Line’s standard 2.5 turbo 4-cylinder produces 63 more horsepower (300 vs. 237) and 53 lbs.-ft. more torque (311 vs. 258) than the CT4’s standard 2.0 turbo 4-cylinder. The Stinger GT1/GT2’s standard 3.3 turbo V6 produces 58 more horsepower (368 vs. 310) and 26 lbs.-ft. more torque (376 vs. 350) than the CT4’s optional 2.7 turbo 4-cylinder.

As tested in Motor Trend the Stinger GT1/GT2 3.3 turbo V6 is faster than the Cadillac CT4 2.7 turbo 4-cylinder:

On the EPA test cycle the Stinger GT-Line 2.5 turbo 4-cylinder RWD gets better fuel mileage than the CT4 2.7 turbo 4-cylinder RWD (22 city/32 hwy vs. 21 city/31 hwy).

To lower fuel costs and make buying fuel easier, the Kia Stinger uses regular unleaded gasoline (premium recommended for maximum performance). The CT4 requires premium, which can cost 20 to 55 cents more per gallon.

The Stinger GT1/GT2’s launch control uses engine electronics to hold engine RPM’s at 2250 in order to provide the most stable and rapid acceleration possible, using all of the available traction. The CT4 doesn’t offer launch control.

For better stopping power the Stinger’s brake rotors are larger than those on the CT4:

The Stinger stops much shorter than the CT4:

For better ride, handling and brake cooling the Stinger GT-Line has standard 18-inch wheels. Smaller 17-inch wheels are standard on the CT4.

The Stinger has a standard space-saver spare tire so you can replace a flat tire and drive to have the flat repaired or replaced. A spare tire isn’t available on the CT4; it requires you to depend on its run-flat tires, which limits mileage and speed before they are repaired. If a run-flat is damaged beyond repair by a road hazard your vehicle will have to be towed. Some tire options on the CT4 don’t have a run-flat feature, either.

The Stinger offers an available driver-adjustable suspension system. It allows the driver to choose between an extra-supple ride, reducing fatigue on long trips, or a sport setting, which allows maximum control for tricky roads. The CT4’s suspension doesn’t offer adjustable shock absorbers.

For a smoother ride and more stable handling, the Stinger’s wheelbase is 5.1 inches longer than on the CT4 (114.4 inches vs. 109.3 inches).

For better handling and stability, the average track (width between the wheels) on the Stinger is 2.5 inches wider in the front and 2.5 inches wider in the rear than the track on the CT4.

The Stinger GT2 handles at .91 G’s, while the CT4 Premium Luxury AWD pulls only .83 G’s of cornering force in a Motor Trend skidpad test.

The Stinger executes Motor Trend’s “Figure Eight” maneuver 1.7 seconds quicker than the CT4 Premium Luxury AWD (24.8 seconds @ .79 average G’s vs. 26.5 seconds @ .67 average G’s).

Because it has more passenger and cargo room, the EPA rates the Stinger a Mid-size car, while the CT4 is rated a Compact.

The Stinger has 3.8 cubic feet more passenger volume than the CT4 (93.8 vs. 90).

The Stinger has .2 inches more front legroom, 2.5 inches more front hip room, 1.2 inches more front shoulder room, .5 inches more rear headroom, 3 inches more rear legroom, 3.6 inches more rear hip room and .9 inches more rear shoulder room than the CT4.

The front step up height for the Stinger is 1 inches lower than the CT4 (15.5” vs. 16.5”). The Stinger’s rear step up height is 2 inches lower than the CT4’s (15” vs. 17”).

A low lift-over trunk design makes loading and unloading the Stinger easier. The Stinger’s trunk lift-over height is 27.5 inches, while the CT4’s liftover is 30 inches.

To make loading and unloading groceries and cargo easier when your hands are full, the Stinger GT2’s power liftgate can be opened just by waiting momentarily behind the back bumper, leaving your hands completely free. The Stinger’s power liftgate can also be opened or closed by pressing a button. The CT4 doesn’t offer a power or hands-free opening trunk.

The Stinger uses gas struts to support the hood for easier service access. The CT4 uses a prop rod to support its heavy hood. It takes two hands to open the hood and set the prop rod, the prop rod gets in the way during maintenance and service, and the prop rod could be knocked out, causing the heavy hood to fall on the person maintaining or servicing the car.

The Stinger has a standard locking fuel door with a remote release located convenient to the driver. A locking fuel door helps prevent fuel theft and vandalism, such as sugar in the tank. The CT4 doesn’t offer a locking fuel door.

The Stinger’s rain-sensitive wipers adjust their speed and turn on and off automatically based on the amount of rainfall on the windshield. This allows the driver to concentrate on driving without constantly adjusting the wipers. The CT4’s standard manually variable intermittent wipers have to be constantly adjusted.

The CT4 Premium Luxury/Sport’s optional cornering lamps activate a lamp on the front corner when the turn signal is activated. The Stinger GT2’s standard adaptive cornering lights turn the actual headlight unit up to several degrees, depending on steering wheel angle and vehicle speed. This lights a significant distance into corners at any speed.

The Stinger has standard heated front seats. Heated front seats cost extra on the CT4. The Stinger GT2 also has standard heated rear seats to keep those passengers extremely comfortable in the winter. Heated rear seats aren’t available in the CT4.

To quickly and conveniently keep personal devices charged without cables tangling and wearing out, the Kia Stinger has a standard wireless phone charging system (Qi) in the center console. Wireless charging costs extra on the CT4.

Consumer Reports® recommends the Kia Stinger, based on reliability, safety and performance. The Cadillac CT4 isn't recommended.