Compare the2022 Kia StingerVS 2021 Infiniti Q50

Safety
Warranty
Reliability
Engine
Fuel Economy and Range
Transmission
Brakes and Stopping
Tires and Wheels
Suspension and Handling
Passenger Space
Cargo Capacity
Servicing Ease
Ergonomics
Economic Advantages
Recommendations

Safety

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In the past twenty years hundreds of infants and young children have died after being left in vehicles, usually by accident. When turning the vehicle off, drivers of the Stinger are reminded to check the back seat if they opened the rear door before starting out. The Q50 doesn’t offer a back seat reminder.

The Kia Stinger has a standard driver’s side knee airbag mounted low on the dashboard. The knee airbag helps prevent the driver from sliding under the seatbelts or the main frontal airbag; this keeps the driver better positioned during a collision for maximum protection. A knee airbag also helps keep the legs from striking the dashboard, preventing knee and leg injuries in the case of a serious frontal collision. The Q50 doesn’t offer knee airbags.

The Stinger has standard Active Headrests, which use a specially designed headrest to protect the driver and front passenger from whiplash. During a rear-end collision, the Active Headrests system moves the headrests forward to prevent neck and spine injuries. The Q50 doesn’t offer a whiplash protection system.

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 Q50 and is only available on Q50 Sensory/Red Sport 400.

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. Only the Q50 Luxe/Sensory/Red Sport 400 offers a blind spot warning system.

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 Q50 Luxe/Sensory/Red Sport 400 has a cross-path warning system.

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 Q50 doesn’t offer a driver alert monitor.

Both the Stinger and the Q50 have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact airbags, side-impact head airbags, front seatbelt pretensioners, height adjustable front shoulder belts, 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.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration does 35 MPH front crash tests on new vehicles. In this test, results indicate that the Kia Stinger is safer than the Infiniti Q50:

	Stinger	Q50
	Driver
STARS	5 Stars	4 Stars
HIC	161	225
Neck Injury Risk	18.3%	24%
Neck Stress	137 lbs.	223 lbs.
Leg Forces (l/r)	97/355 lbs.	185/312 lbs.
	Passenger
STARS	4 Stars	3 Stars
Chest Compression	.9 inches	1 inches
Neck Injury Risk	36.6%	48%
Neck Compression	32 lbs.	85 lbs.
Leg Forces (l/r)	53/25 lbs.	541/294 lbs.

New test not comparable to pre-2011 test results. More stars = Better. Lower test results = Better.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration does side impact tests on new vehicles. In this test, which crashes the vehicle into a flat barrier at 38.5 MPH and into a post at 20 MPH, results indicate that the Kia Stinger is safer than the Infiniti Q50:

	Stinger	Q50
	Front Seat
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
Abdominal Force	197 G’s	262 G’s
Hip Force	252 lbs.	320 lbs.
	Into Pole
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
Max Damage Depth	13 inches	19 inches
Spine Acceleration	36 G’s	36 G’s

New test not comparable to pre-2011 test results. More stars = Better. Lower test results = Better.

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 Q50 has not been fully tested, yet.

Warranty

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 Q50’s 4-year/60,000-mile basic warranty expires 1 year sooner.

Kia’s powertrain warranty covers the Stinger 4 years and 30,000 miles longer than Infiniti covers the Q50. Any repair needed on the engine, transmission, axles, joints or driveshafts is fully covered for 10 years or 100,000 miles. Coverage on the Q50 ends after only 6 years or 70,000 miles.

There are almost 4 times as many Kia dealers as there are Infiniti dealers, which makes it much easier should you ever need service under the Stinger’s warranty.

Reliability

The battery on the Stinger is in the trunk, which protects it from hot underhood temperatures that can degrade battery life. By keeping the Stinger’s battery 20 to 30 degrees cooler, its life is increased by years. The Q50’s battery is in the hot engine compartment.

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 Infiniti vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Kia 6th in initial quality, above the industry average. With 23 more problems per 100 vehicles, Infiniti is ranked 21st, 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 Infiniti vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Kia third in reliability, above the industry average. With 40 more problems per 100 vehicles, Infiniti is ranked 23rd.

Engine

The Stinger GT-Line’s standard 2.5 turbo 4-cylinder produces 16 lbs.-ft. more torque (311 vs. 295) than the Q50’s standard 3.0 turbo V6. The Stinger GT1/GT2’s standard 3.3 turbo V6 produces 26 lbs.-ft. more torque (376 vs. 350) than the Q50 Red Sport 400’s standard 3.0 turbo V6.

As tested in Car and Driver the Stinger GT1/GT2 3.3 turbo V6 is faster than the Q50 Red Sport 400:

	Stinger	Q50
Zero to 60 MPH	4.4 sec	4.5 sec
Quarter Mile	12.9 sec	13 sec
Top Speed	167 MPH	153 MPH

Fuel Economy and Range

On the EPA test cycle the Stinger gets better mileage than the Q50:

			MPG
Stinger
	RWD	2.5 turbo 4-cyl.	22 city/32 hwy
	AWD	2.5 turbo 4-cyl.	21 city/29 hwy
Q50
	RWD	3.0 turbo V6	20 city/29 hwy
		Red Sport 400 3.0 turbo V6	20 city/26 hwy
	AWD	3.0 turbo V6	19 city/27 hwy
		Red Sport 400 3.0 turbo V6	19 city/26 hwy

Regardless of its engine, the Stinger’s engine automatically turns off when the vehicle is stopped, saving fuel and reducing pollution. Infiniti only offers an automatic engine start/stop system on the Q50 2.0t.

To lower fuel costs and make buying fuel easier, the Kia Stinger uses regular unleaded gasoline (premium recommended for maximum performance). The Q50 requires premium, which can cost 20 to 55 cents more per gallon.

Transmission

An eight-speed automatic is standard on the Kia Stinger, for better acceleration and lower engine speed on the highway. Only a seven-speed automatic is available for the Q50.

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 Q50 doesn’t offer launch control.

Brakes and Stopping

For better stopping power the Stinger’s standard brake rotors are larger than those on the Q50:

	Stinger	Q50
Front Rotors	13.6 inches	12.6 inches
Rear Rotors	13 inches	12.1 inches

The Stinger stops shorter than the Q50:

	Stinger	Q50
70 to 0 MPH	156 feet	165 feet	Car and Driver

Tires and Wheels

The Stinger GT-Line’s standard tires provide better handling because they have a lower 45 series profile (height to width ratio) that provides a stiffer sidewall than the Q50 Pure’s standard 55 series tires.

For better ride, handling and brake cooling the Stinger GT-Line has standard 18-inch wheels. Smaller 17-inch wheels are standard on the Q50 Pure.

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 Q50; 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.

Suspension and Handling

The Stinger has standard front and rear gas-charged shocks for better control over choppy roads. The Q50’s suspension doesn’t offer gas-charged shocks.

For a smoother ride and more stable handling, the Stinger’s wheelbase is 2.2 inches longer than on the Q50 (114.4 inches vs. 112.2 inches).

For better handling and stability, the average track (width between the wheels) on the Stinger is 2.2 inches wider in the front and 2.7 inches wider in the rear than the average track on the Q50.

The Stinger’s front to rear weight distribution is more even (51.9% to 48.1%) than the Q50’s (55.8% to 44.2%). This gives the Stinger more stable handling and braking.

The Stinger GT2 handles at .93 G’s, while the Q50 Red Sport 400 pulls only .88 G’s of cornering force in a Car and Driver skidpad test.

Passenger Space

The Stinger has 2.3 inches more front hip room, 1.3 inches more rear legroom and 3.6 inches more rear hip room than the Q50.

Cargo Capacity

The Stinger’s standard rear seats fold to accommodate long and bulky cargo. The Q50 Pure doesn’t offer folding rear seats, only a ski pass-through.

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 Q50 doesn’t offer a power or hands-free opening trunk.

Servicing Ease

The Stinger has a maintenance free battery for long life without checking the battery’s water level. The Q50 doesn’t have a maintenance free battery, so the water level in the battery’s cells must be checked often to prevent damage.

Ergonomics

The Stinger GT2 has a standard heads-up display that projects speed, warning and navigation instruction readouts in front of the driver’s line of sight, allowing drivers to view information without diverting their eyes from the road. The Q50 doesn’t offer a heads-up display.

The Stinger’s power parking brake sets with one touch and releases with one touch or automatically. The Q50’s parking brake has to released manually.

The power windows standard on both the Stinger and the Q50 have locks to prevent small children from operating them. When the lock on the Stinger is engaged the driver can still operate all of the windows, for instance to close one opened by a child. The Q50 prevents the driver from operating the other windows just as it does the other passengers.

The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) conducts detailed tests on headlights for their range both straight ahead and in curves and to be certain they don’t exceed acceptable amounts of glare to oncoming drivers. The Stinger’s headlights were rated “Good” to “Acceptable” by the IIHS, while the Q50’s headlights are rated “Acceptable” to “Marginal.”

The Stinger has standard heated front seats. Heated front seats cost extra on the Q50, and aren’t available on the Q50 Pure. 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 Q50.

Standard air-conditioned seats in the Stinger GT2 keep the driver and front passenger comfortable and take the sting out of hot seats in Summer. The Q50 doesn’t offer air-conditioned seats.

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. The Q50 doesn’t offer wireless personal charging.

Economic Advantages

Insurance will cost less for the Stinger owner. The Complete Car Cost Guide estimates that insurance for the Stinger will cost $1000 less than the Q50 over a five-year period.

Recommendations

Consumer Reports® recommends both the Kia Stinger and the Infiniti Q50, based on reliability, safety and performance.