Compare the2022 Kia StingerVS 2020 Audi S3

Safety
Warranty
Reliability
Engine
Fuel Economy and Range
Transmission
Brakes and Stopping
Suspension and Handling
Chassis
Passenger Space
Cargo Capacity
Servicing Ease
Ergonomics
Model Availability
Recommendations

Safety

© 1999 - 2024Advanta-STAR Automotive Research, all rights reserved. This vehicle comparison and all of the content in it are provided only by license from Advanta-STAR Automotive Research Corporation of America (“Advanta-STAR”). If you are not a legally licensed user of this vehicle comparison, it is against federal law to access it, copy it, forward it, or use it in any manner whatsoever. Any unauthorized use of this vehicle comparison is a violation of U.S. and international law and is punishable criminally and civilly. Removal of this watermark/notification without prior written license and approval received from Advanta-STAR is an agreement, understanding, and/or stipulation by the person(s), entities, agents, attorneys, and any other persons involved in the removal of this watermark/notification (including but not limited to Search Optics, LLC and any and all parent entities, sister entities, and subsidiary entities of Search Optics, LLC and/or any other entity, agent, attorney, and persons related in any manner to Search Optics, LLC) to: 1) an agreed upon amount of liquidated monetary damages of a minimum of $1,250,000.00 US Dollars in favor of Advanta-STAR; 2) the jurisdiction and enforcement of any legal claims associated with this matter asserted by Advanta-STAR in the United States Federal District Court in Portand, Oregon; and 3) service of process of any legal claims asserted by Advanta-STAR associated with this matter may be accomplished by First-Class Postage by the United States Postal Service or comparable service. XPYNN-M34HG 2a06:98c0:3600::103 2024/04/30

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 S3 doesn’t offer a whiplash protection system.

The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety tests front crash prevention systems. With a score of 6 points, IIHS rates the Autonomous Emergency Braking optional in the Stinger as “Superior.” The S3 scores only 3 points and is rated only “Advanced.”

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 S3 and is only available on S3 Premium Plus.

The Stinger GT2 has a standard Surround View Monitor to allow the driver to see objects all around the vehicle on a screen. The S3 only offers a rear monitor and front and rear parking sensors that beep or flash a light. That doesn’t help with obstacles to the sides.

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. Cross-path warning costs extra on the S3.

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 S3 doesn’t offer a driver alert monitor.

The Stinger has standard 911 Connect, which uses a global positioning satellite (GPS) receiver and a cellular system to send emergency personnel to the scene if any airbags deploy. The S3 doesn’t offer a GPS response system, only a navigation computer with no live response for emergencies, so if you’re involved in an accident and you’re incapacitated help may not come as quickly.

Both the Stinger and the S3 have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact airbags, driver knee airbags, side-impact head airbags, height adjustable front shoulder belts, plastic fuel tanks, four-wheel antilock brakes, traction control, electronic stability systems to prevent skidding, crash mitigating brakes, daytime running lights, rearview cameras and available all wheel drive.

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 Audi S3:

	Stinger	S3
	Driver
STARS	5 Stars	4 Stars
HIC	161	217
Neck Injury Risk	18.3%	45%
Neck Stress	137 lbs.	427 lbs.
Neck Compression	62 lbs.	143 lbs.
Leg Forces (l/r)	97/355 lbs.	461/426 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 Audi S3:

	Stinger	S3
	Front Seat
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
HIC	119	172
Chest Movement	1.1 inches	1.1 inches
Abdominal Force	197 G’s	219 G’s
Hip Force	252 lbs.	308 lbs.
	Rear Seat
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
HIC	263	277
Hip Force	571 lbs.	777 lbs.
	Into Pole
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
HIC	310	333
Spine Acceleration	36 G’s	47 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 available headlight’s “Good” rating, the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety grants the Stinger the rating of “Top Pick” for 2021, a rating granted to only 110 vehicles tested by the IIHS. The S3 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 S3’s 4-year/50,000-mile basic warranty expires 1 year or 10,000 miles sooner.

Kia’s powertrain warranty covers the Stinger 6 years and 50,000 miles longer than Audi covers the S3. Any repair needed on the engine, transmission, axles, joints or driveshafts is fully covered for 10 years or 100,000 miles. Coverage on the S3 ends after only 4 years or 50,000 miles.

There are almost 3 times as many Kia dealers as there are Audi 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 S3’s battery is in the hot engine compartment.

J.D. Power and Associates rated the Stinger third among compact premium cars in their 2020 Initial Quality Study. The S3 isn’t in the top three in its category.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2020 Initial Quality Study of new car owners surveyed provide the statistics that show that Kia vehicles are better in initial quality than Audi vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Kia first in initial quality, above the industry average. With 89 more problems per 100 vehicles, Audi is ranked 32nd, 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 Audi vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Kia third in reliability, above the industry average. With 30 more problems per 100 vehicles, Audi is ranked 20th.

Engine

The Stinger GT-Line’s standard 2.5 turbo 4-cylinder produces 12 more horsepower (300 vs. 288) and 31 lbs.-ft. more torque (311 vs. 280) than the S3’s 2.0 turbo 4-cylinder. The Stinger GT1/GT2’s standard 3.3 turbo V6 produces 80 more horsepower (368 vs. 288) and 96 lbs.-ft. more torque (376 vs. 280) than the S3’s 2.0 turbo 4-cylinder.

As tested in Motor Trend the Stinger GT1/GT2 3.3 turbo V6 is faster than the Audi S3:

	Stinger	S3
Zero to 60 MPH	4.6 sec	4.7 sec
Quarter Mile	13.1 sec	13.4 sec
Speed in 1/4 Mile	106.9 MPH	102.4 MPH

Fuel Economy and Range

In heavy traffic or at stoplights the Stinger’s engine automatically turns off when the vehicle is stopped, saving fuel and reducing pollution. The engine is automatically restarted when the driver gets ready to move again. (Start/Stop isn’t accounted in present EPA fuel mileage tests.) The S3 doesn’t offer an automatic engine start/stop system.

The Stinger has 1.4 gallons more fuel capacity than the S3 (15.9 vs. 14.5 gallons), for longer range between fill-ups.

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 S3.

Brakes and Stopping

For better stopping power the Stinger’s brake rotors are larger than those on the S3:

	Stinger GT-Line	Stinger GT1/GT2	S3
Front Rotors	13.6 inches	13.8 inches	13.4 inches
Rear Rotors	13 inches	13.4 inches	12.2 inches

The Stinger stops shorter than the S3:

	Stinger	S3
70 to 0 MPH	156 feet	160 feet	Car and Driver
60 to 0 MPH	104 feet	113 feet	Motor Trend

Suspension and Handling

For a smoother ride and more stable handling, the Stinger’s wheelbase is 10.8 inches longer than on the S3 (114.4 inches vs. 103.6 inches).

For better handling and stability, the average track (width between the wheels) on the Stinger is 1.7 inches wider in the front and 4.1 inches wider in the rear than the track on the S3.

The Stinger executes Motor Trend’s “Figure Eight” maneuver quicker than the S3 (24.8 seconds @ .79 average G’s vs. 25.2 seconds @ .81 average G’s).

Chassis

The design of the Kia Stinger amounts to more than styling. The Stinger has an aerodynamic coefficient of drag of .3 Cd. That is lower than the S3 (.33) and many sports cars. A more efficient exterior helps keep the interior quieter and helps the Stinger get better fuel mileage.

Passenger Space

Because it has more passenger and cargo room, the EPA rates the Stinger a Mid-size car, while the S3 is rated a Subcompact.

The Stinger has 7.8 cubic feet more passenger volume than the S3 (93.8 vs. 86).

The Stinger has 1.8 inches more front headroom, 1.4 inches more front legroom, 1.6 inches more front shoulder room, .9 inches more rear headroom, 1.3 inches more rear legroom and 1.8 inches more rear shoulder room than the S3.

Cargo Capacity

To make loading and unloading groceries and cargo easier when your hands are full, the Stinger GT2’s power trunk can be opened just by waiting momentarily behind the back bumper, leaving your hands completely free. The Stinger’s power trunk can also be opened or closed by pressing a button. The S3 doesn’t offer a power or hands-free opening trunk.

Servicing Ease

The engine in the Stinger is mounted longitudinally (North-South), instead of sideways, as in the S3. This makes it easier to service and maintain, because the accessory belts are in front.

The Stinger has a maintenance free battery for long life without checking the battery’s water level. The S3 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 has a standard remote vehicle starting system, so the vehicle can be started from inside the driver's house. This allows the driver to comfortably warm up the engine before going out to the vehicle. The climate system will also automatically heat or cool the interior. The S3 doesn’t offer a remote starting system.

When two different drivers share the Stinger GT2, the memory system makes it convenient for both. Each setting activates different, customized memories for the driver’s seat position, steering wheel position (with optional power wheel adjuster) and outside mirror angle. The S3 doesn’t offer a memory system.

The Stinger GT2’s standard easy entry system raises the steering wheel and glides the driver’s seat back when the door is unlocked or the ignition is switched off, making it easier for the driver to get in and out. The S3 doesn’t offer an easy entry system.

The Stinger GT2 has a standard heads-up display that projects speed and other key instrumentation readouts in front of the driver’s line of sight, allowing drivers to view information without diverting their eyes from the road. The S3 doesn’t offer a heads-up display.

The Smart Key standard on the Stinger allows you to unlock the driver’s door, trunk and start the engine all without removing a key from pocket or purse. This eliminates searching for keys before loading groceries, getting in the vehicle in bad weather or making a hurried start to your trip. The Audi S3’s Audi Advanced Key doesn’t unlock the trunk.

The Stinger’s power window, power lock, power mirror and cruise control switches are lit from behind, making them plainly visible and easier to operate at night. The S3’s cruise control switches are unlit, making them difficult to find at night and operate safely.

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 available headlights were rated “Good” by the IIHS, while the S3’s headlights are rated “Acceptable.”

To help drivers see further while navigating curves, the Stinger GT2 has standard adaptive headlights to illuminate around corners automatically by reading vehicle speed and steering wheel angle. The S3 doesn’t offer cornering lights.

When the Stinger GT2 is put in reverse, both rearview mirrors tilt from their original position. This gives the driver a better view of the curb during parallel parking maneuvers. Shifting out of reverse puts the mirrors into their original positions. The S3’s mirrors don’t automatically adjust for backing.

Both the Stinger and the S3 have standard heated front seats. 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 S3.

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 S3 doesn’t offer air-conditioned seats.

On extremely cold winter days, the Stinger’s optional heated steering wheel provides comfort, allowing the driver to steer safely and comfortably before the car heater warms up. The S3 doesn’t offer a heated steering wheel.

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. Only the S3 Premium Plus offers wireless charging.

Model Availability

The Stinger is available in both rear-wheel drive and all-wheel drive configurations. The S3 doesn’t offer a two-wheel drive configuration.

Recommendations

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

J.D. Power and Associates rated the Stinger third among compact premium cars in owner reported satisfaction. This includes how well the vehicle performs and satisfies its owner’s expectations. The S3 isn’t in the top three.