Compare the2023 Lexus ISVS 2023 Kia Stinger

Safety
Warranty
Reliability
Engine
Fuel Economy and Range
Environmental Friendliness
Brakes and Stopping
Tires and Wheels
Suspension and Handling
Chassis
Cargo Capacity
Servicing Ease
Ergonomics
Economic Advantages
Recommendations

Safety

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For enhanced safety, the front and rear seat shoulder belts of the Lexus IS have pretensioners to tighten the seatbelts and eliminate dangerous slack in the event of a collision and force limiters to limit the pressure the belts will exert on the passengers. The Kia Stinger doesn’t offer pretensioners for its rear seat belts.

The IS’ optional pre-crash front seatbelts will tighten automatically in the event the vehicle detects an impending crash, improving protection against injury significantly. The Stinger doesn’t offer pre-crash pretensioners.

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

The IS has a standard Secondary Collision Brake, which automatically applies the brakes in the event of a crash to help prevent secondary collisions and prevent further injuries. The Stinger doesn’t offer a post collision braking system: in the event of a collision that triggers the airbags, more collisions are possible without the protection of airbags that may have already deployed.

Over 200 people are killed each year when backed over by motor vehicles. The IS offers optional Auto Rear Braking that uses rear sensors to monitor and automatically apply the brakes to prevent a rear collision. The Stinger doesn’t offer backup collision prevention brakes.

Both the IS and the Stinger have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact airbags, driver knee airbags, side-impact head airbags, height adjustable front shoulder belts, four-wheel antilock brakes, traction control, electronic stability systems to prevent skidding, crash mitigating brakes, daytime running lights, lane departure warning systems, blind spot warning systems, rearview cameras, rear cross-path warning, 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 Lexus IS is safer than the Kia Stinger:

	IS	Stinger
	Passenger
STARS	4 Stars	4 Stars
Chest Compression	.5 inches	.9 inches
Neck Stress	152 lbs.	173 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 Lexus IS is safer than the Kia Stinger:

	IS	Stinger
	Front Seat
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
Chest Movement	1 inches	1.1 inches
	Rear Seat
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
HIC	162	263
Spine Acceleration	28 G’s	62 G’s
Hip Force	438 lbs.	571 lbs.
	Into Pole
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
HIC	293	310
Spine Acceleration	34 G’s	36 G’s
Hip Force	650 lbs.	752 lbs.

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

Warranty

The IS’ corrosion warranty is 1 year and unlimited miles longer than the Stinger’s (6/unlimited vs. 5/100,000).

Reliability

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 IS’ reliability 12 points higher than the Stinger.

J.D. Power and Associates rated the IS first among compact premium cars in their 2022 Initial Quality Study. The Stinger isn’t in the top three.

From surveys of all its subscribers, Consumer Reports’ January 2021 Auto Issue reports that Lexus vehicles are more reliable than Kia vehicles. Consumer Reports ranks Lexus third in overall reliability. Kia is ranked 15th.

Engine

The IS 500’s 5.0 DOHC V8 produces 104 more horsepower (472 vs. 368) and 19 lbs.-ft. more torque (395 vs. 376) than the Stinger GT2’s optional 3.3 turbo V6.

As tested in Motor Trend the IS 500 5.0 DOHC V8 is faster than the Stinger GT2 3.3 turbo V6:

	IS	Stinger
Zero to 60 MPH	4.3 sec	5.2 sec
Quarter Mile	12.7 sec	13.6 sec
Speed in 1/4 Mile	112.7 MPH	104.8 MPH

As tested in Motor Trend the IS 500 5.0 DOHC V8 is faster than the Stinger GT-Line 2.5 turbo 4-cylinder:

	IS	Stinger
Zero to 60 MPH	4.3 sec	5.7 sec
Quarter Mile	12.7 sec	14.1 sec
Speed in 1/4 Mile	112.7 MPH	101.8 MPH

Fuel Economy and Range

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

			MPG
IS
	RWD	2.0 turbo 4-cyl.	21 city/31 hwy
		3.5 DOHC V6	20 city/28 hwy
	AWD	350 F Sport 3.5 DOHC V6	19 city/26 hwy
		300 AWD 3.5 DOHC V6	19 city/26 hwy
Stinger
	RWD	3.3 turbo V6	18 city/25 hwy
	AWD	3.3 turbo V6	17 city/24 hwy

The IS has 1.5 gallons more fuel capacity than the Stinger (17.4 vs. 15.9 gallons), for longer range between fill-ups.

Environmental Friendliness

In its Green Vehicle Guide, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) rates the Lexus IS higher (5 out of 10) than the Kia Stinger (3). This means the IS produces up to 16.5 pounds less smog-producing pollutants than the Stinger every 15,000 miles.

Brakes and Stopping

For better stopping power the IS 500 Performance’s front brake rotors are larger than those on the Stinger:

	IS 500 Performance	Stinger GT-Line	Stinger GT2
Front Rotors	14 inches	13.6 inches	13.8 inches

The IS’ standard front and rear disc brakes are vented to help dissipate heat for shorter stops with less fading. The rear discs standard on the Stinger GT-Line are solid, not vented.

The IS stops much shorter than the Stinger:

	IS	Stinger
70 to 0 MPH	159 feet	164 feet	Car and Driver
60 to 0 MPH	110 feet	124 feet	Motor Trend

Tires and Wheels

For better traction, the IS has larger standard tires than the Stinger (235/45R18 vs. 225/45R18). The IS Performance’s tires are larger than the largest tires available on the Stinger (F:235/40R19 & R:265/35R19 vs. F:225/40R19 & R:255/35R19).

The F Sport Design’s tires provide better handling because they have a lower 35 series profile (height to width ratio) that provides a stiffer sidewall than the Stinger GT2’s 40 series front tires.

Suspension and Handling

The IS 350 F Sport handles at .93 G’s, while the Stinger pulls only .85 G’s of cornering force in a Motor Trend skidpad test.

The IS 500 Performance executes Motor Trend’s “Figure Eight” maneuver 1.6 seconds quicker than the Stinger (25.2 seconds @ .74 average G’s vs. 26.8 seconds @ .67 average G’s).

For better maneuverability, the IS’ turning circle is 2.5 feet tighter than the Stinger’s (34.2 feet vs. 36.7 feet). The IS AWD’s turning circle is 3 feet tighter than the Stinger AWD’s (35.4 feet vs. 38.4 feet).

Chassis

The IS is 4.8 inches shorter than the Stinger, making the IS easier to handle, maneuver and park in tight spaces.

Cargo Capacity

With its sedan body style, valet key, locking rear seatbacks and remote trunk release lockout, the IS offers cargo security. The Stinger’s hatchback body style, non-lockable folding seat and non-lockable remote release defeat cargo security.

Servicing Ease

J.D. Power and Associates surveys of service recipients show that Lexus service is better than Kia. J.D. Power ranks Lexus first in service department satisfaction. With a 63% lower rating, Kia is ranked 26th.

Ergonomics

Unlike the driver-only memory system in the Stinger GT2, the IS offers an optional driver and passenger memory, so that when drivers switch, the memory setting adjusts the driver’s seat, steering wheel position and outside mirror angle and the front passenger seat also adjusts to the new passenger’s preset preferences.

The IS’ instruments include an oil pressure gauge and a temperature gauge - which could save your engine! Often ‘idiot lights’ don’t warn you until damage has been done. The Stinger does not have an oil pressure gauge.

The IS’ front and rear power windows all open or close fully with one touch of the switches, making it more convenient at drive-up windows and toll booths, or when talking with someone outside the car. The Stinger’s rear power window switches have to be held the entire time to open or close them fully.

If the windows are left open on the IS the driver can close them all at the outside door handle. On a hot day the driver can lower the windows at the outside door handle or from a distance using the keyless remote. (This window function must be activated by your Lexus service department.) The driver of the Stinger can only close the windows from inside the vehicle, with the ignition on.

Consumer Reports rated the IS’ headlight performance “Very Good,” a higher rating than the Stinger’s headlights, which were rated “Fair.”

A power rear sunshade is optional in the IS to help block heat and glare for the rear passengers. The Stinger doesn’t offer a rear sunshade.

Economic Advantages

Insurance will cost less for the IS owner. The Complete Car Cost Guide estimates that insurance for the IS will cost $350 less than the Stinger over a five-year period.

The IS will cost the buyer less in the long run because of its superior resale value. The IntelliChoice estimates that the IS will retain 44.72% to 48.44% of its original price after five years, while the Stinger only retains 43.02% to 43.71%.

Recommendations

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

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

The Lexus IS outsold the Kia Stinger by almost two to one during the 2021 model year.

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