Walking up to the Stinger, I was drawn to its batmobile styling with its low-slung appearance and aggressive grille and assortment of scoops and grates. It certainly doesn’t look like a normal Kia.

As you climb into the big Kia, it is obvious that the interior has been lavished with all the bits required to make this a serious contender in the fast saloon car market. The current leaders in this market are the M cars from BMW.

The red leather interior with chunky stitching matched to the gorgeous leather steering wheel would be at home in any of the German marques. Those red leather seats come fully electric with both heating and cooling functions.

Space is something that is not an issue in this car – the back is spacious for adults and the boot is cavernous. On the technology front, there are lots of options including wireless phone charging and an upgraded version of Kia’s already very user-friendly infotainment system.

On the road

Firing up the Stinger’s 3.3-litre V6 engine is an experience. It burbles into life with a throaty roar. This engine produces an astonishing 370bhp. All of this power is transferred to the back wheel via an eight-speed automatic box. On the move, the Kia is surprisingly civilised when left in comfort mode and use of the right boot is sensible.

Out on the motorway, the Stinger has all the technology that you need to make very comfortable and swift progress. It comes with lane assist and adaptive cruise control, which with this sort of power and gearbox is very smooth.

Once off the main road and briskly going cross country, the Stinger becomes a different beast. There are four settings on the Kia ranging from the ludicrous Eco mode to the even more ludicrous Sport plus. The two main modes are ‘‘Comfort’’ and ‘‘Sport’’. Comfort is perfect for wafting away the kilometres and Sport is perfect for briskly getting down Ireland’s finest country roads.

One word of caution is that the Stinger can be a little twitchy in Sport mode and the occasional erratic movement from the rear can be offputting when you’re not expecting it. In saying that, the traction control will always do its job if you become overly brave. In Sport Plus mode, the traction control is disabled. I advise that this mode is only used by competent drivers in the controlled environment of a race track.

I found it nearly undriveable in this mode and felt that it was constantly trying to throw me into the greenery.

Verdict

Kia’s attempt at the Sports saloon market has caused ripples in the mainly German-filled pond, with its good looks and serious power. It will sell in the Irish market but not in any great numbers with this engine.

There will be a more sensible diesel option available later in the year and this will be the big seller.

It is a very good first attempt but just lacks the polish of the market leaders, which can function perfectly well without you having a fear of ending up in a field by accident. The Stinger is good fun but not for the faint-hearted.