It’s a strange comparison, a Dodge Charger R/T vs a Kia Stinger GT. One is a good old American muscle while the other is Korean tech. One is a powerful reinvention of American muscle, the other is modeled after Hi-Po European competition. One is boxy and muscular, the other is sleek and innovative.
But both are incredibly fun sport sedans that offer plenty of thrills to the discerning driver, even if both appeal to the same target audience. The cars are like chalk cheese, incredibly different from each other yet have an underlying similarity about them. They are both fast cars, good-looking but not the most comfortable on the planet, and appeal to those who love speed over solid builds.
Here is how both of them fare when pitted against each other, and which feature in the rules over the other, with one hand tied behind its back. Here goes the 2021 Kia stinger GT vs. 2021 Dodge Charger R/T.
10 The Dimensions
The Dodge Charger is bigger than the Stinger, being around eight inches longer, one inch wider, and almost three inches taller, which leads us to think it's more family-friendly, at least when it comes to inside space.
Conversely, it also means that the Kia Stinger, due to its slightly smaller size, is likely to be more maneuverable and its lighter weight may make it zippier as well. Let’s find out what holds true further when it comes to the insides of the two cars.
9 The Inside Space
If you like your cars to be old school, then the Dodge Charger should be right up your alley considering it’s a little dated and uninspired, although it's not all that bad. Plus the Charger also offers a little more rear legroom than the Stinger although the latter wins in cargo space.
Front-seat space is the same, and four people can sit comfortably in either though the Stinger GT is definitely more modern than the Charger with more comfort, tech, and plush. Basically, it does try its best to look European.
8 Safety & Tech
Infotainment wise both the Stinger GT and the Charger R/T are a match with easy-to-use infotainment systems, replete with Android Auto and Car Play. A backup camera and rear parking sensors remain a standard in both. For the 2022 model, Dodge has only added a deluxe security alarm.
But yet again, it’s the Stinger that offers more of a driver suite when it comes to safety with standard driver assistance technology. This includes blind-spot monitoring with rear cross-traffic alert, front and rear parking sensors, and a helpful lane-change assist.
7 The Looks
The Dodge Charger R/T will definitely appeal to you more if you like your cars to be masculine and look like a Transformer. It's hefty and has the kind of overbearing throaty growl that manages to overpower half of the cars on the road.
The Stinger GT, on the other hand, looks more gently bred and has swoops and curves in place of the harsher geometry of the Charger. It's all about what you like in a car, brash in-your-face power, or gentle aerodynamics.
6 Kia Begins With Smaller Engines
The Kia Stingers begin with smaller engines than the Dodge with its base GT-Line engine being a 2.0-liter turbocharged, four-cylinder engine that offers 255 horses and 260 lb-ft of torque. In the 2022 model, this is now a 2.5-liter engine with 300 horses. That makes it a fun car to drive, but nothing to take on the tracks.
In comparison, the Dodge Charger base, the SXT trim, already bears a 3.6-liter V6, jetting 292 horses. Clearly, the Dodge Charger basically comes raring to go, upholding the legacy of old-school American muscle. The 2022 Dodge Charger remains the same.
5 The Stinger GT Vs. The Charger R/T
For the Stinger, the fun truly starts with the GT, GT1, and the GT2 models where the 3.3-liter V6 engine jets a powerful 365 horses and 376 lb-ft of torque mated to an eight-speed automatic transmission and a real-wheel-drive, with an optional AWD. In the 2022 model, there is a rise by just three horses, for a total of 368 horsepower.
That said; the Dodge Charger R/T rules the roost with a 5.7-liter V8 makes 375 horses on tap and another powerful 395 lb-ft of torque, making it more powerful than the Stinger GT on paper. But what about performance?
4 How Quick Can They Go?
The Dodge Charger R/T’s top speed is 155 MPH and it can run 0-60 MPH in 5.2 seconds which is thrilling enough to experience, even if it does not sound all that amazing on paper.
The Kia Stinger GT, on the other hand, can go up to 130 MPH which means in a long head-to-head open road race, the Charger R/T may end up beating the Stinger GT. But it does sprint faster so a 0-60 MPH zip takes it less than 5 seconds.
3 What’s the Fuel & Environmental Cost For Both
With the V6, the Kia Stinger GT’s fuel economy is 17 MPG city and 25 MPG highway, for a total combined 20 MPG. For the Dodge Charger R/T with its Hemi V8, fuel economy falls just a little lower at 16 MPG city and maintains the 25 MPG highway, for a total combined estimate of 19 MPG.
While neither of these makes for great figures, they are not terrible and too similar to each other to make much of a difference in vehicular owning cost.
2 The Price Variation Between The Two
The 2022 Kia Stinger starts at $37,135 and prices go up with the GT, GT1, and GT2, with the AWD trim of the GT2 touching $52,335, making it fairly comparable in price and affordability to the competition.
The base Charger starts lower, at less than $30,000 and the midrange 2021 R/T is also a fairly affordable choice at about $37,245. The Charger makes for a slightly more affordable option, but then again, the insides have less tech and features than the Kia Stinger GT.
1 So Brute Power Or Subtle Finesse?
It boils down to choice. If you like your engines growly and loud, you’d probably like the Charger. And it has the legacy of American muscle behind it, looks pretty good, and drives rough but not uncomfortable, making it a true ‘Murican legend, revived.
The Kia Stinger GT, on the other hand, is slightly less powerful but comes with better ride quality and more tech and features inside. It is Korean but emulates German quality with more plush. So ultimately, it all boils down to choice.
Sources: CarandDriver, Cars.USNews, AutoEvolution