The Kia Stinger, since its debut in 2018, has been lauded for its performance and design. For prospective buyers and safety-conscious drivers, understanding its safety ratings is crucial. This article delves into the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) crash test results applicable to the 2022 Kia Stinger, providing a comprehensive overview of its safety performance. It’s important to note that while the tests were conducted on a 2019 Genesis G70, these ratings extend to the Kia Stinger due to their shared structural design.
Small Overlap Front Crash Test: Driver-Side
The small overlap front crash test simulates a collision where only a small portion of the vehicle’s front end (driver-side in this case) impacts an object. This is a challenging test that assesses how well the car’s structure and safety systems protect the driver in such a severe frontal impact.
The 2022 Kia Stinger, mirroring the Genesis G70’s performance, achieved a Good rating in the driver-side small overlap front test. This top rating signifies that the vehicle provides excellent protection in this type of crash.
| Evaluation criteria | Rating |
|---|---|
| Structure and safety cage | G |
| Driver injury measures | |
| Head/neck | G |
| Chest | G |
| Hip/thigh | G |
| Lower leg/foot | G |
| Driver restraints and dummy kinematics | G |
Technical measurements from the test provide further insights into the vehicle’s structural integrity and occupant protection.
| Evaluation criteria | Measurement |
|---|---|
| Lower occupant compartment | |
| Lower hinge pillar max (cm) | 3 |
| Footrest (cm) | 6 |
| Left toepan (cm) | 5 |
| Brake pedal (cm) | 7 |
| Parking brake (cm) | 0 |
| Rocker panel lateral average (cm) | 2 |
| Upper occupant compartment | |
| Steering column | 0 |
| Upper hinge pillar max (cm) | 1 |
| Upper dash (cm) | 2 |
| Lower instrument panel (cm) | 2 |
Driver injury measures were also recorded, all indicating low risk of injury.
| Evaluation criteria | Measurement |
|---|---|
| Head | |
| HIC-15 | 226 |
| Peak gs at hard contact | no contact |
| Neck | |
| Tension (kN) | 0.1 |
| Extension bending moment (Nm) | 10 |
| Maximum Nij | 0.22 |
| Chest maximum compression (mm) | 35 |
| Femur (kN) | |
| Left | 1.6 |
| Right | 1.0 |
| Knee displacement (mm) | |
| Left | 1 |
| Right | 0 |
| Knee-thigh-hip injury risk (%) | |
| Left | 0 |
| Right | 0 |
| Maximum tibia index | |
| Left | 0.66 |
| Right | 0.70 |
| Tibia axial force (kN) | |
| Left | 2.9 |
| Right | 2.4 |
| Foot acceleration (g) | |
| Left | 62 |
| Right | 86 |
Small Overlap Front Crash Test: Passenger-Side
The passenger-side small overlap test is equally critical, evaluating protection for the front passenger. Like the driver-side test, a ‘Good’ rating here is a strong indicator of overall frontal crash safety.
The 2022 Kia Stinger again earns a Good rating for passenger-side small overlap performance. This demonstrates consistent protection for occupants in both front seating positions.
| Evaluation criteria | Rating |
|---|---|
| Overall evaluation | G |
| Structure and safety cage | G |
| Passenger injury measures | |
| Head/neck | G |
| Chest | G |
| Hip/thigh | G |
| Lower leg/foot | G |
| Passenger restraints and dummy kinematics | G |
| Driver injury measures | |
| Head/neck | G |
| Chest | G |
| Hip/thigh | G |
| Lower leg/foot | G |
| Driver restraints and dummy kinematics | G |
Technical measurements for passenger-side intrusion are as follows:
| Evaluation criteria | Measurement |
|---|---|
| Lower occupant compartment | |
| Lower hinge pillar max (cm) | 3 |
| Footrest (cm) | 8 |
| Right toepan (cm) | 7 |
| Center toepan (cm) | 4 |
| Rocker panel lateral average (cm) | 2 |
| Upper occupant compartment | |
| Center dash (cm) | 2 |
| Upper hinge pillar max (cm) | 2 |
| Upper dash (cm) | 2 |
| Right lower dash (cm) | 2 |
Passenger and driver injury measures in the passenger-side test also reflect good protection.
| Evaluation criteria | Measurement |
|---|---|
| Head | |
| HIC-15 | 282 |
| Peak gs at hard contact | no contact |
| Neck | |
| Tension (kN) | 0.8 |
| Extension bending moment (Nm) | 18 |
| Maximum Nij | 0.26 |
| Chest maximum compression (mm) | 25 |
| Femur (kN) | |
| Left | 0.4 |
| Right | 0.1 |
| Knee displacement (mm) | |
| Left | 0 |
| Right | 0 |
| Knee-thigh-hip injury risk (%) | |
| Left | 0 |
| Right | 0 |
| Maximum tibia index | |
| Left | 0.59 |
| Right | 0.38 |
| Tibia axial force (kN) | |
| Left | 3.1 |
| Right | 3.7 |
| Evaluation criteria | Measurement |
|---|---|
| Head | |
| HIC-15 | 170 |
| Peak gs at hard contact | no contact |
| Neck | |
| Tension (kN) | 0.7 |
| Extension bending moment (Nm) | 11 |
| Maximum Nij | 0.19 |
| Chest maximum compression (mm) | 31 |
| Femur (kN) | |
| Left | 0.1 |
| Right | 0.8 |
| Knee displacement (mm) | |
| Left | 0 |
| Right | 0 |
| Knee-thigh-hip injury risk (%) | |
| Left | 0 |
| Right | 0 |
| Maximum tibia index | |
| Left | 0.31 |
| Right | 0.27 |
| Tibia axial force (kN) | |
| Left | 0.8 |
| Right | 2.3 |
| Foot acceleration (g) | |
| Left | 24 |
| Right | 46 |
Moderate Overlap Front Crash Test: Original
The moderate overlap front test, a more traditional frontal crash test, involves a larger portion of the vehicle’s front impacting a deformable barrier. This test is another key indicator of how well a vehicle protects occupants in a frontal collision.
The 2022 Kia Stinger again secured a Good rating in the moderate overlap front test. This consistent top performance across different frontal impact scenarios reinforces its strong frontal crash protection.
| Evaluation criteria | Rating |
|---|---|
| Overall evaluation | G |
| Structure and safety cage | G |
| Driver injury measures | |
| Head/neck | G |
| Chest | G |
| Leg/foot, left | G |
| Leg/foot, right | G |
| Driver restraints and dummy kinematics | G |
Measurements of occupant compartment intrusion in the moderate overlap test:
| Evaluation criteria | Measurement |
|---|---|
| Footwell intrusion | |
| Footrest (cm) | 1 |
| Left (cm) | 2 |
| Center (cm) | 2 |
| Right (cm) | 1 |
| Brake pedal (cm) | 3 |
| Instrument panel rearward movement | |
| Left (cm) | 0 |
| Right (cm) | 0 |
| Steering column movement | |
| Upward (cm) | 3 |
| Rearward (cm) | -4 |
| A-pillar rearward movement (cm) | 0 |
Driver injury measures from the moderate overlap test:
| Evaluation criteria | Measurement |
|---|---|
| Head | |
| HIC-15 | 148 |
| Peak gs at hard contact | no contact |
| Neck | |
| Tension (kN) | 0.1 |
| Extension bending moment (Nm) | 19 |
| Maximum Nij | 0.22 |
| Chest maximum compression (mm) | 28 |
| Legs | |
| Femur force – left (kN) | 0.3 |
| Femur force – right (kN) | 0.5 |
| Knee displacement – left (mm) | 2 |
| Knee displacement – right (mm) | 1 |
| Maximum tibia index – left | 0.50 |
| Maximum tibia index – right | 0.51 |
| Tibia axial force – left (kN) | 1.5 |
| Tibia axial force – right (kN) | 2.4 |
| Foot acceleration (g) | |
| Left | 48 |
| Right | 52 |
Side Impact Crash Test: Original
Side impact crashes are particularly dangerous, and the side crash test assesses how well a vehicle protects occupants in such collisions.
The 2022 Kia Stinger received an Acceptable rating for driver torso protection and Good ratings across all other metrics in the side impact test. While not perfect, it still indicates a good level of side impact safety.
| Evaluation criteria | Rating |
|---|---|
| Overall evaluation | G |
| Structure and safety cage | G |
| Driver injury measures | |
| Head/neck | G |
| Torso | A |
| Pelvis/leg | G |
| Driver head protection | G |
| Rear passenger injury measures | |
| Head/neck | G |
| Torso | G |
| Pelvis/leg | G |
| Rear passenger head protection | G |
Intrusion measurements for the side impact test:
| Test ID | VTS1824 |
|---|---|
| B-pillar to longitudinal centerline of driver’s seat (cm) | -19.0 |
Driver injury measurements in the side impact test:
| Evaluation criteria | Measurement |
|---|---|
| Head HIC-15 | 236 |
| Neck | |
| Tension (kN) | 0.7 |
| Compression (kN) | 0.9 |
| Shoulder | |
| Lateral deflection (mm) | 41 |
| Lateral force (kN) | 1.5 |
| Torso | |
| Maximum deflection (mm) | 44 |
| Average deflection (mm) | 36 |
| Maximum deflection rate (m/s) | 5.32 |
| Maximum viscous criterion (m/s) | 0.89 |
| Pelvis | |
| Iliac force (kN) | 1.5 |
| Acetabulum force (kN) | 1.1 |
| Combined force (kN) | 2.5 |
| Left femur | |
| L-M force (kN) | 0.2 |
| L-M moment (Nm) | 135 |
| A-P moment (Nm) | -63 |
Rear passenger injury measurements during the side impact test:
| Evaluation criteria | Measurement |
|---|---|
| Head HIC-15 | 162 |
| Neck | |
| Tension (kN) | 0.7 |
| Compression (kN) | 0.2 |
| Shoulder | |
| Lateral deflection (mm) | 27 |
| Lateral force (kN) | 1.3 |
| Torso | |
| Maximum deflection (mm) | 26 |
| Average deflection (mm) | 22 |
| Maximum deflection rate (m/s) | 2.30 |
| Maximum viscous criterion (m/s) | 0.25 |
| Pelvis | |
| Iliac force (kN) | 1.3 |
| Acetabulum force (kN) | 1.1 |
| Combined force (kN) | 2.2 |
| Left femur | |
| L-M force (kN) | 0.5 |
| L-M moment (Nm) | 49 |
| A-P moment (Nm) | -15 |
Roof Strength Test
Roof strength is critical in rollover accidents. This test measures how much force the roof can withstand before crushing, expressed as a strength-to-weight ratio.
The 2022 Kia Stinger achieves a Good rating in roof strength, with a strength-to-weight ratio of 5.53. This indicates a strong roof capable of providing good protection in a rollover scenario.
| Overall evaluation | G |
|---|---|
| Curb weight | 3,627 lbs |
| Peak force | 20,068 lbs |
| Strength-to-weight ratio | 5.53 |
Head Restraints & Seats
Whiplash is a common injury in rear-end collisions. The head restraints and seats test evaluates how well the vehicle’s seat and head restraint design protects against whiplash in such impacts.
The 2022 Kia Stinger earns a Good rating for head restraints & seats, both in dynamic rating and seat/head restraint geometry. This signifies effective whiplash protection.
| Overall evaluation | G |
|---|---|
| Dynamic rating | G |
| Seat/head restraint geometry | G |
Technical measurements for head restraints and seats:
| Seat type | Power leatherette seat |
|---|---|
| Geometry | |
| Backset (mm) | 12 |
| Distance below top of head (mm) | -14 |
| Seat design parameters | |
| Pass/fail | Pass |
| Max T1 acceleration (g) | 10.2 |
| Head contact time (ms) | 51 |
| Force rating | 1 |
| Neck forces | |
| Max neck shear force (N) | 1 |
| Max neck tension (N) | 308 |
Headlights
Headlight performance is crucial for nighttime safety. IIHS evaluates headlight systems based on visibility and glare. The 2022 Kia Stinger has different headlight options, and their ratings vary.
For GT-Line and GT1 trims with LED reflector headlights, the overall rating is Good.
| Evaluation criteria | Rating |
|---|---|
| Low-beam headlight type | LED reflector |
| High-beam headlight type | LED reflector |
| Curve-adaptive? | No |
| High-beam assist? | Yes |
| Overall rating | G |
Low and high beam performance measurements for LED reflector headlights:
| LOW BEAMS | Average minimum useful illumination distance (5 lux) | Amount glare exceeded threshold |
|---|---|---|
| Straightaway right edge | 109.4 m | None |
| Straightaway left edge | 60.9 m | None |
| 250m radius right curve, right edge | 72.6 m | None |
| 250m radius left curve, right edge | 72.4 m | None |
| 150m radius right curve, right edge | 55.0 m | None |
| 150m radius left curve, left edge | 58.6 m | None |
| HIGH BEAMS | Average minimum useful illumination distance (5 lux) |
|---|---|
| Straightaway right edge | 149.1 m |
| Straightaway left edge | 123.3 m |
| 250m radius right curve, right edge | 78.0 m |
| 250m radius left curve, left edge | 80.2 m |
| 150m radius right curve, right edge | 56.7 m |
| 150m radius left curve, left edge | 59.5 m |
For the GT2 trim with LED projector headlights and curve-adaptive features, the overall rating is Acceptable.
| Evaluation criteria | Rating |
|---|---|
| Low-beam headlight type | LED projector |
| High-beam headlight type | LED projector |
| Curve-adaptive? | Yes |
| High-beam assist? | Yes |
| Overall rating | A |
Low and high beam performance measurements for LED projector headlights:
| LOW BEAMS | Average minimum useful illumination distance (5 lux) | Amount glare exceeded threshold |
|---|---|---|
| Straightaway right edge | 70.0 m | None |
| Straightaway left edge | 50.1 m | None |
| 250m radius right curve, right edge | 82.3 m | None |
| 250m radius left curve, left edge | 56.8 m | None |
| 150m radius right curve, right edge | 72.4 m | None |
| 150m radius left curve, left edge | 48.0 m | None |
| HIGH BEAMS | Average minimum useful illumination distance (5 lux) |
|---|---|
| Straightaway right edge | 149.6 m |
| Straightaway left edge | 163.2 m |
| 250m radius right curve, right edge | 71.2 m |
| 250m radius left curve, left edge | 78.2 m |
| 150m radius right curve, right edge | 54.7 m |
| 150m radius left curve, left edge | 58.2 m |
Front Crash Prevention: Vehicle-to-Vehicle
Front crash prevention systems are increasingly important in mitigating accidents. IIHS tests vehicle-to-vehicle front crash prevention in two scenarios: 12 mph and 25 mph.
The 2022 Kia Stinger’s standard Forward Collision-Avoidance Assist system earns a Superior rating, successfully avoiding collisions in both the 12 mph and 25 mph tests.
System details
- Standard Forward Collision-Avoidance Assist with Pedestrian Detection
Overall evaluation
Superior
Superior
- This system meets the requirements for forward collision warning.
- In the 12 mph test, this vehicle avoided a collision.
- In the 25 mph test, this vehicle avoided a collision.
Front Crash Prevention: Pedestrian (Day)
Pedestrian detection and prevention systems are vital for urban safety. IIHS tests pedestrian front crash prevention in various scenarios, including child and adult crossing and parallel adult scenarios.
The 2022 Kia Stinger’s Forward Collision-Avoidance Assist with Pedestrian Detection system achieves an Advanced rating in pedestrian front crash prevention. It avoided collisions in many scenarios and significantly reduced impact speed in others.
System details
- standard Forward Collision-Avoidance Assist with Pedestrian Detection
Overall evaluation
Advanced
Advanced
Crossing child
- In the 12 mph test, this vehicle avoided a collision.
- In the 25 mph test, impact speed was reduced by 10 mph.
Crossing adult
- In the 12 mph test, this vehicle avoided a collision.
- In the 25 mph test, this vehicle avoided a collision.
Parallel adult
- In the 25 mph test, this vehicle avoided a collision.
- In the 37 mph test, impact speed was reduced by 33 mph. A warning was issued 1.5 seconds before impact.
Child Seat Anchors (LATCH)
Child seat anchor ease of use is important for families. IIHS evaluates the LATCH system (Lower Anchors and Tethers for CHildren) for its usability.
The 2022 Kia Stinger receives a Marginal rating for child seat anchors. While it has LATCH hardware in multiple positions, some aspects of usability are less than ideal.
| Evaluation criteria | Rating |
|---|---|
| Overall evaluation | M |
Details by seating position:
| Position | Rating |
|---|---|
| 1 | |
| Tether anchor | |
| easy-to-find location | |
| no other hardware could be confused for anchor | |
| Lower anchors | |
| too deep in seat | |
| not too much force needed to attach | |
| difficult to maneuver around anchors | |
| 2 | |
| Tether anchor | |
| easy-to-find location | |
| no other hardware could be confused for anchor | |
| Lower anchors | |
| none available | |
| 3 | |
| Tether anchor | |
| easy-to-find location | |
| no other hardware could be confused for anchor | |
| Lower anchors | |
| too deep in seat | |
| not too much force needed to attach | |
| difficult to maneuver around anchors |
Technical measurements for child seat anchors:
Seat position 21
3
| Lower anchor A |
|---|
| Open access rated |
| Depth (cm) |
| Force (lbs) |
| Clearance angle (degrees) |
| Lower anchor B |
| Open access rated |
| Depth (cm) |
| Force (lbs) |
| Clearance angle (degrees) |
Seat position 22
2
| Lower anchor A |
|---|
| No lower latch for this seat position |
| Lower anchor B |
| No lower latch for this seat position |
Seat position 23
1
| Lower anchor A |
|---|
| Open access rated |
| Depth (cm) |
| Force (lbs) |
| Clearance angle (degrees) |
| Lower anchor B |
| Open access rated |
| Depth (cm) |
| Force (lbs) |
| Clearance angle (degrees) |
Conclusion: 2022 Kia Stinger Safety Performance
The 2022 Kia Stinger demonstrates strong safety performance in IIHS crash tests. It achieves Good ratings in most crashworthiness evaluations, including small overlap front, moderate overlap front, roof strength, and head restraints & seats. While the side impact test resulted in an Acceptable rating for driver torso and the headlight ratings vary by trim, the Stinger still offers a high level of safety. Its Superior rating for vehicle-to-vehicle front crash prevention and Advanced rating for pedestrian front crash prevention further enhance its safety profile. The Marginal rating for LATCH ease of use is an area for potential improvement. Overall, the 2022 Kia Stinger is a safe vehicle choice, providing robust protection in various crash scenarios.
