Toyota Camry vs Kia Stinger

What's the difference?

The Toyota Camry SL Hybrid offers good practicality for families and has a handsome road-side presence. It's well-specified but some of the tech is being outshone by its rivals now. I love the price tag and the ongoing costs because in this day and age, every penny matters! But it's the driving experience that's the highlight for me and this earns an easy 9.0/10 from me.

My son loved the blue colour but was a little annoyed that our morning school run conversations were constantly interrupted by those school zone alerts. He still enjoyed this one though and gives it a 7.0/10.

The Stinger GT-Line is a great machine. It looks good, feels good to drive and while it's not the cheapest large sedan, it's also not a Camry. With a strong European vibe, it's a nice bridge between boring-dependable and out-of-reach European. Boasting a strong link to Europe in its chassis DNA, it has it all apart, maybe, from the badge.

But Kia has a habit of doing unexpected things and the Stinger was a bold move worth making just for the halo effect of having such a cool car in the range. It has done good things for the company's reputation, as though the rest of the range isn't proof already.

The Camry is easily recognisable on the road. It has that 'Toyota-ness' with panelling and lights managing to look sharp and curvy all at the same time.

The full LED exterior lights and cool faux intake vents at the rear makes it look steadfastly handsome.

It has a lot of road-side presence due to its sheer size. It's 4885mm long, 1840mm wide and 1445mm high. That translates to roomy cabin space, where practicality rather than sexiness has taken the design reins.

The dashboard's centre curves towards the right, making it feel very driver-centric but not necessarily passenger friendly when it comes to accessing the charging ports or utility tray.

There are a multitude of soft touchpoints which combine with the panoramic sunroof to add a sense of refinement to the cabin.

The Stinger looks fantastic. I know the car has its detractors, but there's a massive Euro influence here that sits well in my visual cortex. It's maybe not as ooh-aah as the A5 or the outgoing BMW 4 Series Gran Coupe, but the Stinger can and should be mentioned in the same breath. It looks terrific, even if it is a bit fussier in the details.

From the signature grille, the low beltline, big wheels and sports coupe roofline, it looks sleek and sophisticated. 

Inside is a bit more conventional, with some real classic touches such as circular air vents, conventional-looking gear selector and a flat-bottomed steering wheel. It's cool, clean and, with the big new screen, a bit more techy-looking than before. There are lots of nice materials and the odd rogue one, but it's a good cabin that feels well put-together.

The interior is quite practical and boasts a roomy cabin. I have plenty of head- and legroom in both rows, so taller passengers will feel comfortable.

Up front, the leather-accented seats are well-padded and are electric with heating and cooling functions, but the trim can feel a bit too synthetic for my liking.

It's easy to clean, though, which is always handy when you have kids or pets around.

Individual storage options are quite good with a 7.3-litre middle console, a glove box, plus two cupholders and a skinny drink bottle holder in each door.

The phone utility tray is great as it hides a second storage area underneath that's large enough for a wallet and keys.

The 9.0-inch touchscreen multimedia system is simple to use but is starting to look a bit old compared to its rivals.

There is wired Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, as well as, built-in satellite navigation which is always a bonus.

The 7.0-inch digital instrument panel is very easy to read and the coloured head-up display is clear, too.

Charging options are okay but not awesome for a top-model. You get a single USB-A port and 12-volt port up front and two USB-C ports in the back.

But there's no wireless charging pad or USB-C port in the front, which would provide faster charging speeds.

In the back seat, individual storage is average with two map pockets, two cupholders in the fold-down armrest and skinny drink bottle holders in the doors.

The amenities are a bit bare for a top-model and there are no additional luxe factors to add some comfort for older kids or adults, like heated seats or climate control. I do like the directional air vents and reading lights, though.

There are ISOFIX child-seat mounts on the outboard seats and three top-tether anchor points but two seats will fit best.

There is plenty of room for front passengers when a 0-4 rearward facing child seat is installed, too, but with the lower height of the car, you may get a sore back bending down all the time to buckle in an infant.

The boot is large at 524L but typical for a sedan, meaning the aperture is narrow. You might struggle to fit bulkier items.

There's a temporary spare wheel under the floor and while there's no powered tailgate, you probably won't mind because it's so light to open.

This is really a four-seater car. While there is good legroom in the rear, the falling roofline, small door aperture and huge transmission tunnel box you in a bit, almost rendering the middle seat useless for all but the shortest of folks. You do get your own air vents, though, which is generous.

The low roof also means limited headroom, made a little worse by the standard sunroof. I had room but taller people might brush the headlining. There are two cupholders front and rear for a total of four and each door has a bottle holder.

The boot is a modest-for-this-size 406 litres, rising to 1114 litres with the seats down. Access to the boot is good if not spectacular; the hatch opens wide but a slightly narrow aperture means loading and stowing flat packs and things like that could be a struggle.

As is the custom at this time of the year, the Stinger scored a mild update for that minty-fresh taste at the dealer. Not much has changed in the looks department (good) and the most obvious tweak is the brand-spanking new media system already seen in the brilliant new Sorento.

The GT-Line is one of two four-cylinder variants of the Stinger, priced at $57,230 or $60,690 driveaway, a solid $7000 more than the 200S and it's $730 more than the MY20. It's also uncomfortably close to the 330S, which has the delicious twin-turbo V6, but obviously a lower equipment level.

For your money you get 19-inch alloy wheels, a 15-speaker stereo, dual-zone climate control, camera package that includes a reversing camera, side cameras and front camera, keyless entry and start, front and rear parking sensors, active cruise control, powered heated and ventilated front seats, sat nav, automatic LED headlights, head up display, leather seats and wheel and even more besides. It's a lot, which is fair given the price.

The 15-speaker stereo is run by the excellent new media system on the excellent new 10.25-inch touchscreen. It's great to look at, has some really cool ideas in it (including the hilarious soundscapes list which includes, for some reason, a noisy cafe environment), DAB and Apple CarPlay and Android Auto.

This model has a 2.5-litre, four-cylinder hybrid engine with a maximum power output of 160kW but Toyota doesn't quote a combined torque figure.

I was very surprised by the power – it's got some serious grunt when you need it.

The SL is a front-wheel drive and has a continuously variable auto transmission, which is so smooth as to be almost undetectable for gear changing!

Under the GT-Line's bonnet is Kia's Theta II 2.0-litre four-cylinder turbocharged engine. It's the same as before, with a stout 182kW and 353Nm. Driving the rear wheels is an eight-speed automatic from the Hyundai-Kia empire.

It's pretty rapid, knocking out the 0-100km/h spring in just six seconds, a mere 1.1 seconds slower than its faster sibling's 4.9 for the benchmark.

So, how's that hybrid efficiency? The official combined fuel cycle figure is 4.7L/100km and my real-world usage came to 5.5L/100km.

That's great for this size sedan! I covered a combination of open-road and urban driving this week, so I'm very happy with my result.

Based on the combined fuel figure and the 50L fuel tank, you should be able to get a driving range of around 1064km, which is stellar.

Toyota recommends a minimum 95 RON petrol to be used for the Camry.

Kia's claimed combined cycle figure is 8.8L/100km. As the Stinger goes without trickery like stop-start or mild hybridness, it's no surprise that my week with it yielded an indicated 10.4L/100km, which isn't bad for a 1750kg sports sedan that was not molly-coddled and also spent some time in a resurgent case of crap traffic in Sydney.

It also drinks standard unleaded, which is a nice touch.

I fell in love with this car once I started driving it because it's got to be one of the smoothest cars I've driven! It totally has your back when it comes to ride comfort, too.

The suspension feels well-tuned for Aussie roads but doesn't feel springy. It will still hug the road in a hard corner, making it a pleasure on my winding coastal journeys this week.

As I've mentioned, the power delivery surprised me and I had no trouble keeping up with traffic or overtaking. It's also very responsive accelerating from a full stop, which isn't always the case for CVTs.

The cabin is whisper quiet, even at higher speeds and the engine noise around town is all but mute.

The visibility is good from my driving position and despite its larger size, it's super easy to park. It has a 360-degree view reversing camera but I was disappointed with the image quality. Serves its purpose, though.

I have driven and loved the Stinger GT. It's tremendous fun, goes like a rat running away from a cut snake, which itself is being chased by a mongoose with its bottom on fire, and it handles like a proper sports sedan.

The GT-Line is obviously not that quick, but it's not slow, either. But it does take a bit of the GT's DNA and delivers a driving experience eerily reminiscent of an E90 BMW 3 Series. That seems like an out-of-date reference, but it was a beautiful car to drive with a lovely balance of ride and handling.

The steering has good feel and you know what's going on underneath the front wheels. You sit towards the centre of the car, also a BMW trademark. Turn the wheel and the car goes with you, despite its bulk, and it's happy to dance a bit with its limited-slip diff.

The 2.0-litre turbo does a good job in most conditions but you feel it coming up short when you're hustling it. It's never breathless, but the torque deficit to the turbo six is clear. If you've not driven the faster Stinger, you may not notice, but there's a touch of lag in the 2.0 that contributes to the idea it's working hard to move the big sedan.

But back off a little and it becomes a fluid, fun drive. In town it's firm but very comfortable, gently bumping rather than crashing into potholes. The rear suspension is a complicated five-link set-up that costs money and eats into boot space but delivers the goods.

Given its length the Stinger is a bit tough to manoeuvre in tight spaces and its 11.2m turning circle isn't too flash either, but you soon get used to it.

The Stinger ships with an impressive safety package that includes seven airbags, ABS, stability and traction controls, high- and low-speed forward AEB with pedestrian and cyclist detection, intersection assist, lane-keep assist, steering assist, driver attention alert, high- and low-speed forward collision warning, front cross traffic alert and rear cross traffic alert.

You get two ISOFIX points and three top-tether anchors.

The Stinger scored five ANCAP stars in 2017.

The on-going costs are great on the Camry Hybrid. It comes with a five-year/unlimited km warranty, but you can get up to 10 years warranty on the hybrid battery if you service the car at a Toyota dealership.

It has a five-year capped-price servicing plan and services are a flat $255 per service, or $1275 over the five-years – which is cheap compared to its rivals.

Servicing intervals are every 12 months or 15,000km, whichever occurs first.

Kia's ground-breaking seven year/unlimited kilometre warranty along with roadside assist for the first 12 months. Each time you service your car at Kia, you get an extension on your roadside assist for up to eight years.

Perhaps the only thing that makes you go, "Oh, what?" about the Stinger is the 12 months (Good)/10,000km (Oh...) service intervals. That's pretty common with Kia's turbo engines but is a little inconvenient. Then there's the cost - prices range from $312 to $685, which adds up to $3459 over the first seven services. If you stay under 10,000km/year, that's not bad going at under $500 per year for servicing, but if you're a high-miler, it will add up.

The servicing isn't outrageous - and the prices are capped - but it's not cheap, either.