Kia Stinger Cold Air Intake Upgrade Guide

Kia first released their Stinger GT2 sedan for the 2018 model year and it has been a huge hit since. The top of the line GT2 features the Lambda II V6 3.3 L twin-turbo engine, making 365-368 hp and 376 lb-ft. It is the same engine that is found in the Hyundai Genesis G70, G80, and G90s. It is very reliable and has a ton of power potential for mods. If you’re looking for more than just an intake, check out our Kia Stinger 500whp guide.

Speaking of mods, one of the most popular and beneficial upgrades is a Kia Stinger cold air intake. Intakes are often one of the first performance mods done, and they are a great choice for the Lambda II. They really open up the engine for better airflow while amplifying the sweet sounds of the twin-turbos. Yet, with so many intakes on the market it can be a bit overwhelming at first. That’s why we’re here. This guide will give you the total rundown on Kia Stinger intake upgrades.

Kia Stinger Cold Air Intake Benefits

• +10-25 hp/tq
• Improved fuel economy
• Increased throttle response
• Reduced turbo lag
• Louder turbo and engine sounds
• Improved engine bay looks

The most obvious benefits, and the reason most people put intakes on their car, are the performance gains. Just an intake alone will add 10-25 hp/tq and increase the entire power band. Since the stock intake is already a cold air intake, aftermarket intake gains come from the improved design and larger air filter. The tubing allows for better flow because they are larger than stock, and the larger filter allows for more air to be sucked in.

Other benefits of upgrading to a cold air intake for the Kia Stinger are improved fuel economy, increased throttle response, reduced turbo lag, and the ability to hear the engine and turbos better. The fuel economy gains aren’t drastic, but even just a 1mpg increase can lead to decent savings over a couple of months. The improved throttle response and reduced turbo lag come from the improved airflow of the intake.

The other reasons for cold air intake upgrades on the Kia Stinger are mainly aesthetic: sounds and looks. You will definitely hear an increase under the hood from the turbos and engine after an intake upgrade. This is due to the increased size of the filter as well as the removal of the restrictive OEM airbox. Looks-wise, the aftermarket options look much better than the stock box. You can get powder-coated options and several different colors on the aftermarket, allowing you to really customize your engine bay how you want it.

Open vs Closed Intakes

The next style variation on Lambda II cold air intakes are closed vs open systems, or those with or without airboxes. Closed systems have both advantages and disadvantages when compared with open systems. Closed systems enclose the filter within an airbox to prevent it from being exposed to the open engine bay. Open systems leave the filter out in the open with no protection.

The advantages of closed systems are the airboxes partly shield the filter from the hot engine bay air, allowing for cooler temperatures. They also typically have inlets that reach into the fender or wheel well to grab the coolest possible air. Disadvantages are they are heavier, most costly, and can restrict flow compared with completely open systems. Open systems allow for less restriction because of the lack of an airbox, which improves flow.

In reality, the difference between the two is pretty minimal, especially if it is one of only a few mods on your car. Airboxes generally have a sleeker and more refined appearance, whereas open filters scream race car and fun. The choice is yours, but there is likely not gonna be a huge performance difference.

Boosted Performance Stinger 3.3T Intake

Price: $299.00
Style: Open
Buy Here: BP 3.3L Stinger Performance Intake

First up on our list is the brand new Boosted Performance Kia Stinger intake system. Boosted Performance is new to the Kia Stinger game, but their intake has already shown to perform very well in real world conditions. An affiliate of ours, Boosted Performance’s intake is the newest Stinger intake on the market.

The BP intake is an open box design and uses large S&B brand air filters. According to the manufacturer, it can make 25 wheel-horsepower and torque more than the OEM air intake system. As you can see from the above picture, the BP Stinger intake routes the filters to the extreme edge of the engine bay. This allows for the coolest possible air for the intakes, so it can deliver the most horsepower.

For the price, the Boosted Performance intake is the best on the market. The lack of airbox helps keep costs down, but even compared with other open intakes it is still a great value. Fitment appears to be very good, and you can see the air filters are huge but still fit cleanly inside the engine bay.

Summary

Intake upgrades on the Kia Stinger GT2 are fun mods that increase performance while providing aesthetic pleasure. You can gain 10-25 hp/tq with a new intake, and it’ll make your car sound more aggressive and spruce up your engine bay. Tuning is not necessary with an intake upgrade, though it will definitely help squeeze out more power. We looked at a variety of intakes in our guide and all of them are solid choices.

The Boosted Performance intake is one of the newest on the market, but it has already established itself as a good performer. The Takeda, and AEM intakes are both cheaper options, and they look like it, but they still offer pretty much the same level of performance as the others. The Jonny Tig intake is definitely the cream of the crop, but ordering is a bit prohibitive for non-Australian buyers.

You really can’t go wrong with any of these intakes. They all offer solid performance gains without breaking the bank too much.

Frequently Asked Questions