They say that you “can’t have your cake and eat it too,” but we say that you can when you buy a sports sedan. A lot of horsepower combined with the practicality of having four doors and five seats is hard to beat, especially if the car has AWD as well. Two specialty sedans that come to mind are the 2021 Acura TLX Type S and the Kia Stinger. Both of them fit the bill as fast sport sedans, but which one is actually quicker in a drag race?

2021 Acura TLX Type S vs Kia Stinger GT

The 2021 Acura TLX Type S took the automotive industry by storm earlier this year as it brought back the highly revered “Type S” moniker after being gone for over a decade. Under the hood of the TLX Type S is a 3.0-liter turbo V6 that pumps out a staggering 355 hp and 354 lb-ft of torque. That potent powerplant is nestled between the fenders of a sedan that weighs over 4,000 pounds. However, it can still go from 0 to 60 mph in just 4.9 seconds, according to Car and Driver’s testing.

On the other hand, the 2021 Kia Stinger GT is powered by a twin-turbo 3.3-liter engine that produces 365 hp and 376 lb-ft of torque. That extra 10 hp and 20 lb-ft of torque over the TLX Type S might not sound like much, but in a drag race, every little bit counts. That’s even evident in Car and Driver’s testing as they were able to get the Stinger GT from 0 to 60 mph in just 4.4 seconds and down the quarter-mile in 12.9 seconds. Yes, that’s really quick for a family sedan.

For the record, both cars come with all-wheel drivetrains and geared transmissions; eight speeds in the Stinger and 10 speeds in the TLX.

How did the two sport sedans match up?

It’s easy to go over the specs of each of these cars on paper and guess which one will win, but it’s more fun to actually watch them race. Fortunately, Throttle House took the guesswork out of the equation and raced them for us. In the video above, you can see the surprising results.

Both cars accelerated off the line quickly and nearly in sync. However, the TLX lost steam about halfway through the race and the Stinger got the upper hand. There was also a Genesis G70 in the mix, but we’ll get to that car later. To make things a little fairer, the three-car were put in a roll race next. However, the TLX didn’t fair up so well in that race either as the other two cars walked away and crossed the line before it.

What does this mean for the Acura TLX?

If you were thinking about or dreaming about, buying an Acura TLX Type S, then just know that it’s still an amazing car. With its superb handling prowess, it can likely take corners with supercar-like agility, but it’s just not as good in a straight line. Also, consider that the TLX weighs a little more than both the Kia Stinger and Genesis G70, so there’s a disadvantage in that regard.

However, if straight-line speed is what you’re after, then the Kia Stinger GT may be a better buy. No matter which sport sedan you choose, though, will allow you to “have your cake and eat it too.”