2018 Kia Stinger Full Review & Comparisons - In 4K
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- Опубліковано 2 жов 2024
- The Stinger is officially the best car I drove in 2017. Not because it's the best handling, or fastest car, or most luxurious car I drove last year but because the Stinger raises the bar for affordable performance vehicles. It's both practical and fun to drive, it's comfortable yet affordable and most importantly, it's attainable with the base model starting at $32,000 (right around the average new car in America) while the fire-breathing twin-turbo V6 model can be had for a reasonable $38,350.
I doubt too many shoppers will be lured away from the traditional European luxury brands, and that's a pity because they will have no idea that they are over-paying for their A5 Sportback, 440i Gran Coupe or C43 AMG. Perhaps more impressive than that statement is the realization that the Kia Stinger is quite simply better than the Q50, Lexus IS or Acura TLX.
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Holy smokes, I've watched at least a dozen Stinger reviews and this one blows them all out of the water. The attention to detail was amazing. Great job, I'm thoroughly impressed. And I will recommend your channel to anyone looking to buy a car 👍
I agree, the level of info knowledge impressed me to seriously consider this car over lots of other options I was looking at. Well done indeed.
So true Alex is good!
Alex shows how it's done!
Ok i don’t care what badge snobs say, I believe in Alex, hence i am getting a Stinger.
I bought one too.. I was shopping for a SUV, as per my first 5-6 car reviews were all about my own shopping.. then drove this and boom !! I loved it and bought one.... No regrets so far.. Loving it.. and look forward to a follow up review on it after owning it for few months.
Got one. It rules.
03:28 Hyundai owns Kia since 1997. Many Korean companies including Kia went bankrupt because of South Korea's economy deterioration started from 1997. So South Korea requested bailout to IMF to save the country's economy. At the end of the 1997 there were many motor groups to buy Kia including Ford, Daewoo, Samsung and Hyundai. Ford and Daewoo refused to take over Kia because of the company's bad capital situation. Even Samsung refused to buy Kia because they judged that Kia had no technical power to build new platform and cars. So Hyundai decided to take over Kia in the beginning of 1998 and built current Headquarters in Seocho, Korea. Since then, Mazda(Technical adviser and alliance with Kia) quit trading with Kia. Hyundai-Kia 's first platform-shared based car was 2003 sonata and 2003 first generation optima. They designed the interior EXACTLY the same and shared many parts.
Buy the way, KIA (起亞) means "Rise up(起), Asia(亞)" in Korean words. :)
It was meant to have both meanings but Koreans pronounce "Gear" as 기어 and KIA as 기아.. the 어(Uh)/아(Ah) being a bit different but close enough for people to just accept it.
very helpful! Thank you!
Alex, Thanks for providing valued content on the Stinger. I was trying to decide between a BMW 440i Gran Coupe, an Infinity Q50 Red Sport Coupe and a Stinger GT2 AWD. I finally took delivery of a black/red Stinger. It is incredible! Also thanks to Redline, Matt Maran, KBB and others for the assist.
how is it holding up after a year?
any update on one year usage experience?
So thorough... Always like the depth your reviews display. Summer of 20 I’ll be in the market and Stinger GT2/Genesis G70 are at the top of the list. I’m a value based thinker and I think these two vehicles really are some of the best value based choices for driving enthusiasts.
Very good comparison. Stinger is a super fast car!. I've leased cars every two years for the past 15. I have now a Kia Stinger GT1. This one has been the best after having BMW, Subarus, Lexus, Acuras and Audis. Super good performance, styling and reliability. People asked me in every corner what is my car. Italian style with German dynamics. It is also a hatchback! same as Audi A7 but this one is 70K! My stinger smoked many cars for only 42k. Koreans showed with Hyundai, Genesis and Samsung and other brands than can be very reliable and competitive! My best car in 15 years.
Excellent choice Alex. It has elevated not only Kia, but Korean cars in general.
The stinger is getting rave reviews. Saw one in red in person in a “stinger salon” at my local mall and it looks better in person than the pictures. The back end looked weird in pictures but looks nice in person. It’s a gorgeous car. I think Schreyer and Biermann have made a fantastic car here.
Stinger compared to many car models; Detailed overview with graphic inserts in the video; 4 pane window views; high quality review. Review is very well done
Good job Alex! We have an Audi S5 and it is a dreamy car but with a dreamy price tag. If this car had been available when I made my purchase it sounds like it would have been a solid contender.
Dont worry both will depreciate like deflated balls after good sex
Your purchase is the best. Stinger is a very good car, but has nothing to do besides de S5.
😉
@@TheBigbangguy Not true at all.
Wow very descriptive. Looked at other reviews and this one was so much more in depth, almost like they were buying it themselves. Thank you for your review!
KIA is stepping up and not joking around
Not really. This car was designed by the guy who designed all the bmw M series cars. He moved over to kia in 2016
Performance comparison at 11:10
Trim levels at 18:00
Car comparisons at 21:25
Why you should pick this over most of its competition 28:30
You’re welcome.
"Fuel economy has not exactly been Kia's Forte over the years"
Ahahahahaha, I see what you did there... :D
I was just about to post this. I wonder if he even realizes he said that...
Hahaha yes and it's true that Kias have good fuel economy but... it's just ok comparing to others except the Niro.
Stinger's fuel economy can't touch it's Audi/BMW/Mercedes competition, ... probably $25-$50/mth more on fuel, but I'll take the $400-$450/mth saving on Monthly Payments over those other rivals :-)
We must not forget that Hyundai/Kia head designer is ex- Audi designer Peter Schreyer. And head of performance is BMW great Albert Biermann. So I think they have something good going on over there.
Saw the blue version of this car in person on the road just a couple days ago. It looked great!
It's my favorite too
I'm currently in the market for a nice sedan and seriously considering the Stinger. It checks all the boxes in my list including the price and knowing it will be way more reliable and cheap to maintain than any of the German brands.
I stumbled on your channel and this is one of the best car review even seen. :)
Proud to be the 600th like. This is the best channel for serious car buyers. Doesn't pander to the kids with no money.
As always Alex, you ROCK!!! had my test drive this morning of a GT Limited, I am SOLD! what a beautiful Everyday Driver. THANKS! :)
I've owned hard-edged sport cars. Unless you're taking them to the track every weekend, they get old fast. The Stinger is a sporty car that you can live with.
Kia has turned into what Pontiac used to be, affordable, well packaged and fun to drive.
PremierAutoMan86 You are right. I feel like Kia is shaping up to be the Pontiac to Hyundais Chevy, and Genesis is their Cadillac.
Well, I hope so cuz I'm currently in a supercharged 07 Grand Prix and I never thought I'd be considering a Kia as my next car. I've always been a GM guy but with Pontiac getting the axe and the Chevy SS going the way of the dinosaurs, there is no sports sedan that they make that I like besides a cts-v, which is way outta my price range. With this having an AWD option, it's checking all the boxes for me. And in 2 years it'll be around 35k.
Michael Thompson The Chevy SS wasn't even a Chevy, it was a rebadged Holden (one of the best manufacturers to have never made it outside its home country) which was an Australian manufacturer that mostly dabbled in muscle cars.
The reason the SS was discontinued was because after years of declining sales despite having great cars, GM eventually pulled the plug on Holden.
Holden's Monaro (sold in the US as the 2005-6 Pontiac GTO) was actually one of the few cars that all three of the Top Gear/Grand Tour presenters liked.
I am personally of the opinion that if GM had decided to sell the Holden brand outside Australia they would still be around.
@@michaelthompson4178 you called it. 2 years after your comment, I’m thinking this car is a great deal at mid-30’s. And unlike it’s German counterparts, it doesn’t cost a fortune to maintain.
@@marksim3488 I've had my 2020 awd gt for almost a year now. Bought it new for 36k put about 6500 miles on it. It's been great, trouble free besides an easy fix for the hatch rattle issue. Just got a set of intakes for it and I plan on adding a rear sway bar, which will definitely improve the handling.
Wow! This is why I LOVE your channel because your aren't afraid to give your HONEST opinion! It just feels "wrong" recommending a Kia over the cars you did in your description, but I respect your opinion so I believe you. Well done Alex, as always.
WhiteBoard Finance tired of people that underestimate the KIA brand!
I have a 2017 Kia Sorento SX V6 and it is the best SUV I 've driven. Nothing wrong with recommending a good brand.
WhiteBoard Finance, I have an advantage over you since I've owned a Kia in the past, and I would have no problem recommending it over other brands.
WhiteBoard Finance a
Hope you knew it already Alex is a Kia enthusiast. He personally drives Kias..
Everyone keeps talking about KIA not being a brand name, but this car along with the optima has elevated their brand significantly. All car brands have had to grow and refine their product over time and KIA has done this masterfully
You were born to do car reviews bro! Super detailed comparisons! You da man!
Great review as always. The Stinger definitely anchors itself as a very solid choice. It's more of a niche with broad appeal. It's going to sell a lot this year.
I think the Stinger is redefining the auto category classification all by itself. Performance car dynamics which is a daily driver taking on the aesthetics of the luxury brands. This is the car I would buy. Kudos Kia!
You deserve many more subscribers, Alex. The quality of your reviews is just incomparable.
Nice review. I own a Stinger GT2 but I disagree with A+ for cabin noise. It has more road/tire noise than the new Toyota Camry and much more than a typical Lexus.
I knew it Alex! I knew it would win your top vote! A used GT2 AWD will be my next car.
same.... i'd wait it out a year or 2...
Bernie Fen I'm going to wait 2 years exactly... No hurry. Until I see one for $35k I'm not buying.
Smart, you’ll save $17 k lol
Actually for me, I take a RWD GT1, red(or black) on black.
Just picked up a used Kia Stinger GT2 AWD two weeks ago. My last three cars were Mercedes, and I’m thoroughly impressed with the Stinger
Wow so professional reviews! So detailed, and not biased
I've known Kia's have been great for a while now but this car shocked the world. This is going to turn their brand around like the 2011-2014 Sonata and Genesis did with Hyundai's. I've always said Kia's brand perception is where Hyundai was 7 years ago and this is the car to establish them once and for all.
I got one, really happy with it.
Beautiful car with great powertrain. If they made this with a six speed manual I would be in love.
Gus Johnson have you seen the looks of the Malibu I mean SS? Pass
Rediscover Film g70 in a motor trend review has a Manual in the 4 cylinder version. But I Beileve that starts at 40k
i really like that A5 sportsback in S trim.hopefuilly next year the kia stinger will have more color options, i hate black interiors and consider them to be the fleet/taxi interior color preference.
bird718 red and white are available ya know. Especially for the price of the a5 s line.
Interesting Review! Thanks for the super honest opinion
For a everyday GT car that has some fun to it. This looks great.
I bought a 2019 GT2 and I love it. It comes with even more equipment. A great review of a great car.
This car is brilliant.
Alex is the text book definition of a true car nerd.
...great review Alex...
BUYER AWARE: Owned Kia Stinger for 1year 13k miles, has 3 different rattles, potential welding faults, and Kia refuse to acknowledge or fix the issue. Other issues including shaky HUD, failed engine spark plugs are also WIDE SPREAD. Don't waste your money on a $52000 unreliable car backed by non-existent customer support brand.
Alex, as always excellent review
Ruben Ferreira yes because Lexus better than Acura
Excellent review packed with useful and relevant information...Thank you
KIA proves that a car manufacturer can deliver a luxury GT without the high overpriced premium!
Mathieu Cossette You got the point.
luxury kia ????? hahahahahahahahh!!!!!
But it's not. Alex says it over and over throughout the whole video. But you know what...sure, why not.
When you pay premium, you get premium materials, not in the stinger, it has some luxury things but you can tell they cut corners, but at this point, thoes luxury items are now becoming standard now that a camry and accord have them.
It infuriates me why Kia left out the 360* camera and rear heated seats in the GT2...panoramic sunroof not there, I can live with but why not offer the other 2, even if it were in a package?
Yep it doesn't make any sense why they couldn't atleast include them as options. I hope they bring them back and add some luxury to the car.
Yeah..I hope so too...till then...no reason to upgrade from my Optima...or maybe consider the Q50 RS when my lease is up
SaiRulez1 Yea I will be keeping my Optima SXL 😁
Canada got it. I don't understand why not the U.S
Canada also has suede roof lining and inductive cell phone charging (+ 360 cam and heated back seats) but we don't get the 2.0T and as much as I'd like a GT2, the 2.0T Premium (with basically the same gizmos other than the HUD I think) is still 10 000$ less. That makes it an absolute bargain if you prioritize good looks and better fuel economy as a daily driver in bumper to bumper trafic
Been impatiently waiting on this review. My fellow Audi S4 owners either love it or hate/fear it. I personally like it
haha fear it. They should!
The more I here about the Kia Stinger GT ,the more I want one.
best car reviewer NA
Alex should review the chevy ss, for me it seems like the two are similar. Great review as always
Hi Alex, I was amazed and delighted with the level of detail and precision in this review. I really felt like I had experienced the car for myself. Great work, very well done.
I love when he talks nerdy to me.
Wonderful car and review!
Awesome review! Subscribed.
Great review Alex. That's an impressive vehicle, but I find it to be a bit too heavy and some of the design elements to be a bit too "boy racerish". However, I am eagerly awaiting the G70 Sport as it's gorgeous, will be 200Lbs lighter, and with that same 3.3L V6 will offer improved performance & handling.
Yea I really like the look of the Genesis brand too.
blitzbbffl I've heard that its 400 lbs lighter.
sonydominates -That would then offer a great pwr/weight ratio!
Just wondering how much more would it cost, since the g80 sport is just 8k above stinger with same engine/transmission/chasis.
David Cloud I think the base g70 is 39k so I'd assume the 3.3 would be near 47k base and close to 60 with all options. But I don't know. Just basing it off of koreas sale difference.
I dont comment a lot but I must tell you this is one of the best reviews i've seen so far. The way you talk..etc is ...just great!
I'm just tired of people trying to narrowly define what is or isn't luxury. Why does it matter? It's a car. And a damn exciting one at that.
Here is the reason I purchased my 2018 Kia Stinger AWD GT2. I wanted a luxurious car with a good deal of performance that was AWD and well below the 100,000 dollar price tag of most cars that caught my eye. I sort of stumbled upon "The Stinger " in my internet searches and was very intrigued. After I actually went to a dealership and sat in one and went for a test drive I saw a car that was the best of both worlds for me. I was looking for Performance for all seasons and I also wanted something Luxurious, NOT small yet not over the top in any category. I.E...Too much performance attracts cops to follow you. Too much Luxury attracts gold diggers. Being a Tall Guy I wanted a car to drive year round that I would not feel cramped in yet not feel like a New York Gangster in either.
....great choice...and there are real deals out there online...
Looks like a solid all around car, I'm looking hard at the XE for when my lease it up this fall, it's very interesting how you kept comparing the AWD system of the Stinger to the Jag.
Alex was and still is spot-on with the Stinger. I had narrowed my choices to the Q50 Red Sport, TLX A-Spec SH-AWD, and a GT1/GT2 AWD Stinger, and his review helped sell me to get my 2019 Ceramic Silver GT1 AWD. :-) I will note that since his review, a number of features exclusive to the GT2 have since come over to the GT1 for 2019. Also, wireless charging is now available for both GT1 and GT2.
Keep it up nice detailed review
Good job Alex, the most comprehensive review of a car I have ever seen. Not just about the ups and downs of the car you are reviewing but also the cars competition. I am a car enthusiast and am impressed with the minute details that you cover. You will certainly pare someone’s shopping list to just a few. All then that will be required is a comprehensive test drive of said models. I explore all car purchasers to take a lot of time test driving any proposed purchase. At least one or two hours with all eventual drivers having seat time. Again Alex, excellent job. Also, I wholeheartedly agree with your assessment of the Kia Stinger. The German models are definitely going to have some problems competing with this cars value and quality.
Love my 2018 Stinger GT1 AWD
I have a 2013 Kia Optima SX Turbo with the 274hp and I have to say myself and my Wife love this car. It’s an amazing car have had no major issues and it has over 107000 miles and I definitely won’t trade it in but get a Stinger if we make our decision to do so. I installed a set of 2017 Genisis 3.8 wheels witch are staggered and it looks just like the Kinetic model that was sold in 2016. Keep up the good with ro Peter Shryer, you made Kia what it is now...
Awesome video! I still can't believe the Honda Accord won the NACOTY over the Stinger! This was clearly the winner in my opinion.
The base 2.0 L is fine for giddy up. I'm looking at it or Buick TourX. Haven't driven the Buick yet but the Stinger is gorgeous inside !!! Feels like a Porsche. Very nicely done !
Excellent job. Damn alot to take in. So your money. TourX or Stinger 2.0L Base.
...checkout the 2019 Stinger 2.0 Premium as well... right at 30 mpg highway for
a comfortable , practical , well-equipped and great looking daily driver...
Always a great informative presentation....Great job
I bought a rear drive GT version in October last year, and it is a superb car.
For reasons I won't go into, I tried to buy a 2019 Dodge Charger Scat-Pack, but Chrysler shot me down. For once I wanted a car that did 0-60 in less than 5 seconds. Next stop? Kia Stinger. It will do 0-60 in less than 5, and is ultimately a more refined car than the Charger, not to mention AWD. 24 hours later, I was driving home in my new Kia Stinger GT2. Only complaint is that I am 6'2, I totally fit when I finally get into the car, but getting in and out of the Stinger, is a pain in the butt. Only complaint, otherwise, fasted car I have ever owned, and who cares if it snowed or not, I got AWD.
Excellent review, Alex, I wish your channel get more popular in the future
I absolutely love your reviews! I’m and Audi guy but this will be my next choice. This car is so unique and like you say there’s nothing that it could compare to.
I am hoping the 2019 Stinger bring the 360 degree camera to the GT2 model
Great video
People who are into brand image are poseurs who usually don't have a lot of what they're trying to tell people they have.
Great review. You have always pull no punches and tell it like you see it good or bad.. Great Review!
Alex - you mentioned a "regular-sized" sunroof. I know it's not a pano one, but it looks bigger than a regular-sized one. Maybe a in-betweener?
this was a really impressive review. I'm surprised you even brought up the kia-hyundai relationship
Looks like a pumped up 5 door Maserati Ghibli!
.... I like!.... 👍
Dear Alex, I hope you are paying attention to this. I want to mention what I like about the Stinger BTW, nice review.. but look at the interior dashboard. you kind of skipped over most of the GREAT more traditional dashboard layout. The Tacho, speedo, etc. on the dash are a simple traditional design. And there is a traditional console shifter.. All this is super great to see. However, I am a SUV guy, and I hope Kia (and Hyundai) puts this design (interior dashboard) in their future SUV's. I also hope Honda is listening and looking at the interior dash layout because the dashboard designs on their Pilot, Ridgeline, and CR-V (except for the steering wheels - which are very nice) are pretty bad.
Found this channel a couple days ago - very well done, very thorough - better than any new car reviewer I've yet seen. Kudos - a solid 'A'
I've read that Acura has had really bad reliability as of late.
XP-8 TIM I’m guessing he means long term reliability not initial
From my experience, if you're having a lot of issues in the beginning, don't expect it to get better with time, expect it to get worse
XP-8 TIM I’ve never heard of power train issues however just the technology which isn’t really a great measure either because if somebody doesn’t know how to turn on the heated seats it’ll be rated as poor reliability
This is how smart(?) companies test new technology. Brand new 10-speed automatic transmission? Try it in low-volume cars, because if things go really bad, it's not a huge loss. Toyota tested the direct injection and then developed D[46]-S system in Lexus brand first, for example. You can see this even in normal cars, like Subaru introducing new Impreza first, and then Crosstrek, because Crosstrek is a much higher volume vehicle for them.
I'm personally tired of beta-testing for companies, so I only buy models that are sold in huge numbers, and nothing brand new, either. I won't even touch fancy refrigerators, for example.
XP-8 TIM some of the worst. There transmissions are awful
Wow what a car. Put GS into shame.
The GS interior is probably the best in business. I absolutely love it but has some drawbacks such as the not so intuitive infotainment system.
You saying that it puts the Lexus GS to shame? I haven't been to A Lexus dealer or a Kia dealer, but I find that comment seemingly far stretched or exaggerated. And I am pretty sure you can get the Lexus with a naturally aspirated v6 motor, which I would prefer. I don't care if the Stinger or any other car is quicker 0-60. I want a long lasting dependable motor with decent get up and go. MPG ratings are misleading with all of these turbo motors. If you use the turbo you will get worse mileage and if you don't then you are driving an car with inferior performance motor. I love the motor in my 2012 Hyundai Genesis sedan. It is the NA v6, 3.8L with 333hp rating and we get up to 29 mpg on highway and about 23 mpg city. Plenty of power and what I consider to be good mileage for a big car. Why do you need twin turbo? And you only get 30hp more? Which motor do you think is less expensive and should last longer with less expenses?
@Ricky Holmes Buick is like Opel in america, so that means Buick is junk!
My family has both. GS and the Sti ger GT2. True.. I wouldn't say the Stinger's interior is as nice a GS'... but it is not too far off. Interior feature-wise GS wins.. but Stinger's interior is not shabby at all!
Oh by the way I still have a VW Touareg for long journeys, but once you get in the all electric car you get addicted to the instant response and all the arguments about range and the environment go out the window... I feel like I did when I did when I rocked up at 17 for my exam results in my own car... "I might not have got the best grades, and I am still not good looking. But I can bring Y'all for lunch in my car ".
Apologies for being preachy, but I love being excited about cars again.
Great review, thanks for the detailed information. I will also add that in my experience of owning new 3 series BMW to now owning a KIA K900, my service experience with KIA is much better. Anytime I schedule even an oil change, I am asked by my KIA dealership if I need a rental and my wait times are shorter than what it was at BMW. This experience of course could be regional but for me, it’s one of the reasons I will keep buying KIA cars
I’ve been comparing new cars to buy recently and for me (in Australia) it comes down to a Stinger GT (with new bi-modal exhaust option) versus an Audi S5. Also, in Australia there are only RWD currently available (August 2018) and only a 7 year warranty...which, although not as long as the 10 year U.S warranty...is still longer than any other comparable vehicles. 7 years is quite astonishing. The Stinger GT is definitely on my radar to buy. Such great value.
The 2018 Stinger GT2 all wheel drive trim is comparable to the BMW4 series grand coupe, the Audi A5, even Porsche Panamera. The GT2 Stinger is absolutely considered a luxury vehicle, with it’s Brembo Brakes 4-Piston Front, 2-piston rear, red calipers, Twin Turbocharged 3.3 liter V6 365 hp 0 to 60 in 4.4 seconds, CVVT, GDI, ISG. Torque 376 @ 1,300 - 4;500. LSD, Dynamic Torque Vectoring Control, R-MDPS, VGR. Front suspension: McPherson strut w/Stabilizer Bar, high-performance Dampers, ECS, ABS, Safety: blind spot collision warning, lane change assist, rear cross traffic collision, driver attention warning, forward collision avoidance, pedestrian detection, forward collision warning, lean departure warning, lane keep assist, Smart cruise control w/stop and go, CBC, ESC, TCS, HAC, TPMS,
I am leaving out a lot of features because I don’t feel like typing anymore but this guy definitely did not do his homework on the Kia stinger GT2 which he is attempting to demonstrate. My personal Stinger GT2 features which I only experienced in some top of the line Luxury Cars. Stinger GT2 gives you a nice heads up display which projects a good source of information. The fact that you can change to any DRIVING configuration any time, you don’t have to be stoped and parked. I don’t mean changing the ambience colors but for example changing the drive mode from comfort to sport deactivating the auto shut off system and traction control, stability etc.. My super duper favorite feature is that you can preselect 10 or 12 radio or Sirius XM radio stations and the car starts recording all these channels weather you are on this station or no and it keeps recording for up to an hour. You can go to these recorded stations and a rewind up to an hour and listen to the music you missed because you were listening to a different station. The Kia Stinger GT2 should definitely be considered a luxury sedan capable of competing with the likes of BMW, Mercedes Benz, Audi, and even sports cars like the Mustang, Dodge Charger and others. The difference is Kia simply gives you all the great, awesome features where the so called luxury cars like BMW, Audi Lexus and Benz Nickel and Dime you sometimes 20k, 30K, or evening 50k over your limit to get the simple features. It’s amazing how people fall for their scheme simple because of the NAME BRAND!
Here’s a link to another UA-camr who does a fairly decent job of describing the Kia Stinger GT2 model, with only a few small mistakes, features which he leaves out.
ua-cam.com/video/laDTa-5sQds/v-deo.html
Thanks for the link, the stinger in the UK is simple, there is only a GTS specc which has everything. Which i love as i was looking at a BMW 3 or 4 series but there is so many options it put me off choosing one. But with the stinger i know the one i buy has everything they offer and i don't have to hunt around for the version which has the most on..
After trying one on at the 2019 Chicago Auto Show, my only negative experience was just getting in/out. The door opening combined with the seat movement (driver's) on the car seems to be rather small (it has rather small front doors with them actually appearing to be smaller than the rear door openings) and makes it extremely difficult for some people to get in/out comfortably. I'm not a very tall guy (5'7" - fairly short honestly) but I am a bit "rounder" than the average person and it just feels like compared to even the platform-mate G70 (which I also sat in)... it's a bit more snug than it really should be for a car of it's size. I tried the G70 and found it much more comfortable in the front seating area to get in/out of for a car that actually is supposedly quite a bit shorter. It struck me as weird.
I was extremely disappointed as I'm absolutely smitten by this car, especially in the Ceramic Grey. I might try it on again later at a dealership to see if I just didn't have the seat moved all the way back in it's tracks or something but it just seemed way too small for someone of my stature. It kills me as I'm absolutely smitten with this car. :(
KIA hired an Engineer from BMW's M-Sport Division to work on the Stinger which is the reason why it felt similar driving it.
I say put brand name aside completely when doing comparisons. Compare bases on capability, performance, features and pricing. Let the stats determine whete it competes not popular opinion because that varies and tends to be biased. It's because of that brand bias that companies like Infiniti and Lexus are resting on their laurels.
It's a car, not a "brand"...what a statement! People these days still judge a car by its brand.
The TLX V6 A-Spec and Stinger GT1 AWD are roughly the same prices. Now that's embarrassing for Acura!
Alex, your reviews are the bomb, point blank haha. I look forward to these after work or like some people do their favorite TV shows lol.
I love the point you made about the lack of colors and customization. That's been a complaint of mine about Kia, long before the Stinger. I've always wanted an Optima with red leather (or Merlot, whatever it's called). But that combination is only available with the grey colored car by selecting the "Launch Edition" package. Oh, you want a red or black Optima with the red leather? Too bad... And what's worse is that choosing that package makes you miss out on some other options, like the 360 camera. Kia also keeps showing a yellow Stinger at auto shows (it was at the Detroit Auto Show this year), but that color is not available in the United States... I'm in product planning at Hyundai/Kia now, but these "all or nothing" packaging decisions for the sake of cost still confuse me. Like you also said however, people buying these cars want a well-rounded CAR, not just a BRAND.
ARich nice journal 🙄
Can't wait to test drive this. Actually going to cross shop this vs G80 sport. Not sure which experience I'll like better
Nicholas Plummer take a peak at the g70, coming relatively soon, unless you need the space.
Alex loves this car, Car and Driver doesn't.. I'm with Alex on this one.. must take one out!
People buying cars only for the "badge" or the "brand name" are morons and very superficial. This car is a dream, I don't care if it is a Mazda a Hyundai or a KIA. I'm a simple man, if I like the car or I like how it looks, I'm get in it, period...
Dang it Alex, you're not making it easy for me to negotiate my next Kia 😁
My only hesitation is the reduced rear visibility because of those gigantic C-pillars and the slot rear window. Plus the blind spot monitoring only works over 20mph. Could get annoying in daily driving.
The small rear window is only an issue when parking and Kia has an excellent backup camera I have an optima and I can't remember the last time I used the rear window
Eliezer Salgado You're supposed to use the rear window when changing lanes to see who's coming up from behind in the lanes besides yours
Bought a red 3 3lt gt here in Australia this week. Waiting for delivery next week...
We don't get the 4wd version here but there's no snow on 99% of roads either. Happy to not have the weight penalty anyway!
I have a 2017 Kia Optima SX Turbo but I am seriously considering trading it for one of these.
I drove both the Infiniti Q50 and the Kia Stinger GT and I don't think the Infinity feels faster off the line.
@alexonautos are you doing a review on the Stinger 2.0 turbo?