Adaptive suspension, can you tell yours works?

[PMB]

Could you point me/us to even one review (other than wannabe YouTube car "reviewers") that claimed Stingers have "lots of" extraneous noise issues? I'll allow that some do, enough to hear about. But just judging by the relative lack of responses to these complaints made on this forum, this tells me that the great majority of Stingers do not rattle, creak, groan, squeak, crackle, pop, snap or otherwise annoy their passengers with noises that don't belong there. (Maybe it's time for a dedicated Stinger Forum "noises off" poll; sound off about how annoying your Stinger is to drive in because it won't shut up, etc. )

https://www.motortrend.com/cars/kia/stinger/2018/2018-kia-stinger-gt-review-long-term-update-3/

2018 Kia Stinger GT Long-Term Update | Shake, rattle and roll

 

[MerlintheMad]

https://www.motortrend.com/cars/kia/stinger/2018/2018-kia-stinger-gt-review-long-term-update-3/

2018 Kia Stinger GT Long-Term Update | Shake, rattle and roll

Thanks:
"Asked whether this was a common problem on the Stinger, the tech said mine was the first he'd come across."

"A rattle originating from the cargo area was a common complaint about the Stinger during Car of the Year testing, but I never heard the noise in our long-termer."

"My only gripe is that, even on freshly paved Michigan roads, the rear window tends to rattle.

"Speaking of unwanted noises, after only 10,000 miles, the Stinger has a creak in the front passenger side door that can only be described as painful. I had been warned ahead of time by Associate Editor Reese Counts, but I was still taken aback by how bad it is. Expect an update on a potential remedy to that soon."

Two Stingers. Out of literally dozens tested and reviewed, how many noise complaints are there?

 

[PMB]

Thanks:
"Asked whether this was a common problem on the Stinger, the tech said mine was the first he'd come across."

"A rattle originating from the cargo area was a common complaint about the Stinger during Car of the Year testing, but I never heard the noise in our long-termer."

"My only gripe is that, even on freshly paved Michigan roads, the rear window tends to rattle.

"Speaking of unwanted noises, after only 10,000 miles, the Stinger has a creak in the front passenger side door that can only be described as painful. I had been warned ahead of time by Associate Editor Reese Counts, but I was still taken aback by how bad it is. Expect an update on a potential remedy to that soon."

Two Stingers. Out of literally dozens tested and reviewed, how many noise complaints are there?

Dude, what is your issue? I gave my two cents why I thought the sport suspension was so soft when it's obvious that it could be way way stiffer. Then you asked me to provide even one review. I gave two easily found on the first page of google that weren't "wannabee youtube reviewers" (probably because you know that a lot of youtube reviews did talk about the various NVH issues). Now you're shitting on my evidence that early reviews indicated that there were some rattles and unwanted noises.

Also, this forum has more than a few threads complaining about a common rattle in the dash, one possibly near the passenger door, one sound around the sun roof especially when it's closed, and issues with the rear hatch that involved the supports not being adjusted correctly, or being incorrectly sized to support the hatch in the fully closed position. Come off it.

For the record, I own a 2019 Stinger. I'm at low mileage (around 3000km) and over rough roads I have the slight noise at the edge of the sun roof. I suspect if the dampers were much stiffer, I'd hear a lot more, but I don't expect the Kia interior to be built the same as high end german and Japanese manufacturers that have been around for much longer and are well known by now for their quality.

 

[RVance]

I don't notice hardly any difference going from comfort to sport. but if you are pushing the corners, there is a pretty big and noticeable difference between comfort and sport.

Highway 199 in far Northern California follows the Smith River (only undammed river in Cali) from Hiouchi to the Collier Tunnel (Oregon border). It is twisty and narrow with steep, rocky cliffs on one side and quick exits to a river bottom on the other. I have been driving this road for 40 years whenever going east to Oregon or to pick up the I-5 South. For the last 30 years, my 1989 Mustang GT 5-speed was a fun car to push through the esses and slow turns. It has a pretty communicative, stiff suspension. I was very pleasantly surprised the first time I had to make good time coming home and I hammered the Stinger through this familiar route at a pace I couldn't keep in my 'Stang. In sport mode, I ran out of balls before the Stinger ran out of composure. The suspension was confidence inspiring without being punishing.

 

[MerlintheMad]

Dude, what is your issue? I gave my two cents why I thought the sport suspension was so soft when it's obvious that it could be way way stiffer. Then you asked me to provide even one review. I gave two easily found on the first page of google that weren't "wannabee youtube reviewers" (probably because you know that a lot of youtube reviews did talk about the various NVH (Noise, Vibration, and Harshness) issues). Now you're shitting on my evidence that early reviews indicated that there were some rattles and unwanted noises.

Also, this forum has more than a few threads complaining about a common rattle in the dash, one possibly near the passenger door, one sound around the sun roof especially when it's closed, and issues with the rear hatch that involved the supports not being adjusted correctly, or being incorrectly sized to support the hatch in the fully closed position. Come off it.

For the record, I own a 2019 Stinger. I'm at low mileage (around 3000km) and over rough roads I have the slight noise at the edge of the sun roof. I suspect if the dampers were much stiffer, I'd hear a lot more, but I don't expect the Kia interior to be built the same as high end german and Japanese manufacturers that have been around for much longer and are well known by now for their quality.

"A lot of early reviews said the car had lots of rattles especially related to the passenger door area and the sun roof." Your words. The door noises are quite possibly the least in number, judging by complaints here.

And this forum's c. 6K+ members are enthusiasts for the most part. We can take this place as a model of Stinger owners the world over. If so few owners/drivers have complained thus far, the evidence is that "a lot" of Stingers do not have issues of any kind. IN TOTAL, complaints since this forum started up are relatively few. Paint, by far the most annoying flaw in the Stinger, has a few participants saying that their paint is a problem. Noises, same thing: add in all the rest, and the TOTAL is still puny compared to the size of this forum.

That is coming close to a statistical analysis. So two Google finds of reviews does not show anything other than you were listening to me: I did not expect you to come up empty; I wondered if you were seriously thinking about how you say things. "A lot" does not apply to door noises; and out of total extraneous noises, only the sunroof and hatch qualify as "a lot". Dash a close third, then the rest.

The number of people on here exposing the noises of German and other high end cars only shows that there are always individual cars to complain about. We can't draw anything like a population comparison out of anecdotal cases (which is all that YouTube videos and reviews amount to). But we can look at how many of us there are, and how many individuals complaining there are. Not many.

 

[Menissalt]

Between Comfort and Sport I can't notice any difference in the suspension. The suspension is one of the only things that I find disappointing about this car. The suspension seems very normal and not at all luxury when in Comfort and since I don't notice any change in Sport it's too soft to be called sporty.

 

[Fboost]

I tried this and it is not something that is of any real value on the street...
Yes, the shocks default to a very firm mode when you disrupt power to the suspension module.
However, that firm mode is horribly overdamped.

The end result is a jittery, crashy, noisy ride quality, with quick jiggles and bounces that are rough and unrefined. You can try it and see, but I can guarantee this is not something you’ll want to live with for any amount of time.

That sounds like normal sport mode to me
The tuning is horrible.
I notice a big difference going from comfort to sport but it's not a good difference, it doesn't make the car handle any better, it just crashes and jitters of bumps etc
I actually think on anything but a track that comfort would actually be faster around a section of bends
My 2017 wrx suspension was so much better, it was the only thing that was better though
I do love my stinger but I am considering changing the suspension.

 

[Ty Davis]

That sounds like normal sport mode to me
The tuning is horrible.
I notice a big difference going from comfort to sport but it's not a good difference, it doesn't make the car handle any better, it just crashes and jitters of bumps etc
I actually think on anything but a track that comfort would actually be faster around a section of bends
My 2017 wrx suspension was so much better, it was the only thing that was better though
I do love my stinger but I am considering changing the suspension.

You guys in Australia, get stiffer tuning than we do.
In the USA, we get Comfort and Sport (with little difference between the two).

Australian market Stingers are stiffer in Comfort mode and Really stiff in Sport mode, according to reviews that I have seen.

Similarly, our USA Steering is a bit light in Comfort mode and only slightly firmer in Sport mode. How do you feel about your Steering weight/effort in Comfort mode? Is it a lot firmer in Sport, or is does the steering only get a little heavier?

 

[Ozstung]

I must be lucky i notice a big difference in handling between comfort and sports. I would discibe it as stiffer and more hunkered down.

 

[Fboost]

You guys in Australia, get stiffer tuning than we do.
In the USA, we get Comfort and Sport (with little difference between the two).

Australian market Stingers are stiffer in Comfort mode and Really stiff in Sport mode, according to reviews that I have seen.

Similarly, our USA Steering is a bit light in Comfort mode and only slightly firmer in Sport mode. How do you feel about your Steering weight/effort in Comfort mode? Is it a lot firmer in Sport, or is does the steering only get a little heavier?

Steering has more weight to it in sport but I wouldn't say it's a huge difference.
Trans and suspension has a big difference.

 

[Fboost]

I must be lucky i notice a big difference in handling between comfort and sports. I would discibe it as stiffer and more hunkered down.

I would agree if it's a smooth road and your driving hard.
But if your driving normal on a average road I think sport suspension setting is garbage.
I just use custom with everything in sport but the suspension in comfort. It is ok in comfort but a bit too floaty.
I almost bought a Megane rs and the suspension in that was awsome, very stiff but didn't crash over bumps.

 

[Brandondrums]

I just bought my stinger, I get it next week. After many test drives I'll just say after driving subarus almost exclusively for the past 15 years...a few creaks and rattles will blend in to cosmic background radiation for me lol.

As for the suspension settings, I'm excited. My dad got a used 2015 Porsche 911 with PASM (porsche active suspension management) and honestly the difference between soft and sport on that car feels more or less the same change in stiffness as the kia. Only in very hard driving or bad roads can you tell. It's designed to feel refined in both settings and I believe KIA intentionally doesnt go full hard on the sport mode for durability and comfort.

 

[nhcowboy28]

I just bought my stinger, I get it next week. After many test drives I'll just say after driving subarus almost exclusively for the past 15 years...a few creaks and rattles will blend in to cosmic background radiation for me lol.

As for the suspension settings, I'm excited. My dad got a used 2015 Porsche 911 with PASM (porsche active suspension management) and honestly the difference between soft and sport on that car feels more or less the same change in stiffness as the kia. Only in very hard driving or bad roads can you tell. It's designed to feel refined in both settings and I believe KIA intentionally doesnt go full hard on the sport mode for durability and comfort.

Welcome.

There is a module available that allows far greater control for the various modes (mondo) for those who want to go beyond the modest variability of the stock ESC.

 

[Robilar]

Yes, I notice a difference during normal driving - the SPORT mode is definitely firmer than Comfort.

Once following a battery discharge, the adaptive suspension was disabled and defaulted to what I can only assume was full FIRM. During the brief period I drove it before having the dealer reset/renable via their diagnostic tablet, it was like driving an unladen 5 ton truck - bone jarringly stiff, and MUCH stiffer than any 'normal' mode selection.

I had a full battery discharge in my vehicle (in fact it sat dead for months). Do the Canadian stingers get adaptive suspension?

 

[5tinger]

Australian Stinger's must be tuned differently because sports mode is very noticeably stiffer than comfort. I can feel every single imperfection on the road with sport and the ride feels very stiff. Which is why i barely ever use it.
Not that comfort mode is too soft either.

 

[Prudejosh]

I live in Alabama, I'm not sure what a smooth road even is

I’m in bama too

 

[RM7]

One of the most apparent ways that adaptive suspension is "working" IME is when braking, the nose of the car doesn't dive. The problem though is the cars with adaptive can be so stable and well mannered that you just never realize it's working all the time. You have to go drive an "analog car" to really see what it is or isn't doing. Then the difference becomes apparent. In my SS 1LE, it's amazing how hard I can slam brakes and the nose doesn't drop. In turns it's always working too and damping out chassis movement, but again, you really don't notice it much until you get in a car where you feel like you are "all over the place".

 

[Luc]

I had a full battery discharge in my vehicle (in fact it sat dead for months). Do the Canadian stingers get adaptive suspension?

Just in the front, sadly.

 

[G-560799]

Just in the front, sadly.

Yes if it’s GT2 AWD