Was considering a 540i M sport however after a long test drive of 2 hours on the Stinger I walked out astonish on the dynamics of the car considering it not exactly being compact!
My personal findings:
Build Quality: Well build(rattle and squeak free) reasonably insulated, low wind and road noise, being functional with what being offered and the driving position is almost almost spot on take note I am in a right hand drive country and I believe the main market or focus of this car is for left hand drive. Not luxurious by any stretch and its not trying thats what I like!
Technology: Can be improve and probably 1 generation behind the pack however what is required for being a daily driver and an enthusiasts car its suffice and do excel in certain areas. Importantly the shortcoming does not distract the driving experience. The current generation of cars are impressive however the level of customisation and info is overwhelming which at times do distract the driving experience being an enthusiast car. Its probably more a showcase to passengers and other makers and taking note at the expense of our ownership costs.
Driving: The magical part which I notice during the test drive was that the size of the vehicle "shrunk" "mentally" and at no time I felt it was like a barge or anything pointing towards the physique of the car. That says alot and some of the roads I drove was a dual carriageway with few feet to spare from the edge of the drains while overtaking slower vehicles probably due to the efficiency amd execution of the drivetrain, steering feedback and chassis dynamics. Its not about the the absolute numbers but the feel and confidence which this vehicle inspires. If higher entry speeds are carried in the bends 1st thing last minute throttle lift off do unsettle the tail however can be corrected easily with some minor steering and throttle input. I do have a strong crunch it was deliberate as it gives you a sense of playfulness in the chassis. Personally I do like this! Power is as expected but the transmission being fully develop in house by Hyundai/ Kia is surprisingly smooth and decisive! Only gripe is the lack of full manual as the pedal shift do revert to auto if I recall 10 seconds or so. Next the engine note or speaker generated downshift in manual should be made more audible as I do realise its not really prominent when downshifting is induce. Which is a bit of guesswork unless I am looking down at the instrument panel.
Design: IMHO it is probably one of my personal favourite being it a GT car, sedan as of current crop of cars. I find the design being athelethic, elegant, and almost perfectly executed and balance from all angles...despite design improvement can be done on the tail lamps!
The total ownership costs to fun factor, warranty and the reliability index of Kia sealed the deal!
What did you have before?
