Is it possible to replace the upper front grille with the GT one?

[asinghal31]

Apologies if this has already been answered somewhere else...

I have the 2019 Stinger Premium and I was curious if it's possible to replace the front grille with the GT one. I saw something about how the lower front grille doesn't have the same dimensions but couldn't find anything definitive about the upper one.

Another question about the current grille is that my car has a little rectangular metal plate in the middle the kind of divides the upper grille into two halves It seems like every picture I've seen has the grill going all the way across with nothing in the middle.

 

[SteveCo]

I'm not familiar with the U.S. model trim levels, but the plate in the middle of the grill is the radar cover used on models with dynamic cruise control/auto braking, etc. It's a special material that is transparent to the radar signals behind it - and surprisingly expensive to buy as a standalone piece should it be damaged.

I don't know if the upper grill dimensions are different - looks the same to me as the higher trims from a casual visual comparison.

 

[asinghal31]

Some of the other pictures I'm seeing of the higher trim levels (GT1 and GT2) have that plate behind the grille. It's interesting to me that Kia didn't hide it behind the grille on the Premium trim.

 

[SteveCo]

Unless it's obscured by a reflection, yours is the first picture I've seen of that plate with a plain/blank surface - perhaps it's unique to that trim level.

The other trims don't have that radar cover plate behind the grill, it's an opaque plastic cover with a matching camouflage pattern that helps it to blend in with the open grill structure on either side.

 

[asinghal31]

Yep, it seems like it's special to the Premium trim. I guess I'll have to let it be since it's a sensor/radar and I don't want to mess with potentially obstructing that.

 

[djerickd]

Did you try this? I have a Premium grill on hand and want to swap it into my GT grille..

 

[Snicklefritz]

Did you try this? I have a Premium grill on hand and want to swap it into my GT grille..

Curious. Why would you want to do that? Your GT doesn't have any of the electronic "driver assist" features that hide behind that center plate. The border of the grille is bright instead of dark chrome, which matches the Premium/Base trims but would look odd on the GT.

 

[djerickd]

I don't have any of the electronic things behind the grille on mine (it's a GTS) and the premium vents match the blacked-out look of the lower grille fins on a GT.

 

[Snicklefritz]

I get it now. You want the gloss black grillework to match top and bottom. Are you planning that the actual grille can be removed and swapped over to be inside your CF upper grille border?

Wouldn't it be much easier to just paint the existing grille gloss black? Maybe dip or powder coat? That way you could do it right on the car without removing anything.

 

[djerickd]

yes i’m hoping. i swear someone did this back in 2018-19 and posted up pics but now i cannot find them, i wanted to ask how difficult it was. i may have been dreaming lol

 

[djerickd]

double post

 

[nagisa]

top grill should fit

bottom grill wont

 

[Snicklefritz]

top grill should fit

bottom grill wont

But an entire bumper from a 2.0L can fit a GT. We saw that happen, documented in pictures, last year I believe, but it could have been longer ago than that.

 

[nagisa]

But an entire bumper from a 2.0L can fit a GT. We saw that happen, documented in pictures, last year I believe, but it could have been longer ago than that.

correct, the whole bumper is interchangable

on the 2.0 2018-2020 bumper tho the bottom grill and air vents are different

 

[djerickd]

is there a decent video of the upper grille swap? seems daunting