About that Kia badge...

[Kia Stinger]

Do it! Rebadge your Stinger! Do it HERE.

Now I don’t mean to ruffle any feathers here. There are definitely two philosophies to this idea and no matter which side you choose - you’re not wrong - it’s a personal preference. Re-badge it? De-badge it altogether? That being said, I’m sort of on the fence when it comes to the badge on the Kia Stinger. Here’s why…

I was just driving along behind a Kia Optima and thought to myself, “Ya know - the Kia badge isn’t really that bad”. I’m not sure if they’ve slightly updated the design in recent years - but I think it looks kind of classy with its simplicity. On the other hand, it’s stood for a brand that sold cheap products for as long as many of us can remember.

A company’s brand perception is very important. Look at how long it’s taken Cadillac to regain any ground in the luxury automobile market. They used to be considered the “Standard of the World”. If you’re not too young, you’ll have grown up hearing people say, “It’s the Cadillac of this” or “the Cadillac of that”. Driving a Cadillac meant that you achieved a certain level of success and you could then afford to own and drive the very best the world had to offer. Continue reading...

 

[CoconutRob]

I agree, I think we should all Embrace and be proud of the Kia badge the Stinger will be a great car along with many in production now. And it really doesn't look that bad. And isn't that the point anyway if you're buying a Kia you don't give a crap about the badge you care about the car that it represents.

 

[Kia Stinger]

f you're buying a Kia you don't give a crap about the badge you care about the car that it represents.

On one hand, yes. On the the hand, nobody has ever been so proud to own a Kia as Stinger owners will be. So there will be more to it than just buying a great car for a great value...

 

[Jumpy]

I agree the Kia badge isn't as bad as some people make it out to be. I think people just have negative associations with the name Kia, so the badge conjures those feelings.

On the other hand, why not use the "E" badge? We all agree it looks nice.

 

[Kia Stinger]

I agree the Kia badge isn't as bad as some people make it out to be. I think people just have negative associations with the name Kia, so the badge conjures those feelings.

On the other hand, why not use the "E" badge? We all agree it looks nice.

I agree and I do like the "E" badge. I'm definitely using that on the front of mine. As well as the Stinger script on the back. That combination looks really nice to me.

 

[davebo]

I agree the Kia badge isn't as bad as some people make it out to be. I think people just have negative associations with the name Kia, so the badge conjures those feelings.

On the other hand, why not use the "E" badge? We all agree it looks nice.

I totally disagree. I bought my Optima SX in 2012 and have zero negative associations with Kia since I knew how much they had improved recently. The first thing I did was remove the badge because a big oval with KIA in the middle in an almost block font is boring as hell. I replaced it with that K logo and proceeded to tell anyone who asked it was a Kia.

I like the way the E badge looks as a badge, I just think it doesn't make any sense. "Exclusive, Exquisite, Evolutionary"? It's like if you put a Q badge on a Tesla because it's quiet. It's just a bunch of alliterative adjectives.

 

[eljay]

I don't care what strangers think of the car or the badge on it, and most of my friends drive practical Japanese sedans and smallish SUVs--and would be impressed if I showed up in the new Camry (and probably glad that I had gone back to my normal self and quit yapping about cars).

That said, I do love the larger Stinger script across the trunklid, rather than lower and smaller to the side. I hope we at least get that! And I agree that the K logo is good looking--lots of movement, unlike the E badge.

 

[Jumpy]

I totally disagree. I bought my Optima SX in 2012 and have zero negative associations with Kia since I knew how much they had improved recently. The first thing I did was remove the badge because a big oval with KIA in the middle in an almost block font is boring as hell. I replaced it with that K logo and proceeded to tell anyone who asked it was a Kia.

I like the way the E badge looks as a badge, I just think it doesn't make any sense. "Exclusive, Exquisite, Evolutionary"? It's like if you put a Q badge on a Tesla because it's quiet. It's just a bunch of alliterative adjectives.

That's cool, but you're the exception. I was speaking in generalities.

 

[davebo]

That said, I do love the larger Stinger script across the trunklid, rather than lower and smaller to the side. I hope we at least get that! And I agree that the K logo is good looking--lots of movement, unlike the E badge.

I'm glad you mentioned that. I knew the Korean Stinger had that script where we get the KIA logo, and our stinger script is on the left, but I didn't notice that they were different sizes. If that's the case I may just take both badges off and get the original Stinger to put in the center.

 

[MichaelJR]

For those rebadging , how do you plan to do this? Stinger on back looks amazing, but where do you obtain that? Who does this detailing?

Im not dead set on rebadging but curious how those who will do it, will find these logos either stinger/E and have them changed.

 

[Chris]

For those rebadging , how do you plan to do this? Stinger on back looks amazing, but where do you obtain that? Who does this detailing?

Im not dead set on rebadging but curious how those who will do it, will find these logos either stinger/E and have them changed.

You can find anything on the interwebs. If the Korean cars come with a the big stinger script they have to manufacture that part for repairs. I rebadged my optima. They are just stuck on with double sided tape. Warm it up with a hairdryer and use fishing line to saw through the tape. (Google it)

 

[davebo]

For those rebadging , how do you plan to do this? Stinger on back looks amazing, but where do you obtain that? Who does this detailing?

I don't have the link handy but Sal posted one to a site where you can buy the Stinger script badge in another thread. I got the K logos in 2012 from a group buy of them on optimaforums.com, buy you can get them on ebay nowadays. To remove the old badges just use dental floss to saw back and forth then rub off any remaining sticky stuff.

Edit: I doubt I'd go for it, but I'm kind of a fan of the K shield that Keen Design puts on the front quarterpanel like a Ferrari. I'd feel phony if I didn't get Keen Design wheels with it though.

 

[MichaelJR]

Nevermind I found ebay. Guess would need to find someone with a clue to do this for me though im helpless

 

[MichaelJR]

Cool about the dental floss, ill give it a try if the stingers ever come to the US!

 

[Chris]

Nevermind I found ebay. Guess would need to find someone with a clue to do this for me though im helpless

Rebadging the optima was super easy the badges fit in little indentations in the sheet metal. Impossible to mess up. Getting the big giant stinger script letters all lined up and spaced out perfectly would be hard..

 

[jbweb7]

The new Kia badges are a bit brighter and they have begun to put a little bulge underneath them on the rears of vehicles. I think the flowing sheetmetal really improves the look. The new Sportage does a really nice job of this with a similar trunk lighting arrangement. That could have worked for the Stinger, but they instead opted to appease the Korean market. That opened Pandora's box for me because it made it sooo easy to just order the larger Stinger trunk logo from Korea. That is what I will be doing. I love the Hyundai-Kia products, but the Stinger logo is WAY more attractive on the trunk. I really think Kia should go Ford's route and a treat the Stinger more like the Mustang and limit the focus on the parent company. Just sell a great car, people will figure out who makes it later and buy it!

 

[davebo]

Rebadging the optima was super easy the badges fit in little indentations in the sheet metal. Impossible to mess up. Getting the big giant stinger script letters all lined up and spaced out perfectly would be hard..

Well it's true that you'll have to manually place it in the exact center, but the letters on the badge all string together so you just position the one badge and you're done.

 

[Kia Stinger]

You can get the badges here:
https://stingerforum.org/kia-stinger-magazine/kia-stinger-badges/

I'm actually selling them myself and ship them out the same day you order. I do have a contest going on where you can get the "E" badge free of charge. I could change that to the "Stinger" script for anyone who's interested in that particular badge. Here's a link to the contest:
https://stingerforum.org/referral-contests/

 

[FluffyBottoms]

By any chance, will you be selling the badged wheel caps in the future?

I'm still deciding if I want to replace the badges on the hood and the trunk, but if I do, I'd want the wheel caps to match as well.

 

[MichaelJR]

Agree, the Wheel Caps or even Steering Wheel (is that replaceable) would be in play as well