Base GT suspension=GT2 Comfort or Sport

[RS-Stinger]

Title asks it all. Is the base GT's suspension that same as a GT1/2 Comfort or Sports setting?

 

[19GT-AWD]

Reason would dictate no one on this forum could ever know the answer to that question.

KIA Engineering would, but that's it.

 

[Ty Davis]

Reason would dictate no one on this forum could ever know the answer to that question.

KIA Engineering would, but that's it.

What he actually needs is someone who has driven both the base and electronic suspension.

 

[Ty Davis]

Title asks it all. Is the base GT's suspension that same as a GT1/2 Comfort or Sports setting?

I don’t know, as I’ve never driven the base suspension.

I can tell you that the difference between Comfort and Sport is not life changing.
Sport mode is a night and day improvement to the aggressiveness of the throttle programming.
It has a similar potent effect on transmission programming.
Sport mode also firms the steering ever so slightly.

But as far as the suspension is concerned, actually ride quality/smoothness is not effected by Sport or Comfort.
Sport does reduce (but doesn’t even come close to eliminating) the excessive bounce of the rear end.
Sport mode also reduces body roll (it does this quite well).
Dive/squat seem largely unaffected by suspension mode.

Don’t get hung up on Comfort or Sport mode with the ECS, they are VERY similar.
If Sport mode is agreeable to you, Comfort will probably be too.
If you are one of the people displeased with the Comfort mode, you won’t find Sport much better (though there is a slight improvement).

 

[RS-Stinger]

Thanks for the replies. I was mostly concerned with the body roll on the base GT.

 

[Doel]

best thing for you to do is go drive a GT and then drive a GT1/2 with the different suspension settings. It's all personal preference honestly, there's a good chance you either won't even notice the difference or you simply won't care because they'll be so close to each other. If you want to track the car, you should change out the suspension anyway.

 

[Helo58]

I own a base GT and have no complaints with the suspension. Just hustled it through HWY 181 in NC with no issues. Was very pleased with the cars cornering and ride when pushed for a prolonged period. The brakes... that is a different story.

 

[BlaydeX15]

I've read a few times that the GT suspension is stiffer that the GT2 in Sport, though can't confirm. It would explain why the RWD GT is the one that Kia gives to publications doing track day tests though.

 

[nhcowboy28]

Just a thought... but go test drive all 3. Aaaaaand go!!!

 

[MerlintheMad]

All Stingers corner well with minimal body roll. Up and down bounce and "step out" in the rear over uneven surfaces: completely subjective. I found that to be very good, but I was coming from vans for the last twenty years! Someone coming from a Bimmer or similar would find the "playful" rear end of the Stinger annoying if not an outright deal breaker. I did upgrade to an Eibach rear sway bar and find (even on soft setting) the rear buttoned down. It still steps out on an uneven surface, but it is less and recovery is instantaneous with no subsequent up and down at all.

The base GT is the more performance oriented trim, arguably the "leanest" trim with the original intent preserved the purest way. That should mean that cornering is as good as it gets in the base GT. That's what I would expect, anyway.

 

[RS-Stinger]

I appreciate everyones answers. Just to be clear, i already purchased the 2019 base GT AWD and I'm really happy with it. The deal I got for it was more then I expected. $34,500 out the door. I didn't really want to pay extra for what you get bundled with the add-ons. The sunroof and adaptive cruise would be nice if 'a la carte' was an option but we live in the real world and that's just not the way car buying works. I did, all the bells and whistles with my pervious car purchase and regretted it. To each his own. I didn't think about the suspension until after I made my purchase. I'm actually happy with more of a sports suspension so I think I got what I wanted. This is my first post here on the Stinger Forum and I'm really happy and appreciative for being in this community.

 

[MerlintheMad]

Welcome. That was actually your third post. But it is your first thread.

This is an interesting subject. I am really only into handling. The stock 3.3L is FAST ENOUGH for me. It does everything I ever wanted a road car to do. I don't need a Koenigsegg Agera. Hah!

I'm confident that the RWD "base" GT is the purest form of the production car's expression of the concept car. I would have settled on a GT, except I wanted two non performing features: the HK 15 speaker surround sound system and the sunroof. Everything else (sic) was take it or leave it (including AWD). I got a lot of features with the GT1 in addition to my other two "must haves" that I did not know about or want: I said, "If you can get all three (3.3L, surround sound and sunroof) in AWD please do", but it wasn't a deal breaker. But I have to admit that a heated steering wheel is very "cool" and ditto heated seats. As steep as my learning curve was finding this car's spatial relationship with my brain, I could definitely have used a 360 camera (of course one was not available in any trim when I got my car, so moot point) to keep from curb rashing my front rims (and a couple of really close calls with the right rear). Heh! Good luck with that, i.e. I hope you don't do that to your car. Happy driving!

 

[CKeeler]

I've read a few times that the GT suspension is stiffer that the GT2 in Sport, though can't confirm. It would explain why the RWD GT is the one that Kia gives to publications doing track day tests though.

This is exactly what I was thinking. I thought I had read that some owners have compared the base GT suspension to a sportier feel than Sport mode on the adjustable suspension. If you want even sportier feel you can get the adjustable suspension shocks and struts and put them on your base GT. They seem to ride stiffer when they’re not being electronically controlled

 

[17th_Letter]

i have driven all three and i own a GT. The first time i drove a GT2 my first thought was i'm going to have to rip out the suspension to put something stiffer in. For the almost 2 years i have had my GT the only complaint i have is that the car sits to high, the firmness is definitely tighter than a GT2 in sport and i like it.

 

[Ty Davis]

All Stingers corner well with minimal body roll. Up and down bounce and "step out" in the rear over uneven surfaces: completely subjective. I found that to be very good, but I was coming from vans for the last twenty years! Someone coming from a Bimmer or similar would find the "playful" rear end of the Stinger annoying if not an outright deal breaker. I did upgrade to an Eibach rear sway bar and find (even on soft setting) the rear buttoned down. It still steps out on an uneven surface, but it is less and recovery is instantaneous with no subsequent up and down at all.

The base GT is the more performance oriented trim, arguably the "leanest" trim with the original intent preserved the purest way. That should mean that cornering is as good as it gets in the base GT. That's what I would expect, anyway.

Hey Merlin,
When Biermann referred to the “playful” back end of the Stinger, he was referencing the smooth and controlled manner in which the rear end steps out during spirited cornering. The Stinger truly does have a “playful” rear. The rear is every very frisky. Power on oversteer is but a flick of the steering wheel and tip in of the throttle away.

I can truly feel Beirmanns influence here, as in this regard the car is equal to or sometimes even better than my past BMWs.

At the same time, “playful” is not used to describe a cars vertical body motion and control. It is more a description of how willing the back end is to rotate and how adeptly the vehicle is able to manage oversteer, grip, and the controllability of it all.

 

[Ty Davis]

This is exactly what I was thinking. I thought I had read that some owners have compared the base GT suspension to a sportier feel than Sport mode on the adjustable suspension. If you want even sportier feel you can get the adjustable suspension shocks and struts and put them on your base GT. They seem to ride stiffer when they’re not being electronically controlled

When the electronic shocks lose electronic control, they do default to a stiff setting.
But this mode is extremely stiff and makes the ride nervous and with lots of rapid up and down jiggles. It’s not a good proposition at all.

I went and test drove a G70 with passive suspension.
The ride quality was excellent, better than the Stinger in my eyes, but again there was a bit too much front and rear float over dips and bumps at speed. Less than the Stinger though.

I was gonna try out G70 passive shocks. I think I’ll pass though.
I am still interested in how the G70 with electronic shocks ride and handle.

 

[CKeeler]

When the electronic shocks lose electronic control, they do default to a stiff setting.
But this mode is extremely stiff and makes the ride nervous and with lots of rapid up and down jiggles. It’s not a good proposition at all.

I went and test drove a G70 with passive suspension.
The ride quality was excellent, better than the Stinger in my eyes, but again there was a bit too much front and rear float over dips and bumps at speed. Less than the Stinger though.

I was gonna try out G70 passive shocks. I think I’ll pass though.
I am still interested in how the G70 with electronic shocks ride and handle.

There’s a guy on another forum that installed a switch where he can “turn off” the electronic control of his adaptive suspension. Said he uses it every once in a while when he wants to have a bit more fun, but he can’t keep it off for very long before the car starts posts error messages on the dash

 

[Ty Davis]

There’s a guy on another forum that installed a switch where he can “turn off” the electronic control of his adaptive suspension. Said he uses it every once in a while when he wants to have a bit more fun, but he can’t keep it off for very long before the car starts posts error messages on the dash

That would be SteveO.
I remember him, as he designs suspension systems for a living.
In addition he shares most of my feelings about the Stingers suspension tune, and also wanted to fix the Stingers ride. I think he went to Eibach springs. I can’t recall what his current setup is though,

 

[bpang1]

I've read a few times that the GT suspension is stiffer that the GT2 in Sport, though can't confirm. It would explain why the RWD GT is the one that Kia gives to publications doing track day tests though.

If this is true, I would still say that the GT base suspension isn't all that stiff. It is about right for a car being asked to do what it does. If you want stiffer, there is a burgeoning aftermarket for this car with already several options and the KW V3 Coilover setup incoming.

 

[Waynerm002]

When the electronic shocks lose electronic control, they do default to a stiff setting.
But this mode is extremely stiff and makes the ride nervous and with lots of rapid up and down jiggles. It’s not a good proposition at all.

I went and test drove a G70 with passive suspension.
The ride quality was excellent, better than the Stinger in my eyes, but again there was a bit too much front and rear float over dips and bumps at speed. Less than the Stinger though.

I was gonna try out G70 passive shocks. I think I’ll pass though.
I am still interested in how the G70 with electronic shocks ride and handle.

My first experience with the Stinger was with a Base GT and I loved how it rode, reminded me of my '10 535 with the M Sport package, well damped, taut feeling suspension. I wished the GT2 could have that feel. Now on the G70 3.3T, that is done quite well and rides really sporty, with the Sport mode being firmer overall. The Comfort mode is what I feel the Stinger GT is like and what I would be happy with on the Stinger GT2 as it's Sport mode. I highly recommend you go drive a G70 3.3T, that is how our GT2s should be. If only they would offer a factory tune to give us that change, I would go for it.