buy now or wait the 2019 model?

[Joseph Spiegel]

Same. I picked up my GT2 yesterday and while it would be cool to say I have those features, I no longer feel like I'm missing out.

360 camera, from all I can see, it's a pretty old interface and not like the new 360 cameras you get on the latest Audi and BMW models where it looks like you're playing a video game.

Rear heated seats, I'll never be back there, maybe a few friends and such in the back, but it's not a deal breaker more of a party trick. My 2009 Maxima has radio and climate control buttons in the rear and it's a party trick. Same as the heated seats for me.

Coasting Nuetral sounds annoying as hell to me.

The only feature that I'd like and use is the wireless charger. I have multiple.of those around my house and love them. And thanks to the aftermarket, I can purchase it, install it and it'll work exactly as advertised.

Here’s my reasoning why I wrote off Qi charging on the 18. When I found out to use Apple CarPlay or for that matter Android Auto; you have to plug it in. Effectively that made Qi useless to me. It’s also way slower to charge when you want to get some juice quickly. I also think the space looks too small for a phone with a rugged case. That part I haven’t heard mentioned so maybe not? The rest made me go for the 18.
The 360 was the heart breaker, to me.

 

[Ruturaj]

I would consider that but having used a 360 cam, I don't want another vehicle without one.

I never tried one. I would test drive 2019 and decide. I was planning to get soon because if trumps tariffs starts the GT2 might cost 10k more. I hope that doesn't happen.

 

[MerlintheMad]

Anyone else notice that the AWD now seems to come with 18in tires standard now rather than the summer tires? That kinda sucks. I would have wanted AWD with the 19in summer tires. Also, strange that it doesn't get the UVO remote start although the Optima does this year. I'm not impressed... Kia giveth, and they taketh away. Glad they added the features here in the US. Maybe I'll still go ahead and test drive one.

I didn't get that connection. I think that you can still get 19s; the 18s are still optional - unless you live in one of those "severe" states which don't see the 19s at all. "Harsh" climates get both rim sizes.

 

[Jayce]

I didn't get that connection. I think that you can still get 19s; the 18s are still optional - unless you live in one of those "severe" states which don't see the 19s at all. "Harsh" climates get both rim sizes.

Oh ok cool. Cause I would prefer AWD, but I have no need for all season tires.

 

[Jayce]

Here’s my reasoning why I wrote off Qi charging on the 18. When I found out to use Apple CarPlay or for that matter Android Auto; you have to plug it in. Effectively that made Qi useless to me. It’s also way slower to charge when you want to get some juice quickly. I also think the space looks too small for a phone with a rugged case. That part I haven’t heard mentioned so maybe not? The rest made me go for the 18.
The 360 was the heart breaker, to me.

You have good points. I enjoy the wireless charging to just at least make sure I'm not losing battery. I've found that I only use android auto when I know I'm going to be in the car for a while. For short trips it's more hassle hooking it up than it's worth in my opinion.

 

[Stinger305]

You have good points. I enjoy the wireless charging to just at least make sure I'm not losing battery. I've found that I only use android auto when I know I'm going to be in the car for a while. For short trips it's more hassle hooking it up than it's worth in my opinion.

It's funny because I was so excited about Android Auto when I was buying this car. Then I realized I don't wanna take my phone out of my pocket and plug it in every time. Heck, it's an inconvenience to even enable bluetooth on my phone every time I get in the car (keep it off to save battery).

I solved both problems by just keeping a USB stick with my music permanently plugged into the car. Higher quality than streaming and I don't need to fill up my phone with music. Win-win.

 

[MerlintheMad]

It's funny because I was so excited about Android Auto when I was buying this car. Then I realized I don't wanna take my phone out of my pocket and plug it in every time. Heck, it's an inconvenience to even enable bluetooth on my phone every time I get in the car (keep it off to save battery).

I solved both problems by just keeping a USB stick with my music permanently plugged into the car. Higher quality than streaming and I don't need to fill up my phone with music. Win-win.

My sales rep synced my TracFone to Bluetooth the day I bought my car. It has worked flawlessly. It doesn't "drain the battery" in any perceivable way. And if I need to charge my cell phone I just plug it into the charger port. It charges much faster in the car than it does hooked to my laptop or a wall outlet. I also listen to USB music almost exclusively. And per the threads on the Harman Kardon system, I have ClariFi turned off while listening to USB (well, most of it: I have a few files that are taken from my computer that my daughters downloaded back in the days of yore, that sound better with ClariFi, so I presume are compressed; and some of my really old music sounds better with ClariFi as well; but most of it sounds better with ClariFi off, having originated from ripped CDs).

 

[Jayce]

It's funny because I was so excited about Android Auto when I was buying this car. Then I realized I don't wanna take my phone out of my pocket and plug it in every time. Heck, it's an inconvenience to even enable bluetooth on my phone every time I get in the car (keep it off to save battery).

I solved both problems by just keeping a USB stick with my music permanently plugged into the car. Higher quality than streaming and I don't need to fill up my phone with music. Win-win.

Yeah, I love android auto, and when I first got it I thought I would always use it too, but like you said, plugging it up all the time is annoying. I sometimes just use Bluetooth if I'm not going far. I use Waze a lot though so I still use AA a good bit. I leave my Bluetooth on all the time with no appreciable difference in battery life on my Galaxy S9+. I don't actually own most of my music though. I just stream it from a subscription so I couldn't use USB even if I wanted.

 

[Joseph Spiegel]

The newer phones with current Bluetooth spec should be very gentle on the battery. I leave it on and there’s no issues with battery life. iPhone X.

 

[Stinger305]

The newer phones with current Bluetooth spec should be very gentle on the battery. I leave it on and there’s no issues with battery life. iPhone X.

Yeah, I'm probably an outlier. I keep bluetooth and location off by default, and lately I've been doing the same with WiFi! I just use my tablet/PC for those features and usually stick to texting/calls with my phone. I would love Android Auto for the Maps/Waze too, but I really don't need a map when I'm driving a lot, and I'm extremely impressed with the in-car nav system as it is.

 

[Never thought]

So Pioneer just released a head unit that has wireless CarPlay and android auto. You can always stick that in the Stinger, but you’ll lose a lot of functionality. I bet within 3 years all new cars with CarPlay will be wireless.

 

[StingerGT68]

I have no desire for wireless Android Auto/Carplay because I know that feature drains battery (Maps, Waze, streaming music , etc). I'd rather just leave it plugged in so I get a charge up at the same time.

 

[Jayce]

Yeah, I'm probably an outlier. I keep bluetooth and location off by default, and lately I've been doing the same with WiFi! I just use my tablet/PC for those features and usually stick to texting/calls with my phone. I would love Android Auto for the Maps/Waze too, but I really don't need a map when I'm driving a lot, and I'm extremely impressed with the in-car nav system as it is.

So I don't need the map when I'm driving, it's more for traffic and knowing where the cops are. I've been able to bypass a lot of traffic because of it. Waze, that is.

 

[eflyguy]

I think the point to "throwing it on the charge pad" is to just be able to top-up the phone while driving without messing with a cable.

I installed wireless receivers on my iPhones when I got them years ago, and love not messing with cables at my desk, on my bikes, in my cars - have suitable charge pads and/or cradles where needed.

I use Waze and Google Maps pretty much exclusively for nav/assessing traffic conditions, and the wireless charging cradles I use allow me to position the phone perfectly in my line of sight. I wish they would stop building all of this tech into one combined system.

 

[Joseph Spiegel]

So Pioneer just released a head unit that has wireless CarPlay and android auto. You can always stick that in the Stinger, but you’ll lose a lot of functionality. I bet within 3 years all new cars with CarPlay will be wireless.

Exactly, where?

 

[Stinger305]

So I don't need the map when I'm driving, it's more for traffic and knowing where the cops are. I've been able to bypass a lot of traffic because of it. Waze, that is.

Good point. I really should try it out to see exactly what I'm missing.

 

[NYLAWBIZ]

I like the satellite view on Google Maps.

 

[Never thought]

Exactly, where?

You’d have to take out the current head unit (the screen)

 

[Joseph Spiegel]

You’d have to take out the current head unit (the screen)

That integrates into the entire control system. The other will adapt to all that? I figured there’s no DIN slot here so nothing to replace.

 

[zoop]

Looks like they added basically everything I was waiting for. Hopefully they are also doing the headliner. Last thing is nitpicking but I hope they make the steering wheel look more premium.