Car and Driver long term update

[MerlintheMad]

There's always room for improvement. That's not necessarily a bad thing. Even Merlin's perfect Stinger, that handles without fault got a aftermarket sway bar

Yes, but it is the Eibach rear sway that makes if feel like it handles without a fault. Before that, it handled without a fault but it didn't always feel like it.

 

[Ty Davis]

I would say I dont share your characterization of the stingers ride quality as my experience has been very different... They tried to straddle the line between comfort and sport l, but with the price point they are at, it doesnt excel at either, but that doesn't necessarily make it bad.

I don’t at all disagree with this.

 

[Ty Davis]

The Optima had a lot more body roll and was bouncier than the Stinger because of the soft suspension. Everything else you mentioned, hopping, thumping, vibration, etc. is all due to the tires. If you swapped in the Optima tires, all that would mostly disappear. Hell, even this warmer weather has significantly reduced a lot of those comfort "issues" for me. Of course I'm not saying the ride in the Stinger is perfect, far from it. I wish the comfort setting was softer without being bouncy, I wish the sport setting was stiffer, there's an issue with the back end feeling disconnected when hitting road imperfections when cornering, while the body roll isn't bad I wish it was better. Aside from that, it's pretty good considering and a hell of a lot better than the Optima I drove.

Maybe the Optima I drove was an anomaly.
But it without a doubt had better body control than the Stingers, I’ve driven.
This particular Optima was firm, compliant, and the body stayed even and level most of the time.
I’ve only driven 1 Optima and it impressed. A Sonata rental I drove last year was similar, but not quite the same.

This particular Optima was far less bouncy than the Stingers.

 

[YOWStinger]

Here you go Optima fan boy, post your "This Optima blew away a Stinger!" story over there! Kia Optima Forum



Are you sure this isn't the issue with your Stinger? SOLVED: Eibach Springs Post Install - Bouncy Ride

 

[Ty Davis]

Here you go Optima fan boy, post your "This Optima blew away a Stinger!" story over there! Kia Optima Forum



Are you sure this isn't the issue with your Stinger? SOLVED: Eibach Springs Post Install - Bouncy Ride

A couple of things...
1. I am not an Optima fan boy.
2. I did however appreciate the fact that the Optima I drove as a rental had better vertical body control than the Stingers I have driven. I also
3. A bit off topic, but I also enjoyed the Optimas heavier steering.
4. None of this means the Optima is perfect. But I will say it met my expectations, for what it was.

As for my issue with the Stingers...
I’m not new to vehicles, engineering, mechanics, or vehicle dynamics. It didn’t take me long to pinpoint the issue(s) and then start to resolve them.
The thread you linked to, is irrelevant here. That was a problem with a particular vehicle. What I am speaking of is endemic to the Stinger platform as a whole. The suspension tuning of these vehicles could use some work. If you haven’t had better, don’t know better, or expect better, that is another issue I won’t get into here. What I will say is that the Next generation Stinger will be well-served should Kia decide to add a bit more refinement to the ride quality/handling and NVH. Far cheaper, “lesser” cars of all sorts (regular/sporty/lux/suv/etc) go down the road with more polish.

The Stinger is great. It won’t take much at all to make it GREATER!

 

[Doel]

A couple of things...
1. I am not an Optima fan boy.
2. I did however appreciate the fact that the Optima I drove as a rental had better vertical body control than the Stingers I have driven. I also
3. A bit off topic, but I also enjoyed the Optimas heavier steering.
4. None of this means the Optima is perfect. But I will say it met my expectations, for what it was.

As for my issue with the Stingers...
I’m not new to vehicles, engineering, mechanics, or vehicle dynamics. It didn’t take me long to pinpoint the issue(s) and then start to resolve them.
The thread you linked to, is irrelevant here. That was a problem with a particular vehicle. What I am speaking of is endemic to the Stinger platform as a whole. The suspension tuning of these vehicles could use some work. If you haven’t had better, don’t know better, or expect better, that is another issue I won’t get into here. What I will say is that the Next generation Stinger will be well-served should Kia decide to add a bit more refinement to the ride quality/handling and NVH (Noise, Vibration, and Harshness). Far cheaper, “lesser” cars of all sorts (regular/sporty/lux/suv/etc) go down the road with more polish.

The Stinger is great. It won’t take much at all to make it GREATER!

Heavier steering than the Stinger's in sport mode? Definitely not, steering was quite light in the Optima.

 

[Ty Davis]

Heavier steering than the Stinger's in sport mode? Definitely not, steering was quite light in the Optima.

I like heavy steering, so I always drive in the heaviest steering mode on every vehicle.

I don’t find the Stingers steering to be all that stiff. Mind you, my Stinger and all of the numerous Stingers I have driven are 2019 GT2 RWD models.
Each and every one has had quick, light, accurate steering with good feel and consistent weighting from idle to extralegal speeds.

The Optima Steering by contrast, was slower, less responsive, more numb, but required more effort to turn and had a stronger return to center force.

I prefer the Stingers steering, but did like the heft of the Optima.
This particular Optima was a SX model on 18 tires, Kuhmo’s I think.

There are a couple different steering programs available in the Stinger Steering ECU. I want to get in there and try some of the other settings. From the reviews, Australian Stingers seem to get the heaviest steering effort in Sport mode. I want to see what that feels like, but none of the scan tools on the market can code the Stinger Steering, yet. So the dealer would have to change it for me. Don’t wanna use them unless I have too.

 

[Waynerm002]

I spent some time reading through this and as an owner of 3 Optima hybrids, ‘12, ‘14 and now ‘17 I can say that my 2018 Stinger was not as great a ride as the hybrid. Body control on the newer gen (2016 and newer, i’m always test driving the new models) Optima SX is better than the 2018 Stinger and yes, the Optima EX and up, does impart a sort of luxury feel. The lower trims will not feel the same as the SX, it has a rack mounted electric power steering unit, not column as the other and it makes a difference in steering feel. That being said, my Optima Hybrid EX drives and handles well and it is even more fun in it’s sport mode, yes, the hybrid has a sport mode! Prior to getting the Stinger, I installed lowering springs and wider, lower tires, that made the car even more fun to drive. In my opinion, it’s setup for comfort and handling made for a better driving experience and was even better with the lowering springs.

The 2019 Genesis G70, in comfort mode, is what I wished my Stinger had for a sport mode. It is taut but not harsh, while having a similar ride height to the Stinger. I was surprised as i’m used to this sort of ride on sporty factory setup, with about 2 finger gap between the wheel and fender. If I could have swung an excellent deal on one, i’d take it and not experience the 2019 Stinger’s ride. Compared to my 2018 Stinger, the 2019 is a much better driving and handling car. Rear end hop is almost nonexistent, I have pushed it in paces where I had those “oh crap” moments and I don’t get that on the 2019 version. I know KIA makes improvements each year to things folks complain about and from looking at the parts list, i don’t see that the springs and shocks have changed, so i’m going to say there is a different programming with the adjustable suspension. It feels closer to the G70’s comfort mode in sport setting and the car is a joy to drive. That rear sway bar I bought in advance of getting the 2019 is sitting in my buddy’s garage and will most likely end up on his 2018. He took a long trip in his and experienced the dreaded rear hop and is going to remedy that soon.

The 2018 Stinger wasn’t perfect and the 2019 got some improvements. The Stinger GTS has been announced as well as the 2020 Stinger is in production and on sale in Korea. There will be some slight improvements to that car i’m sure, but for me, the next one might be the 2021 version. As an owner of multiple versions of the Optima and Stinger, I’m a fan of each. I consider myself more of a KIA fan though. They are certainly doing great things with their products these days and i’m happy to own 2 of them.

 

[Ty Davis]

I spent some time reading through this and as an owner of 3 Optima hybrids, ‘12, ‘14 and now ‘17 I can say that my 2018 Stinger was not as great a ride as the hybrid. Body control on the newer gen (2016 and newer, i’m always test driving the new models) Optima SX is better than the 2018 Stinger and yes, the Optima EX and up, does impart a sort of luxury feel. The lower trims will not feel the same as the SX, it has a rack mounted electric power steering unit, not column as the other and it makes a difference in steering feel. That being said, my Optima Hybrid EX drives and handles well and it is even more fun in it’s sport mode, yes, the hybrid has a sport mode! Prior to getting the Stinger, I installed lowering springs and wider, lower tires, that made the car even more fun to drive. In my opinion, it’s setup for comfort and handling made for a better driving experience and was even better with the lowering springs.

The 2019 Genesis G70, in comfort mode, is what I wished my Stinger had for a sport mode. It is taut but not harsh, while having a similar ride height to the Stinger, I was surprised as i’m used to this sort of ride on sporty factory setup, with about 2 finger gap between the wheel and fender. If I could have swung an excellent deal on one, i’d take it and not experience the 2019 Stinger’s ride. Compared to my 2018 Stinger, the 2019 is a much better driving and handling car. Rear end hop is almost nonexistent, have pushed it in paces where I had those “oh crap” moments and I don’t get that on the 2019 version. I know KIA makes improvements each year to things folks complain about and from looking at the parts list, i don’t see that the springs and shocks have changed, so i’m going to say there is a different programming with the adjustable suspension. It feels closer to the G70’s comfort mode in sport setting and the car is a joy to drive. That rear sway bar I bought in advance of getting the 2019 is sitting in my buddy’s garage and will most likely end up on his 2018. He took a long trip in his and experienced the dreaded rear hop and is going to remedy that soon.

The 2018 Stinger wasn’t perfect and the 2019 got some improvements. The Stinger GTS has been announced as well as the 2020 Stinger is in production and on sale in Korea. There will be some slight improvements to that car, i’m sure but for me the next one might be the 2021 version. As an owner of multiple versions of the Optima and Stinger, I’m a fan of each. I consider myself more of a KIA fan though. They are certainly doing great things with their products these days and i’m happy to own 2 of them.

I concur with everything said here. Very informative and factual.
Nice to hear this comparison from an actual Optima and Stinger owner mirrors my own experiences so closely.

I think Hyundai/Kia is definitely a company to watch, as they surely have some interesting products and updates coming in the future. I can’t wait to see what’s next for the brand.