Sam Ian
Member
Hi, I've been lurking on the forum for a while soaking up all of the valuable information here.
Background:
RAF brat who loves driving. Currently working as a Technical Business Analyst.
Previous Vehicles in chronological order:
Mark II Escort, VW Bus, Volvo 240, Saab 900, Volvo 760, Audi 100CS, Audi A4 APR Stage 3, Audi A4, Audi A4, BMW 330CI (2nd car), BMW 328, Audi A4 Avant.
In the Garage:
BMW 330CI, Jaguar ePACE, 2019 Kia Stinger GT2
What made me buy the Stinger?
When I shop for a vehicle I pay attention to the following: Handling, Power, Creature comfort, build quality. I've driven mostly Audi's and I love the quattro system but I was tired of 25 cent parts causing catastrophic engine failure. In my quest for a new car I drove the following:
2019 BMW 430 XDrive
Good: Great seats, good handling, looks sharp, felt quick in sport mode, BMW badge.
Bad: Interior was dated, materials did not seem to match the price, I don't like XDrive ( It understeers and cuts power way more than Quattro).
2019 Audi A5 Sportback
Good: Felt quicker and more agile than the BMW. Excellent interior, digital dashboard, Audi Badge.
Bad: Seats are not as good as the BMW, materials are okay.
2019 KIA Stinger GT2
Good: Fast, excellent materials, more features than either the BMW or Audi (without moving up to the highest trim level).
Bad: suspension feels a little floaty, no sensation of speed, seat bottoms could be better, gas mileage, KIA badge.
In the end it came down to the following:
Power, Features, 10 Year warranty.
3 Month review of the KIA Stinger GT2 AWD:
My initial test drive of this car was a sweeping left hander out of the dealership. Honestly I think I was hooked from that moment. Accelerating into the curve, feeling the turn in, getting good feedback from the suspension pushing through the apex and accelerating out was all perfect.
Interior:
It's a funny thing, but I get into most cars these days and I'm bored to death. The KIA has a genuinely interesting interior, I love getting into this car. Audi has nailed interior materials but I think KIA is as good as if not better in some areas. Everywhere you place your hands feels good - the controls are in the right place and intuitive - it just feels right.
Creature comfort and drivers aids are all there and they work. I have a few gripes, the Harmon Kardon system is lacking low end bass and is too bright but it's the same in the BMW's I've owned.
I've tuned my phone's EQ as best as I can and it works for me. There's a rattle from the Trunk and the headliner creaks - I'll address those at my first service.
Exterior:
If you park your car so that you can look at it as you walk up to it I think the designers have done their job. This is a big car, but it still manages to look sporty. from the rear three quarter angle I think it's sublime, the front looks okay primarily because I don't like the headlights.
Performance and Handling:
I've always held to the following: It's more fun to drive a slow car fast than a fast car slow.
I'm bench marking against my e46 330ci with 2 way adjustable coilovers which is unfair, the Stinger is a GT car and it does that very well.
It's deceptively fast - I can't tell you the number of times I've hit triple digits without realizing it. It's only by looking in the rear view mirror and seeing the traffic disappear that you realize how hard you're accelerating.
Under-steer is great for a car this big with AWD, you really have to push hard into a corner (street not track) before the front gives up. For it's size it corners well but confidence is sapped because the rear feels floaty mid corner. It really feels like nailing it on the APEX would throw the rear out but without any feel it's not something your encouraged to do.
The ability to hold a gear with the paddles is welcome. One of my favorite things to do is downshift through the gears into a 2nd gear corner, nail the apex then rocket out the other side.
Conclusion:
I think the reality of this car is that it's a GT. It's heavy, it's powerful, it's comfortable.
Would I be happier with an Audi S5 Sportback or a BMW M2? Sure, but I couldn't afford either of those cars and the reality is that the Stinger gives me everything I need in a daily and then some.
Background:
RAF brat who loves driving. Currently working as a Technical Business Analyst.
Previous Vehicles in chronological order:
Mark II Escort, VW Bus, Volvo 240, Saab 900, Volvo 760, Audi 100CS, Audi A4 APR Stage 3, Audi A4, Audi A4, BMW 330CI (2nd car), BMW 328, Audi A4 Avant.
In the Garage:
BMW 330CI, Jaguar ePACE, 2019 Kia Stinger GT2
What made me buy the Stinger?
When I shop for a vehicle I pay attention to the following: Handling, Power, Creature comfort, build quality. I've driven mostly Audi's and I love the quattro system but I was tired of 25 cent parts causing catastrophic engine failure. In my quest for a new car I drove the following:
2019 BMW 430 XDrive
Good: Great seats, good handling, looks sharp, felt quick in sport mode, BMW badge.
Bad: Interior was dated, materials did not seem to match the price, I don't like XDrive ( It understeers and cuts power way more than Quattro).
2019 Audi A5 Sportback
Good: Felt quicker and more agile than the BMW. Excellent interior, digital dashboard, Audi Badge.
Bad: Seats are not as good as the BMW, materials are okay.
2019 KIA Stinger GT2
Good: Fast, excellent materials, more features than either the BMW or Audi (without moving up to the highest trim level).
Bad: suspension feels a little floaty, no sensation of speed, seat bottoms could be better, gas mileage, KIA badge.
In the end it came down to the following:
Power, Features, 10 Year warranty.
3 Month review of the KIA Stinger GT2 AWD:
My initial test drive of this car was a sweeping left hander out of the dealership. Honestly I think I was hooked from that moment. Accelerating into the curve, feeling the turn in, getting good feedback from the suspension pushing through the apex and accelerating out was all perfect.
Interior:
It's a funny thing, but I get into most cars these days and I'm bored to death. The KIA has a genuinely interesting interior, I love getting into this car. Audi has nailed interior materials but I think KIA is as good as if not better in some areas. Everywhere you place your hands feels good - the controls are in the right place and intuitive - it just feels right.
Creature comfort and drivers aids are all there and they work. I have a few gripes, the Harmon Kardon system is lacking low end bass and is too bright but it's the same in the BMW's I've owned.
I've tuned my phone's EQ as best as I can and it works for me. There's a rattle from the Trunk and the headliner creaks - I'll address those at my first service.
Exterior:
If you park your car so that you can look at it as you walk up to it I think the designers have done their job. This is a big car, but it still manages to look sporty. from the rear three quarter angle I think it's sublime, the front looks okay primarily because I don't like the headlights.
Performance and Handling:
I've always held to the following: It's more fun to drive a slow car fast than a fast car slow.
I'm bench marking against my e46 330ci with 2 way adjustable coilovers which is unfair, the Stinger is a GT car and it does that very well.
It's deceptively fast - I can't tell you the number of times I've hit triple digits without realizing it. It's only by looking in the rear view mirror and seeing the traffic disappear that you realize how hard you're accelerating.
Under-steer is great for a car this big with AWD, you really have to push hard into a corner (street not track) before the front gives up. For it's size it corners well but confidence is sapped because the rear feels floaty mid corner. It really feels like nailing it on the APEX would throw the rear out but without any feel it's not something your encouraged to do.
The ability to hold a gear with the paddles is welcome. One of my favorite things to do is downshift through the gears into a 2nd gear corner, nail the apex then rocket out the other side.
Conclusion:
I think the reality of this car is that it's a GT. It's heavy, it's powerful, it's comfortable.
Would I be happier with an Audi S5 Sportback or a BMW M2? Sure, but I couldn't afford either of those cars and the reality is that the Stinger gives me everything I need in a daily and then some.
Welcome.
You didn't say that like it's a bad thing, and it's not: it's part of the fun. I still feel, nearly two years later, as if I am driving c. twenty mph slower than I actually am going. But by now I am used to it. When I "pass fast", the duration of "fast" must, perforce, be brief to reduce the chances of coply intervention. (When my wife test drove the Stinger, she got into the HOV lane at c. 75 mph and hit it, and in no time at all she was over 100, and shocked; the salesman with her just laughed. 
