In the Market

[GeeBee Racer]

I find myself looking to replace my 2016 Kia Optima. I'm impressed with the Kia brand and value, and have a great local dealer. Looking seriously at the Stinger, or possibly the Genesis G70. Better value than German and other competitors. Better packaging of features for the price and Kia / Genesis have avoided requiring a controller or other interface between driver and vehicle beyond the straight forward touch screen.

Already seeing great information on the forum. Hope to learn more as I research for my purchase.

 

[eflyguy]

Welcome to the forum. Obviously you're going to find a lot of folks who prefer the Stinger!

 

[Waynerm002]

Welcome GeeBee! I've been with KIA for 3 Optima now, with the latest being the 2017 Optima Hybrid which is based on the 2016 so it has similar levels of equipment and quality built in. Wanted the Stinger since it was first announced and now I have one as my daily driver and can attest it is a great car which provides a lot of performance and value compared to the German competitors for a lot less. Was seriously thinking about going back to Audi when I heard the A5 was coming stateside but after driving both, the Stinger had more for less price and while I didn't need the GT, I am so happy that I got it! It is such a great car to drive!

You'll find lots of good info here as well as others KIA owners coming to this car and European brand owners that have also made the switch. Look around and if you can find the answer to something, ask.

 

[GeeBee Racer]

My last Audi was a 2000 A6 4.2. Great car when it wasn’t at the Audi dealer for repairs.

We’ve had good experiences with a 2014 and 2016 Optimas — except for a serious safety glitch with the 2016 that is being reviewed by Kia.

Since I would be using the Stinger part of the time in city driving, I wonder about rear visibility and parking garage maneuverability?

Any thoughts on those aspects?

 

[westcoastGT]

My last Audi was a 2000 A6 4.2. Great car when it wasn’t at the Audi dealer for repairs.

We’ve had good experiences with a 2014 and 2016 Optimas — except for a serious safety glitch with the 2016 that is being reviewed by Kia.

Since I would be using the Stinger part of the time in city driving, I wonder about rear visibility and parking garage maneuverability?

Any thoughts on those aspects?

rear window can be an issue but the 360 cam makes all the difference ..............make sure you get a MY 19 with that feature in the US

 

[GeeBee Racer]

I test drive the 2019 and was very impressed with the camera setup. If you have city parking in your driving mix it is a must have.

 

[GRStinger]

I find myself looking to replace my 2016 Kia Optima. I'm impressed with the Kia brand and value, and have a great local dealer. Looking seriously at the Stinger, or possibly the Genesis G70. Better value than German and other competitors. Better packaging of features for the price and Kia / Genesis have avoided requiring a controller or other interface between driver and vehicle beyond the straight forward touch screen.

Already seeing great information on the forum. Hope to learn more as I research for my purchase.

Per your original question re: G70 vs Stinger, I have not driven a G70 (would like to soon), so I can’t speak from 1st-hand experience. From what I have read/seen in reviews, the G70 looks like an excellent car. Albert Bierman engineered both cars. Kia took pains to point out that they designed the Stinger to be a true gran turismo, vs. the G70 that seems to be designed more as a ‘sport sedan’. From what I’ve seen in videos, you should expect a slightly more “sporty” drive in the G70 – a bit nimbler, with “tighter” rear-end. Some of the reviews are comparing the G70 to an A4/S4 or BMW 3 Series, vs. many comparisons of the Stinger to an A5/S5, A7, Panamera or 4 Series Grand Coupe. You’re going to get the same power and very similar interior features. So, it probably boils down to personal preference. I would expect the G70 to feel slightly sportier. For me the advantage with the Stinger is the “GT-ness”: more practicality with the hatch-space and roomier 4-passenger seating; “longer legs” on the highway and, even though its likely slightly “softer” than the G70, you are still getting very sporty, spirited overall performance. Please share your thoughts as you go thru the decision process. I’m sure we’d all be interested.

 

[GeeBee Racer]

Rear seat room advantage goes to the Stinger. I did the Stinger Kia Stinger Experience Tour earlier this year. What the professional driver's could do with the Stinger was truly impressive. I did the comparison drive in a Porsche Panamera. Yes, the extra 40K+ gives you a much nicer interior, but it doesn't give you better performance on the test track. I'm taking a look at the G70 this weekend. I'll share my thoughts.

 

[GeeBee Racer]

After looking closely at the Stinger and the G70, and some extensive test drives, I ended up with a G70 3.3T Prestige RWD in Himalayan Gray with Gray Leather Interior. Why?
1. Visibility / Interior Feel - Overall, driving primarily in a heavy traffic Urban / Suburban environment, I feel the overall rear, rear quarter visibility of the G70 was the most important factor. This necessarily sacrifices storage space (the G70 trunk is small), which would be a big deal if you only drove one vehicle. This is not as critical to me, as I have a Jeep SRT for when I need to haul stuff.
2. Color Choice - I was only interested in the Stinger GT2 or G70 3.3T Prestige. There is a broader range of options in the G70 (if you can find one!). Preserving domestic tranquility meant no red (or red stitched black) interior (my preference). Black interiors, for me, get too hot in the Summer and are too "closed in" for my wife. The Gray / Light Gray Leather Seating and Headliner (while keeping a black steering wheel) of the G70 was an option just not available on the Stinger.

I went through all the details, and there are lots of things I prefer about the Stinger (flat bottom steering wheel), unique v. derivative styling, so on balance I would have been happy with either choice. The G70 was just an overall better fit.

Enjoy your Stingers.

 

[Stinger GT SS]

Congratulations on your choice, you weighed up the pros & cons & went with what fits for you, enjoy your new G70, she sounds nice, they haven’t arrived here yet.