Jalopnik - The Stinger GT is the Real Deal ..............

[westcoastGT]

Some very positive perspectives and takes on the Stinger GT

In car reviews, recounting how much “better” the Korean automakers are than they were in decades past has become painfully cliché. It doesn’t need to be said that Hyundai and Kia make world-class cars these days and have for some time, except in one area: performance. This is what the 2018 Kia Stinger GT aims to change.

The Stinger is a sport sedan, from Kia, benchmarked against and aimed directly at the Germans for a lot cheaper. From... Kia.

The idea of a performance-focused, rear-wheel drive sedan with a 365 horsepower twin-turbo V6 engine, Brembo brakes and an adaptive suspension that does zero to 60 mph in 4.4 seconds, a car that can be had for the fraction of the price of a BMW 340i—all while wearing a Kia badge—is audacious. Arrogant, even. So what if it makes decent compacts and minivans; how dare Kia think it can do this?, a skeptic may wonder, and understandably so. This is a brand that once competed with Geo and Daihatsu, and now it wants to take on BMW?

But the Stinger GT pulls it off, and in spite of a few minor flaws, it manages to be both an obvious performance car bargain and one of the great car surprises of this decade. https://jalopnik.com/the-2018-kia-stinger-gt-is-the-real-deal-1822643041

 

[SEA Stinger]

Thanks for posting this, westcoastGT!

This quote from the article is hilarious and true!

"...think of it as an Audi A5 Sportback but for people who have never yelled at their server in a restaurant."

 

[westcoastGT]

Thanks for posting this, westcoastGT!

This quote from the article is hilarious and true!

"...think of it as an Audi A5 Sportback but for people who have never yelled at their server in a restaurant."

made me chuckle too , its a well written and witty article , his verdict is solid too . The key question is , will it sell . I think the early reports are quite positive in that respect .

 

[mldavis2]

A UV is a station wagon in disguise. Big, awkward, usually underpowered, high center of gravity, high profile tires, a veritable rolling BestBuy showroom to keep the driver's mind off the lack of performance and control. They are great for hauling kids in car seats, but vans are better. They are largely a fad with lemming buyers. Note that crossovers are reverting back to more of a car-like functionality and profile. I said many years ago that I'd never buy a station wagon. I'll never buy a UV, either. (Nothing "sporty" about them despite the name.) JMHO.

 

[westcoastGT]

A UV is a station wagon in disguise. Big, awkward, usually underpowered, high center of gravity, high profile tires, a veritable rolling BestBuy showroom to keep the driver's mind off the lack of performance and control. They are great for hauling kids in car seats, but vans are better. They are largely a fad with lemming buyers. Note that crossovers are reverting back to more of a car-like functionality and profile. I said many years ago that I'd never buy a station wagon. I'll never buy a UV, either. (Nothing "sporty" about them despite the name.) JMHO.

This is an area I think the Germans do very well , The BMW X5 and X6 along with their Audi and Merc counterparts are very sporty when powered properly and on proper rubber . I think they are a huge reason German sedans are falling in sales ............

 

[Kia Stinger]

A UV is a station wagon in disguise. Big, awkward, usually underpowered, high center of gravity, high profile tires, a veritable rolling BestBuy showroom to keep the driver's mind off the lack of performance and control. They are great for hauling kids in car seats, but vans are better. They are largely a fad with lemming buyers. Note that crossovers are reverting back to more of a car-like functionality and profile. I said many years ago that I'd never buy a station wagon. I'll never buy a UV, either. (Nothing "sporty" about them despite the name.) JMHO.

I'm not sure why the LARGE ones are called "Sport Utility Vehicles" because they're not very sporty - but they certainly serve a purpose. The ones you keep mentioning here are not called SUVs - they're called "Crossover Utility Vehicles". I don't think they're really portrayed as being sporty. They're just tall wagons... You can call them UVs if you like - but I don't see how calling them CUVs gives them any undue credit...

 

[Kia Stinger]

This is an area I think the Germans do very well , The BMW X5 and X6 along with their Audi and Merc counterparts are very sporty when powered properly and on proper rubber . I think they are a huge reason German sedans are falling in sales ............

Yes, some of these - whatever you call them - are sporty. The previous generation X5 being extremely well-handling. The new one - not as much. Then again, you could get the sport suspension.

But most of these "lemmings" (as mentioned - though I understand but don't always agree) are buying CUVs like the Lexus RX - which are not intended to be sporty - even though the F-Sport looks the part...

 

[oxide365]

i have read every review (maybe, English?) of the stinger, i gotta say almost all have been positive, the one "bad" review, the negatives they got stuck on were the engine sound (exhaust), others complained about the auto gear shifting not matching their driving tastes and car shifted gears too early. i think a lot of that can be updated in future updates.

 

[Waynerm002]

That's a good read! I also enjoy the history lesson on how the BMW M Division got started. Hyundai/KIA has some great talent now, if the Korean head can deal with KIA coming out on top, that would be good for both if they eventually get both company to the top.

 

[SEA Stinger]

made me chuckle too , its a well written and witty article , his verdict is solid too . The key question is , will it sell . I think the early reports are quite positive in that respect .

Regarding sales, the local KIA dealer near me is selling Stingers like crazy. As of mid-afternoon last Saturday, they had closed deals on three Stingers just in that one day. That particular dealer is closest to the Microsoft, et al. tech zone on the Eastside near Seattle, which could be an indication that the Stinger is going to do well with the techie crowd. They tend to be early adopters and some "don't need no stinking badges".

Now there's an idea for a future Stinger advert!

 

[oxide365]

agreed with almost everything except the rattle-free. LOL.

 

[westcoastGT]

agreed with almost everything except the rattle-free. LOL.

well I guess when you hand deliver a new tester to an auto journalist you make sure all the "learning" is implemented ...........

 

[EchoesMyron]

I said many years ago that I'd never buy a station wagon.

While I agree with you on the "I'll never buy an SUV or CUV (or minivan in my case) I disagree on the wagon.

While the 'Family Truckster' style wagons of old were pretty awful, modern compact wagons are great. They look and handle like cars and some are quite sporty and inspiring to drive. Volvo makes a good one in the V60 (and R design and Polestar variants) and it pains me to say this but BMW and Audi have made good ones as well. I'd much rather have a wagon than any kind of utility vehicle.

Since I have a Stinger, I don't need to worry about it: all of the cargo carrying ability with none of the downsides.

 

[Waynerm002]

I’m with you there. I was hoping KIA would have brought the Optima SportWagon over but with AWD and a bit more power. They could team up the 2.0T with an electric motor for a little over 300 lb ft of torque. A slight lift would be fine, with handling like the V60 CC or even better, the Stinger.

 

[Rufus]

Regarding sales, the local KIA dealer near me is selling Stingers like crazy. As of mid-afternoon last Saturday, they had closed deals on three Stingers just in that one day. That particular dealer is closest to the Microsoft, et al. tech zone on the Eastside near Seattle, which could be an indication that the Stinger is going to do well with the techie crowd. They tend to be early adopters and some "don't need no stinking badges".

Now there's an idea for a future Stinger advert!

LOL!!!!! SeaStinger wins the internets! Man, I hope KMA is forum-stalking...that's one Brilliant idea!

 

[westcoastGT]

Brilliant !