MotorWeek Names Stinger "Best of the Year"

[SEA Stinger]

CHICAGO, Feb. 08, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The all-new Kia Stinger is MotorWeek’s 2018 Drivers’ Choice Award winner for “Best of the Year,” announced today at the Chicago Auto Show, the nation’s largest consumer automotive showcase. Over an unprecedented 37 years of bringing weekly automotive news to consumers, MotorWeek has evaluated thousands of distinctive cars, all potentially deserving of their “best of” moniker. Every year, the pressure is on to thin the herd to a handful and then to just one winner overall.

The Kia Stinger luxury-sport sedan aimed itself squarely at the compact European sport sedan segment and – with its design team based in Germany – there is little doubt that it earned its style points alongside traditional luxury-performance brands while also looking very different from other cars in the Kia stable.

“Dynamic in both design and quality, the Stinger is a superlative example of how to successfully break into the established European sport sedan market – no easy task – but the Stinger proves it has what it takes,” says MotorWeek creator and host John Davis. “Delivering on both style and drive, the Stinger is incredibly responsive with great power as well as solid handling and brakes. That’s why the Stinger won our staff’s vote in the “Best Sport Sedan” category, which then put it in the running for our ‘Best of the Year’ honor.” MotorWeek’s 2018 “Best of the Year” Revealed: Kia Stinger

 

[Rufus]

Thanks for posting, @SEA Stinger! Boy, the glowing press for this car could fill a binder! Hm...not a bad idea...Thanks again!

 

[Waynerm002]

Ok, I'm biased in saying this but while the Accord is a great car, the Stinger should have won COTY. At least it is still winning all over the world. The folks at KIA must really be proud, now they need to do some more vehicles like that.

 

[Clearly Canadian]

As a once-per-decade car buyer it's nice to be part of something like this. Although I'm sure there are fanboy forums for every new make and model?

 

[mldavis2]

Ok, I'm biased in saying this but while the Accord is a great car, the Stinger should have won COTY. At least it is still winning all over the world. The folks at KIA must really be proud, now they need to do some more vehicles like that.

I looked at the Accord in my shopping. I'm an older geezer, more the Accord type to onlookers, not a Stinger owner. The Accord is a great car, having grown in size from a decade or more ago. Big trunk (not as large as Stinger's hatchback), nice but not fancy interior (not as nice as Stinger), only one engine option (2.0L turbo 255HP compared to Stinger's available 3.3L turbo), and although there is a "Sport" version of the Accord, it's only a badge and some trim moulding along the body side. But enough is enough. Yes, the Accord is refined over the years, and it's a nice car if that's your ride, but it's ubiquitous -- everyone has one and no one cares -- sort of like the Camry. My daughter once said that if she was planning to rob a bank, she'd rent one, park it in front of the bank, run out with the money bag and 20 onlookers wouldn't remember what the getaway car was. Don't do that in a Stinger unless you debadge it.

 

[oxide365]

i love motorweek. i trust their reviews over the years.

 

[SEA Stinger]

I looked at the Accord in my shopping. I'm an older geezer, more the Accord type to onlookers, not a Stinger owner. The Accord is a great car, having grown in size from a decade or more ago. Big trunk (not as large as Stinger's hatchback), nice but not fancy interior (not as nice as Stinger), only one engine option (2.0L turbo 255HP compared to Stinger's available 3.3L turbo), and although there is a "Sport" version of the Accord, it's only a badge and some trim moulding along the body side. But enough is enough. Yes, the Accord is refined over the years, and it's a nice car if that's your ride, but it's ubiquitous -- everyone has one and no one cares -- sort of like the Camry. My daughter once said that if she was planning to rob a bank, she'd rent one, park it in front of the bank, run out with the money bag and 20 onlookers wouldn't remember what the getaway car was. Don't do that in a Stinger unless you debadge it.

Hey @mldavis2, geezers unite! Sounds like you raised an insightful daughter.

Over the years I owned three Accords, starting with a 1980 sedan. All were nice, dependable cars and an excellent value. Before buying my Stinger, one of the cars I considered (briefly) was a 2018 Accord Sport 2.0. It's a perfectly good, mainstream car. But...

The Stinger is much less of an "appliance" - it has far more style, performance and KIAs are now at least as reliable as Hondas. I also like having a car that's unique and distinctive. Very pleased to see all of the glowing accolades it is getting from the press.

As a new Stinger owner, I totally agree with the positive reviews!

 

[Jumpy]

While the Accord is a generic model historically, I think the new 2018 Accord is a huge step up from previous generations. It's actually bordering on luxury sedan territory now (especially the fully-loaded Touring 2.0T trim).

It's even better than the current-gen Acura TLX in several ways, lol.

 

[Rufus]

While the Accord is a generic model historically, I think the new 2018 Accord is a huge step up from previous generations. It's actually bordering on luxury sedan territory now (especially the fully-loaded Touring 2.0T trim).

It's even better than the current-gen Acura TLX in several ways, lol.

No doubt-- the new Accord is a definite step up. Makes you wonder why there is still an Acura brand, as the distinction between the sister companies keeps getting more blurry with each new generation.

 

[Kia Stinger]

Speaking of the Honda Accord - I do love mine. It's a 2016 V6 Touring. Great car - but no Stinger by a LONG shot. The reason the 2018 Accord doesn't get a V6 is because the Acura TLX needs more power to distinguish itself from it. The 3.5 liter V6 in the Accord helps - but the new turbo V6 will make a much bigger difference. Even then, it's still no Stinger...

 

[mldavis2]

Speaking of the Honda Accord - I do love mine. It's a 2016 V6 Touring. Great car - but no Stinger by a LONG shot. The reason the 2018 Accord doesn't get a V6 is because the Acura TLX needs more power to distinguish itself from it. The 3.5 liter V6 in the Accord helps - but the new turbo V6 will make a much bigger difference. Even then, it's still no Stinger...

According to what I've read, the 2.0L turbo in the Accord is slightly faster than last year's V6. Nice car. Boring.... (no offense.)

 

[Waynerm002]

Not to take this off topic but if the 2018 Accord is now like a luxury car, what do you guys say about the Optima since the 2016 redesign? To me it was a quieter, with much better riding and handling feel than the Accord of that year, it felt more like a luxury car than the 2016 Acura TLX which I also test drove. Did you Accord guys try the Optima?

 

[Rufus]

Not to take this off topic but if the 2018 Accord is now like a luxury car, what do you guys say about the Optima since the 2016 redesign? To me it was a quieter, with much better riding and handling feel than the Accord of that year, it felt more like a luxury car than the 2016 Acura TLX which I also test drove. Did you Accord guys try the Optima?

We test drove a new Optima Hybrid, which is pretty loaded. Very nice inside, and surprisingly gutsy compared to my wife's Prius. Then again, my 1st car (1978 Toyota Starlet) also had more guts than her car lol. But IMHO the redesign was a visual step backward. Of course, the next car we test drove was the Stinger, so after that it was game over

 

[Kia Stinger]

According to what I've read, the 2.0L turbo in the Accord is slightly faster than last year's V6. Nice car. Boring.... (no offense.)

Yes, I saw a video race between the two. In one race, the 2.0T won. In the other race, the 3.5 liter V6 won - by a larger margin. I think the actual truth is - the V6 is faster...

My car DRIVES boring - but I actually think it looks pretty good. It's a design I "had to have" when I bought it. Mine is the sedan...

Not to take this off topic but if the 2018 Accord is now like a luxury car, what do you guys say about the Optima since the 2016 redesign? To me it was a quieter, with much better riding and handling feel than the Accord of that year, it felt more like a luxury car than the 2016 Acura TLX which I also test drove. Did you Accord guys try the Optima?

There are a few things that make the Accord "like a luxury car". First, it actually IS an Acura TLX - and that's considered a luxury car. The Touring has LED headlights, lane keep assist, adaptive cruise control, frontal collision mitigation, Apple Car Play and Android Auto, bluetooth, etcetera. It's definitely "like a luxury car". But that doesn't necessarily make it "a luxury car"...

The Optima is in the same boat - but more luxurious...

We test drove a new Optima Hybrid, which is pretty loaded. Very nice inside, and surprisingly gutsy compared to my wife's Prius. Then again, my 1st car (1978 Toyota Starlet) also had more guts than her car lol. But IMHO the redesign was a visual step backward. Of course, the next car we test drove was the Stinger, so after that it was game over

I saw my first new Accord on the road yesterday and it actually looked decent. It's better in person than in photos. Not MUCH better - but better. But I do agree that it's a step backwards compared to the design of the previous generation. I definitely don't "have to have it" this time...

 

[Clearly Canadian]

Yes, I saw a video race between the two. In one race, the 2.0T won. In the other race, the 3.5 liter V6 won - by a larger margin. I think the actual truth is - the V6 is faster...

My car DRIVES boring - but I actually think it looks pretty good. It's a design I "had to have" when I bought it. Mine is the sedan...

View attachment 2966



There are a few things that make the Accord "like a luxury car". First, it actually IS an Acura TLX - and that's considered a luxury car. The Touring has LED headlights, lane keep assist, adaptive cruise control, frontal collision mitigation, Apple Car Play and Android Auto, bluetooth, etcetera. It's definitely "like a luxury car". But that doesn't necessarily make it "a luxury car"...

The Optima is in the same boat - but more luxurious...



I saw my first new Accord on the road yesterday and it actually looked decent. It's better in person than in photos. Not MUCH better - but better. But I do agree that it's a step backwards compared to the design of the previous generation. I definitely don't "have to have it" this time...

The tint and the rims go so well together. You're allowed to tint the front windows in FL?

 

[Kia Stinger]

The tint and the rims go so well together. You're allowed to tint the front windows in FL?

Thank you. It's not legal but nobody bothers you. It's very bright and hot down here. Even the police vehicles are tinted...

 

[Clearly Canadian]

Thank you. It's not legal but nobody bothers you. It's very bright and hot down here. Even the police vehicles are tinted...

Makes sense. Not great for pedestrians but the cars look sick.

 

[Kia Stinger]

Not great for pedestrians

What do you mean?

 

[Clearly Canadian]

What do you mean?

Front windows are usually illegal to tint so that the pedestrian-driver eye contact is unimpeded.

 

[Kia Stinger]

Front windows are usually illegal to tint so that the pedestrian-driver eye contact is unimpeded.

I guess. But I never have any issue seeing pedestrians - or anything else...