Sales Comparisons

[Melissa Rothburg]

I'd like to talk about sales comparisons. What should the Stinger be compared with? The Audi S5 Sport back and BMW 440 Gran Sport. Right?? Anything else?

I think it would be good to keep track of how the Stinger is doing compared to it's competitors on a monthly basis. Who are our sales statistic guys around here?

 

[mldavis2]

I've seen several reviewers struggle with that because there is not much that fits. The Audi and BMW are sort-of close, but not really. Can you compare cars costing $20,000 more, fairly? And what do you compare -- performance, warranty? Stinger wins those. Interior fit and finish? Probably the BMW and Audi, although that's open to argument.

When I was looking for a replacement for my G8, I was actually becoming somewhat depressed. I couldn't find anything short of $75,000, and in addition to that, the interior leg/knee room is seriously lacking on many cars today like the ATS-V, Regal, etc. The Stinger showed up just in time, and although I wasn't in the immediate market for a car, this one just fit. Then you watch the reviews, and it's clear that reviewers realize they are in somewhat new territory in a price/feature comparison.

In attempting to attract buyers, Kia has a somewhat of a brand-identity issue. That will take time. Not many Lexus drivers will darken a Kia dealership doorway - same with BMW and Audi, sort-of like Baptists in a liquor store. The mystique of brand dies hard unless/until you get a real lemon and get angry or frustrated. Hopefully the media spots and owners like us can do the advertising for the Stinger and bring some respect to Kia from brand-shoppers.

 

[Waynerm002]

I'll say it competes with the A5 and S5 and the BMW 340 and 440 GC, they, like the Stinger can be had with 4 and 6 cylinder engines. On price well the Stinger wins, performance for each level is close but the Stinger is a larger car with more passenger space. Some folks from both camps will pick up a Stinger, but as frequently said, the folks who buy just on brand recognition will stick with the Germans. I'm curious to see the numbers as well.