What do you love and hate about your Kia Stinger?

[MattBrandCars]

G'day everyone! My name is Matt and I run the Car Review YouTube channel MattBrandCars (just search MattBrandCars)

Kia have given me a 2020 Stinger GT and I wanted to know from owners: What do you love about your Stinger? What do you hate?

I like to get the opinions of those who actually live with the car as well as my own thoughts from driving it over the week. I use some of what you have to say in the review! (Scheduled release: 19th July)

Cheers in advance!

Here she is:

 

[87and66]

I love:
-the way it looks, and how much attention it grabs. after a year and a half, I still look back at it every time I get out
-the way it drives. Plenty of power, and handles great for its size
-how practical it is. Tons of cargo room
-the rarity. I see them infrequently enough that I get excited when I see another one on the road
-much much more, but those are the highlights

I dislike (don't HATE anything, but I do dislike a few things):
-The way it sounds. I have an aftermarket exhaust, but the TT V6 just doesn't sound great. It's ok but not what I want it to sound like
-small gas tank
-the paint is known to be pretty thin and fragile. rock chips, scratches, and swirl marks happen very easily

Looking forward to the video!

 

[MattBrandCars]

I love:
-the way it looks, and how much attention it grabs. after a year and a half, I still look back at it every time I get out
-the way it drives. Plenty of power, and handles great for its size
-how practical it is. Tons of cargo room
-the rarity. I see them infrequently enough that I get excited when I see another one on the road
-much much more, but those are the highlights

I dislike (don't HATE anything, but I do dislike a few things):
-The way it sounds. I have an aftermarket exhaust, but the TT V6 just doesn't sound great. It's ok but not what I want it to sound like
-small gas tank
-the paint is known to be pretty thin and fragile. rock chips, scratches, and swirl marks happen very easily

Looking forward to the video!

Have to agree with the sound part especially. I'm in a "special edition" with the bimodal exhaust and it sounds... Well average. No audible crackles or pops like I want to hear, but it does burp on upshifts.

Thanks for the detailed response

 

[Travis Wills]

I absolutely love the white interior in my car. The contrast with the dark carpet looks great in my opinion.



I also love the drive selector of the GT2. It looks great and just feels really smooth to use.

I love the torque the car has in Sport mode but I also enjoy the fact that the ECO mode has the “Coasting” feature that greatly increases gas mileage especially when going down hills.

I just wish the car would “remember” the “Smart” mode when you turned it on and off again. You can utilize the “coasting” feature in the smart mode but it won’t automatically start back up in Smart mode.

Sport mode is fun but the accelerator is too twitchy when I am driving my wife around or going out to dinner. There are times for fun and times for smoothness. I really enjoy that the Stinger can do both.

I love the trunk cargo space. I use the full volume of the trunk all the time. This one thing made me get the Stinger over the G70.

I hate the stock badges. They are cheap looking and just basically terrible. Kia needs to change them. Go to the “E” badges or literally anything else. Make it an option but do something to improve the logo.



I really am not fond of the stock wheels. I want to replace them with aftermarket wheels but I am struggling to find aftermarket wheels that I like that don’t cost a fortune. My exterior color is the dark grey so I can’t use any black wheels. It just wouldn’t look right.


The shift paddles are too short. I put aftermarket Red paddle extenders on and they are so much better.


I also don’t like how I can’t select my music playlists from my iPhone over Bluetooth from the cars screen. I have to control it from my iPhone directly or I have to use wired CarPlay.

The Stinger is the single best car I have ever owned. I have had a Nissan 240sx, Accord Coupe, BMW 330i, 4 INFINITI G/Q50S, a Mercedes CLA, countless SUVs and minivans. The Stinger blows them all away. The only reasonable car I want more than the Stinger is the C8 Corvette Convertible.

 

[RedCal]

Welcome to the Hive Matt! I'm not sure I can come up with 5 hates but here's my list (Mine is what you would get in the USA as the GT2 trim, but we have UVO, so many US owners are not happy about that )

Cons
Stiffer Sway bars, or great range of adjustment in the electronic suspension
Slightly bigger wireless charging pad
Greater UVO control options (turn on heated/cooled seats, windows and sunroof open / close, longer run times (it's 15min max)
Better exhaust sound - the Aussie's have a bi-modal
(edited to add) - I wish it remembered the drive settings, and "auto engine off" settings

Pros
Looks/style (in, and out)
Power
Value for the dollar - untouchable at the price?
Comfort
Warranty (the US has a better one that we do)

 

[87and66]

Value for the dollar - untouchable at the price?

Warranty (the US has a better one that we do)

How did I forget these!? Two of the biggest reasons I bought the stinger. Comparable specs in a German car could easily be another $20k. And a 10 year, 100,000 mile warranty.

 

[MattBrandCars]

I absolutely love the white interior in my car. The contrast with the dark carpet looks great in my opinion.

View attachment 47413

I also love the drive selector of the GT2. It looks great and just feels really smooth to use.
View attachment 47416
I love the torque the car has in Sport mode but I also enjoy the fact that the ECO mode has the “Coasting” feature that greatly increases gas mileage especially when going down hills.

I just wish the car would “remember” the “Smart” mode when you turned it on and off again. You can utilize the “coasting” feature in the smart mode but it won’t automatically start back up in Smart mode.

Sport mode is fun but the accelerator is too twitchy when I am driving my wife around or going out to dinner. There are times for fun and times for smoothness. I really enjoy that the Stinger can do both.

I love the trunk cargo space. I use the full volume of the trunk all the time. This one thing made me get the Stinger over the G70.

I hate the stock badges. They are cheap looking and just basically terrible. Kia needs to change them. Go to the “E” badges or literally anything else. Make it an option but do something to improve the logo.

View attachment 47409

I really am not fond of the stock wheels. I want to replace them with aftermarket wheels but I am struggling to find aftermarket wheels that I like that don’t cost a fortune. My exterior color is the dark grey so I can’t use any black wheels. It just wouldn’t look right.
View attachment 47408

The shift paddles are too short. I put aftermarket Red paddle extenders on and they are so much better.
View attachment 47415
View attachment 47414
I also don’t like how I can’t select my music playlists from my iPhone over Bluetooth from the cars screen. I have to control it from my iPhone directly or I have to use wired CarPlay.

The Stinger is the single best car I have ever owned. I have had a Nissan 240sx, Accord Coupe, BMW 330i, 4 INFINITI G/Q50S, a Mercedes CLA, countless SUVs and minivans. The Stinger blows them all away. The only reasonable car I want more than the Stinger is the C8 Corvette Convertible.

She's beautiful mate! I'm guessing that the "Excellence" badges were all aftermarket and your not based in South Korea

 

[MattBrandCars]

Welcome to the Hive Matt! I'm not sure I can come up with 5 hates but here's my list (Mine is what you would get in the USA as the GT2 trim, but we have UVO, so many US owners are not happy about that )

Cons
Stiffer Sway bars, or great range of adjustment in the electronic suspension
Slightly bigger wireless charging pad
Greater UVO control options (turn on heated/cooled seats, windows and sunroof open / close, longer run times (it's 15min max)
Better exhaust sound - the Aussie's have a bi-modal
(edited to add) - I wish it remembered the drive settings, and "auto engine off" settings

Pros
Looks/style (in, and out)
Power
Value for the dollar - untouchable at the price?
Comfort
Warranty (the US has a better one that we do)

As an Aussie, I'm using the bi-modal exhaust and I have to admit - its worth putting an after market in instead. The only benefit is it makes slightly more noise in Sport mode and farts on upshifts.

Thanks for the response!

 

[Glen1023]

I absolutely love the white interior in my car. The contrast with the dark carpet looks great in my opinion.

View attachment 47413

I also love the drive selector of the GT2. It looks great and just feels really smooth to use.
View attachment 47416
I love the torque the car has in Sport mode but I also enjoy the fact that the ECO mode has the “Coasting” feature that greatly increases gas mileage especially when going down hills.

I just wish the car would “remember” the “Smart” mode when you turned it on and off again. You can utilize the “coasting” feature in the smart mode but it won’t automatically start back up in Smart mode.

Sport mode is fun but the accelerator is too twitchy when I am driving my wife around or going out to dinner. There are times for fun and times for smoothness. I really enjoy that the Stinger can do both.

I love the trunk cargo space. I use the full volume of the trunk all the time. This one thing made me get the Stinger over the G70.

I hate the stock badges. They are cheap looking and just basically terrible. Kia needs to change them. Go to the “E” badges or literally anything else. Make it an option but do something to improve the logo.

View attachment 47409

I really am not fond of the stock wheels. I want to replace them with aftermarket wheels but I am struggling to find aftermarket wheels that I like that don’t cost a fortune. My exterior color is the dark grey so I can’t use any black wheels. It just wouldn’t look right.
View attachment 47408

The shift paddles are too short. I put aftermarket Red paddle extenders on and they are so much better.
View attachment 47415
View attachment 47414
I also don’t like how I can’t select my music playlists from my iPhone over Bluetooth from the cars screen. I have to control it from my iPhone directly or I have to use wired CarPlay.

The Stinger is the single best car I have ever owned. I have had a Nissan 240sx, Accord Coupe, BMW 330i, 4 INFINITI G/Q50S, a Mercedes CLA, countless SUVs and minivans. The Stinger blows them all away. The only reasonable car I want more than the Stinger is the C8 Corvette Convertible.

Hello,
May I please ask you where you purchased your “stinger” door sill plates?

 

[Travis Wills]

She's beautiful mate! I'm guessing that the "Excellence" badges were all aftermarket and your not based in South Korea

Yes, I did a lot of simple inexpensive customizations for my car. I bought almost all of them from the store on this forum.

I like my car to be unique so I put a circular “E” badge where everyone else is putting the large “Stinger” logo on the rear trunk.

Also a lot of people say that Kia paint is thin and scratches easily. That may be the case but I also think the clear coat is relatively sturdy. I have been able to get 4 separate scratches out of my car with buffing alone. One of the scratches was MASSIVE! I scratched the H$LL out of it trying to get some hardened bird poop off. I was able to buff out some pretty incredible scratches easily.

I also bought a brand new Kia Rio for my son and he side swiped the house with it. He scratches the entire side of the car but luckily there were no dents. We were able to easily buff out all of the scratches and it looks new again.

The paint may scratch easily but I think it is easy to fix it with some buffing. That is a good thing.

 

[Travis Wills]

Hello,
May I please ask you where you purchased your “stinger” door sill plates?

I think that was the one item I had to use eBay for. Those came from a South Korean shop. It took forever for them to get here but they are a real high quality product. Search eBay for them.

 

[jazzdabb]

(L)(O)(V)(E)

• flexibility of the hatch and fold down seats
• by far the fastest car I've ever owned
• aggressive and eye-catching appearance
• interior style and quality
• surround camera

(H)(A)(T)(E)

• sun roof rattle (FIXED!)
• night-time performance of backup camera
• hybrid electronic shifter - I'm good either way but can we not have BOTH a shifter and a park button?
• netting instead of pocket on seat backs is hot garbage

I really struggled to come up with 4 complaints (especially since the first was fixed) and the remaining 3 are fairly minor annoyances. Overall I love that it is a fast, fun car that is actually comfortable and practical as well.

 

[eflyguy]

Instant torque, active suspension, stability and predictable handling (AWD), steering precision, brake performance, and interior quality - especially considering the price.

It's an absolute joy to drive in the mountains, which is primarily why I bought it.

The only negative for me is the stupid tablet sticking up in the middle of the dash. Oh, and the small gas tank.

 

[SafetyPilotCal]

Hey there. I like the idea of you gathering opinions from owners for your video. That's pretty cool. Here's my list -

Love:

• Unique styling, some really great colors. Stands out in a sea of beige transportation appliances. Gets more unsolicited compliments than any other car I've owned.
• Just the right amount of "unusual". A RWD sedan with a big hammer isn't really a thing in the US anymore unless you want a Charger or a German brand.
• Quality is above par for the price (literally no one pays MSRP, it shouldn't be compared as such and this is something every reviewer misses).
• Excellent powertrain combination. A ZF transmission would have been nice but the latest version of the A8TR1 is at least 90% as good.
• You don't see dozens of them on the road every day like Chargers, Camaros, Challengers, Mustangs, etc.
• Best car I've owned for long distance driving, hands down.

Hate:

• Inconsistent options and features internationally (e.g. no bimodal exhaust in the US, cannot have a heated steering wheel and RWD only in the US).
• UVO in the US is entirely worthless and has no remote features or diagnostics.
• Kia badges looks like dick (I put full OEM KDM badging on my car, IMHO it's the best looking badging available).
• I would really love more autonomous driving on the interstates like some newer Kia products.
• Small fuel tank.
• Kia dealership experience is sorely lacking (but I guess this is a trade-off for price).

All in all it's difficult to find really glaring faults with the Stinger. Does it have the brand cache of a BMW? No. But I also don't see 50 identical ones on my 5 minute commute to the store the way I see BMWs and Mercs. Are the interior materials as refined as even some of the Japanese competitors? No. But it's damn close and those cars wouldn't give you nearly the same driving experience. There are some trade-offs with the CK, but it's also Kia's first serious effort at building a real competitor in the grand touring segment, and they've damn near knocked it out of the park.

 

[Lord3Putt]

CONS:
1) A lot of the materials inside are fairly low-grade. There are a few "soft touch" plastics in the right spots, but once you start looking around you'll notice the same grade of plastics and fabrics that are in a $15k Forte.

2) The fact that you have to adjust the climate control knob to see what the temp setting is. How hard would it be to have a digital readout somewhere?

3) The fact that they only put the keyless entry buttons on the front doors is pretty cheesy. Also, the buttons they use are outdated.

4) We do get a lot of tech for the price, but it doesn't seem as good as some other brands out there. My rain-sensing wipers are almost useless sometimes. The adaptive cruise control can be kind of jerky. The 360 camera is nice, but the resolution and blend lines are not inline with the better systems out there. Using the auto-dimming lights, my car has flashed about a dozen people accidentally.

5) KIA....they just don't belong in the "premium" vehicle category...yet. This is the first sporty/premium'ish car that they've made. The dealerships, salesmen, technicians, etc, don't know how to handle them. They're used to slinging Rios to people who are taking out 6yr loans on them. They are gonna have to up their game if they really want to take a chunk out of the European competitors.

PROS:
Fun, quick, cheap (people always add "warranty", but who keeps cars over 3yrs?)

 

[87and66]

CONS:
2) The fact that you have to adjust the climate control knob to see what the temp setting is. How hard would it be to have a digital readout somewhere?

you could hit the "climate" button instead of turning the knob. but I see your point.

 

[jazzdabb]

CONS:
2) The fact that you have to adjust the climate control knob to see what the temp setting is. How hard would it be to have a digital readout somewhere?

you could hit the "climate" button instead of turning the knob. but I see your point.

I had a 2020 Chevy Malibu as a rental while my sunroof was being repaired and it had LED temp readouts on each temp knob (for each zone). I took one look and thought "Dang, I wish my Stinger had that." Also, the backup camera was far superior (both day and night). Somewhat of a bitter pill for such a "meh" car to have those better features.

 

[MerlintheMad]

I wasn't even thinking about a new car. And this is, still, the only brand new car I've ever owned. All through the winter of 2017-18, I read from the Stinger promo book (that had been dropped on me by a friend, who waggishly said, "Here's your next new car"). A Kia something-or-other? Yeah, right! But I put the promo book in the bathroom and several times a week I'd pick it up and read; then reread; and finally, by March, I had read through it several times. Especially the Nürburgring chapter: that was playing unfair: a Kia GT developed at the Green Hell, my favorite Formula One track bar none. By then, I was taking this "Stinger" seriously. And late in March I made the fateful decision to take a test drive. Three days later, I leased a GT1 (bought out the lease three months later).

The very first thing that impressed me about the Stinger (confirmed in every way "in the flesh" during the test drive) was the combination of comfort, luxury and performance. The immediate second thing was the vaunted surround sound system by Harman Kardon. And third was that fastback hatch. With the rear seats down and the liner taken out it has the cubic feet of two refrigerators. This is SUV territory. Of course, the Stinger is a style knockout. It turns heads all the time. And, I could afford it. The amount of features for the price, the "price point", is unrivaled.

After having the car for a few months, I found this forum and came here to ask a wheel repair question; and I saw, shortly after that, the flap about paint issues. Subsequently, I decided that the quality of the Stinger's paint isn't subpar; in fact it is quite good, comparatively: it is average. "Thinness" is overrated; it's actually better than most and not that thin compared to some that are better. The trouble is that paint chemistry has been changed by the "Greenies" who hate all those toxic compounds that made paint of yesteryear much stronger than today's paints. We all suffer more from road rash now than years ago. So, PPF went on right after I determined that my front was already showing signs of attrition, i.e. after c. three months. Other than that, I have no complaints about how my GT1 is holding up; c. 35K miles and 28 months into ownership.

Cons:
I still have difficulty knowing the dimensions of this low, wide car (I drove vans for years on years).
The view to the rear is too limited; but the backup camera ameliorates that (I wouldn't change the sporty lines to get a better view).
The OE wheels are heavier than they need to be, in my humble opinion.
The headlights were adjusted too low/short; and I had to raise them.
UVO is non functional in the US.
Maps are inaccurate too often. Occasionally, NAV sends me to places that are close but not pinpointed. Sometimes funny, mostly aggravating.
I don't like faked engine noise in the cabin (the MY19 included a "Turn Off" option; my car only has a minimized option).
Sometimes the Tire Pressure Monitoring System just goes to sleep.

Pros:
Utility/practicality. All that interior room.
Features, features and more features.
Styling. Every Stinger color looks great.
Uniqueness, rarity (I've only seen - positively IDed - 43 other Stingers as of this afternoon).
Performance.
Sound system.
In spite of economies, the cabin is the quietest of any vehicle I've driven.
Sunroof.
Quality.
The warranty.
I like the KIA badges in the "Ford" oval (a legacy of their early business in S. Korea together). I have "K" skins on mine and will never remove the KIA badges. But I will remove the "K" skins when the fun of messing with people wears off.
Brembo brakes.
The reviews, which keep coming and are almost entirely good, even enthusiastic.
I smile every time I look at it; this makes keeping it clean joyful.
The aftermarket attention; even though I don't partake much of it, just knowing it's out there and growing is a very positive thing.

 

[Gargamel]

My Con-list:
I cannot hold lock/unlock buttons on the fob to open/close the windows like all other cars can


This is what i can think of right now, the pro side is what many others have stated.

 

[MattBrandCars]

Wow, can I just say thanks everyone for the responses! It's hard for me to respond to everyone, but I'm definitely reading each now and will take all onboard.

Also dont worry if you cant come up with things you don't like! Your positive experiences are fine too