Wobbles Has Now Driven a Kia Stinger GT!!

"Wobbles the Mind" (wobblesthemind)
01/16/2018 at 19:01 • Filed to: Kia

Just drove. Stinger. GT. Oooo! This is an extremely difficult car to classify. It may be unique! *gasp* I spent a lot of time de-hyping myself so that I wouldnt be tempted into buying one...I’m re-hyped!! I guess ask me almost anything. Yeah? Sure...

DISCUSSION (34)

Spanfeller is a twat > Wobbles the Mind
01/16/2018 at 19:03

Is it as good as you wanted it to be?

gettingoldercarguy > Wobbles the Mind
01/16/2018 at 19:06

Did it disappoint you in any way and what do you think the general population will complain about

TechJunky > Wobbles the Mind
01/16/2018 at 19:10

How is the interior material? It’s hard to gauge from pictures, but some of the plastics look to be of the same caliber as the 2014 Optima I had. Do they feel up to snuff in a near-$50k car?

cbell04 > Wobbles the Mind
01/16/2018 at 19:11

How was the visibility when viewed through rose tinted glass? :) They do look nice. Was the dealer weird about driving it? Sometimes new models get them acting strange.

Spanfeller is a twat > TechJunky
01/16/2018 at 19:12

Hi! I’m not wobbles, but I’ve also been in a stinger (shamefully as a passenger only)

But no, the plastics aren’t bmw level. Its more like passat level. Sure, luxurious, but not a luxury car by any means.

BlueMazda2 - Blesses the rains down in Africa, Purveyor of BMW Individual Arctic Metallic, Merci Twingo > Spanfeller is a twat
01/16/2018 at 19:14

Passat level? Are they THAT bad?

Wobbles the Mind > Spanfeller is a twat
01/16/2018 at 19:17

It is extremely close to where I’d like it. The top end (over $45,000) is where it no longer becomes impressive only turns into a just a nice car.

However, Kia apparently will take $7,300 off the MSRP when you lease the GT2 models...so there goes that issue.

Spanfeller is a twat > BlueMazda2 - Blesses the rains down in Africa, Purveyor of BMW Individual Arctic Metallic, Merci Twingo
01/16/2018 at 19:18

I honestly think my jeep has a better appointed interior, and its a seven year old wk2!

The plastics suck in my perspective, but the buttons feel very nice ,so does the leather andthe microfiber suade headliner.

In the end they do need to work a bit on it, specially the airbag cover that is simply way below the quality of the rest of the car.

Spanfeller is a twat > BlueMazda2 - Blesses the rains down in Africa, Purveyor of BMW Individual Arctic Metallic, Merci Twingo
01/16/2018 at 19:19

Maybe too harsh... Um... Mazda 6 levels?

Spanfeller is a twat > Wobbles the Mind
01/16/2018 at 19:20

I think Kia messed up with pricing. Here in Mexico we got ours for 38 grand loaded with everything the gt2 has plus the covered cupholders that look better.

But we do get the shitty “carbon fibre look” trim that takes 5 minutes to scratch.

Wobbles the Mind > TechJunky
01/16/2018 at 19:22

They are on point with the top end Optima but not quite up to the Cadenza (which surprised me since it’s only $500 more). My biggest gripe was that the button, knob, and toggle resistance down the center stack controls is far too minimal. Like subcompact car level...however everything else is exactly right for top end family sedans like Fusion, Malibu, and Optima.

Wobbles the Mind > cbell04
01/16/2018 at 19:24

No weirdness with dealer, very good sales experience to be honest. The visibility was good except through the rear window and the giant marroney (or however that’s spelled) on the rear driver side window. The rose tinted glasses are purely aesthetic!

Wobbles the Mind > gettingoldercarguy
01/16/2018 at 19:30

I was only disappointed with the buttons and knobs down on the center stack, the flat bottom steering wheel, the lack of padding by the driver’s knee, and the lack of foot room in the rear seats even though leg, shoulder, hip, and headroom were copious for a compact. I also saw a lot of orange peel in the black Stingers, and thought the Michelins + AWD was actually too much traction for around town driving.

I think people will only have issue with the turn radius and how heavy the steering is at low speeds in every mode. That needs to be fixed because it shouldnt feel like the car becomes two classes bigger in a parking lot.

Wobbles the Mind > Spanfeller is a twat
01/16/2018 at 19:49

I think Kia wanted to see how many would checkout the car at $45,000 to $52,000. If the response is there then it gives them room to add in a hybrid variant like the Q50 and a higher performance engine (both of which would start in that $45,000 and up range).

Chariotoflove > Wobbles the Mind
01/16/2018 at 19:51

I know that the Optima has a good interior, but Kia needs to do better if they want people to cross shop this with German sports sedans (which I don’t think are as fabulous as people think, at least not the 3 series I’ve been in). I personally know Kia can do it.

Spanfeller is a twat > Wobbles the Mind
01/16/2018 at 20:06

I still think its unfair for consumers, ya know? Those experiments just end up highlighting the stinger’s shortcomings because it competes with another segment and looses part of the price argument.

Don’t get me wrong! I love the stinger! But if we had a similar pricing structure as the US market does we wouldn’t have boughten one, certainly not when the equivalent model in the US (the GT2) has an MSRP 215,000* MXN higher than what we paid for here... that’s not peanuts my friend!

Funny because the Infiniti you mention is also cheaper here (both the 400 sport and the Hybrid) than in the US as neither model crosses the 50,000 dollar mark here (Although it depends on the exchange rate and ever since Mr.Shithole Countries took office in the US the exchanges fluctuate from low 18s to high 20s; which is bad)

*: We got a 40,000mxn discount because its not selling well here and they wanted to move stock.

Wobbles the Mind > Chariotoflove
01/16/2018 at 20:10

Honestly, I think the car was built with the intent of going against the Charger and SS. Between those two cars the styling, materials, and build quality top them at every price point.

The issue is that the car actually drives like a premium executive sedan. Not the compact ones like 3-Series or IS, but like a Lexus GS or Jaguar XF. That’s when the $50,000 GT2 makes perfect sense.

So you have a car that is built to go against Charger, 300, and SS but ended up with interior room and a similar ride and handling to the sub-$60k GS and XF variants while being priced like a Q50 or ATS, but is a bodystyle and size between 4 GC/A5 SB and Panamera/A7.

So Kia will pick which ever segment gives it a win. Build quality, compare to Charger or Mustang (that’s why they called it Stinger). Market, compare to premium compacts because that segment is 10x larger than midsize premium sedans or American muscle sedans. Value, compare to the liftback premium sedans. Driving dynamics, compare to Panamera and 6 GC.

Where ever the Stinger lacks Kia can deny the competition and where it excels Kia can exploit a different competition. Handpicking your competitors has never been this broad.

Wobbles the Mind > Spanfeller is a twat
01/16/2018 at 20:16

I agree that Kia US took advantage, but there has never been an opportunity like this to take advantage. As a consumer it sucks and I’m still pissed off but as someone that works in selling a brand teaching others how to sell a brand...not taking the opportunity to continue entering new markets and moving upmarket would have been just stupid.

random001 > Wobbles the Mind
01/16/2018 at 20:16

Dear Wobbles, why is it not more yellow?

Spanfeller is a twat > Wobbles the Mind
01/16/2018 at 20:18

I guess it aims for emotional marketing, doent it?

You make the price a selling point, it makes the people feel more...exlusive...

Wobbles the Mind > random001
01/16/2018 at 20:32

Not here yet. I actually think the 2019 Model Year is coming early and will open up the rest of the exterior and interior colors and combinations as well as the missing options while redoing the top end pricing structure.

Kinja'd!!!

I’m waiting to see Lake Stone because there are no cars in that color on the entire planet it seems and it’s inconsist on the computer models!

I also think that we are getting a diesel, hybrid, higher performance, and special edition models (including oranges, purples, and greens) every single year. Kia is trying to stretch all these launches out so that they have something special happening with the Stinger all year.

It’s the same trick you see with Challenger and Charger though the well is getting dry now that it’s been going for so long.

Wobbles the Mind > Spanfeller is a twat
01/16/2018 at 20:39

There is such a thing as too cheap. If your favorite lunch spot said you could have your meal for half the price you either ask yourself, “How much have you been overcharging me,” or you wonder, “What is wrong with it?” Neither are good.

Pricing is a fine art and there are a few cars in the US right that are now too cheap and suffering for it.

Chan - Mid-engine with cabin fever > Wobbles the Mind
01/16/2018 at 20:42

So at the top it’s priced close to a 5 series. Aside from the obvious power deficit of a 530i, is it comparable in feel?

Rico > Chan - Mid-engine with cabin fever
01/16/2018 at 20:48

530i is a real looker. I’m starting to them all over NYC.

Wobbles the Mind > Chan - Mid-engine with cabin fever
01/16/2018 at 20:49

In driving, yes it is far more like the entry priced premium executive sedans than anything else. If you go into it hoping for 3-Series or heaven forbid GTI dynamics then you will think it’s an absolute whale to drive. With an executive mindset it feels like a compressed upmarket cruiser which is a very unique concept (but consistent with the G80 Sport which rides closer to the old SWB LS or XJ rather than GS or XF).

Spanfeller is a twat > Wobbles the Mind
01/16/2018 at 20:49

“too cheap and suffering from it”

sThat seemslike a great post in the making mr wobbles.

Chariotoflove > Wobbles the Mind
01/16/2018 at 20:53

I have a hard time seeing someone intentionally pitting this car against the Charger or the SS. It makes more sense to me to put it against the XF, et al. From everything I read, that’s what Kia was doing. The Stinger was meant to show that Kia can make a good performance sedan. I know they can bring the quality, and I believe they can do performance. I just don’t think they’ll have a winning combo in the $50K space with an Optima interior. Now I really want to go drive one and compare my thoughts with what you said here.

random001 > Wobbles the Mind
01/16/2018 at 21:04

MOAR YELLOW!!!

But the Tacoma has a color like that blue, I think.

fintail > Wobbles the Mind
01/16/2018 at 21:15

What are the lease residuals? That might tell us what the maker thinks will happen.

Wobbles the Mind > fintail
01/16/2018 at 21:42

I didn’t run any lease terms, they just told me about the up to $7,300 in lease cash that they could offer me for buying that $53,000 Stinger.

I still think that after 36 months the values will be between $17,000 and $29,000 (from MSRPs between $31,000 to $53,000). So $12,000 is the minimum financial hit (likely the GT models around $41,000) and the heaviest will be around $24,000 (the loaded GT2s without any discounts) but the average residual value will be around $14,000 lower than the MSRP for any models below $42,000.

fintail > Wobbles the Mind
01/16/2018 at 21:50

The lease cash is surprising - a local dealer to me has the gall to stick a 10K ADM on a nice red one:

http://www.sunsetkiaofauburn.com/new/Kia/2018-Kia-Stinger-186b98c50a0e0ae84925708c1fe19bbc.htm

They’ve had this for at least a week, I suspect they’ll need to give up that game and offer incentives like the rest. It’s too competitive a market for these tricks.

I could see the residuals inflated into the 50s, but anything more than 60% I think would be a good subsidy too, I think.

deprecated account > Wobbles the Mind
01/21/2018 at 21:14

That Lake Stone looks great! Reminds me of my favorite 911R spec:

!!! UNKNOWN CONTENT TYPE !!!

Spanfeller is a twat > Wobbles the Mind
02/02/2018 at 23:16

Kinja'd!!!

Do we take personal offense to this?

Wobbles the Mind > Spanfeller is a twat
02/03/2018 at 06:33

Lol!!! We need to start calling all the 2.0s Sephias now.