even if grammatically incorrect

 

New ad copy - The Stinger Is Here!

 

If it came down to it, I'd have a really hard time deciding between this and the G70 - probably would depend on the test drive. I really want to try one of these! If anything, some other cars I've driven recently have reminded me that "un-sporty" cars have their merits, namely quietness. It's pretty neat that the Stinger is pretty quiet in spite of being somewhat sporty.

 

or

The Stinger's Here!

or

The Stingers Are Here!

 

Lol. I don't think Kia's marketing team needs any help. You can go and pick out key catch phrases right on their website for the Stinger:

"Bred on the track, made for the journey".
"... not for the faint-hearted".
"The new paradigm of gran turismo".
"Meet a true gran turismo".

 

Thanks for your input, oldcajun.....always appreciated. Here's Master Alex (Dykes) with the 2.0T base version......and I plan to do a review myself when samples reach the D.C. area.

http://alexonautos.com/2017/11/17/20...iew-base-2-0t/

 

Mike,
An option on screen for the Alex review you posted shows his comparison of the Stinger GT2 to the Q50S with the 300hp V-6. He really liked the Stinger. I assume the sample you get is going to be AWD and I will be interested in your view on how this handles. Be prepared the first time you nail the throttle - it's not a Tesla but it is really quick. The 0-60 time matches the RC-F, but the mid range torque of the Stinger really hits hard from about 30 mph. None of my "old time muscle cars" ever had this kind of acceleration including a Super Duty Pontiac GP and a Mustang 428 Cobra-Jet. Of course, none of them had 8 speed transmissions and modern tires.
Steve

 

Interesting observations. I think that despite some of the badge snobbery and such, this is why Kia took the Stinger test bed to Nurburgring and wrung it out good and hard. Makes a difference in everything.

 

Yeah, I'll check out the general spunk-level.....but within reason. Most of the vehicles I test-drive are brand-new, so you don't want to nail the throttle too hard...or wind the tach too high. That generally shouldn't be done for the first 500-1000 miles. Since you are requesting it, I'll try and find an AWD version.....though, of course, the added weight/drag of the AWD hardware will cut into acceleration somewhat, particularly with the 2.0T engine. AWD compensates for that, though, by really boosting the handling/roadability level in the corners. I generally prefer AWD to RWD for aggressive handling, despite the MPG/acceleration loss, because, all else equal, it makes the rear end less likely to power-slide or drift.....drifting, IMO, is dangerous on pubic roads, and I strictly avoid it whenever possible.

 

Alex commented on both the Stinger and the Q60 Redsport that the AWD was faster due to the traction overcoming the additional weight and drag. He preferred the RWD Q60 to the AWD because it was more fun even if a bit slower. On the 2 liter, traction was not a problem so the RWD was faster.

 

I checked out a new Stinger today for the static-review....I will probably do the test-drive later this week if the cold is not too extreme (it's going to be a deep-freeze for at least several days for many areas east of the Rockies), and post the entire review soon after that.

Right up front, though, based on what I saw, I'll say that, by today's standards, this car is built like a tank, with heavy, bank-vault-solid doors, thud-closings, and faultless hardware in and out.. Every time I see a newer Hyundai or Kia product I become more and more impressed. This one reminds me of what the older Mercedes products used to be like, before the cost-cutting and under-building of the 1990s set in.

 

All maybe true and fare and square, but I would still rather have the BMW, Lexus, Jag, Mercedes, or Audi badge over the KIA one. Perhaps I would consider the KIA badge over Cadillac tho....

 

Here is C&D's take on the Stinger after their Instrumented Test:

Highs: Holy crap(!) acceleration; mid-size-car space; compact-car-money; solid feature count,

Lows: Rough edged limit handling, lacks luxury level-finish, on the loud side.

 

I agree the interior is somewhat plain looking, but the materials, except for a few black-shiny-plastic touches on the console, are first rate. The overall look is more or less that of an Audi A3...which is not surprising, since Kia got one of Audi's former designers. I'll save the rest for the upcoming review and write-up.

 

I like the front, but that's about it. It has too much of a panamera vibe going on. Why can't Kia be unique in its own way?