Kia Stinger Questions

[TREMAiNE]

Hi All

I'm contemplating the idea of buying a Stinger GT S and am wondering what the owners' experience with them is like.

Firstly, I'd like to know what year Car Play was introduced to the model as I can't see a definitive answer online. If I were to go for a Stinger, Car Play would be essential.

Secondly, what is general reliability like on them, are there any known weaknesses or things to avoid?

What is the consensus on them and how do owners find them compared to more mainstream rivals?

Is it worth paying a few thousand more for a car with a longer warranty period remaining or are they robust enough that it's not worth the trouble?

And lastly, if you have one/had one and generally liked it, what would you change about it if you could?

[TREMAiNE]

Thanks for your reply. Very strange you replied today of all days as this morning I put a deposit down on one.

A late 2019 car with 30k miles for £22k.

Bought from Kia as was online on their approved used cars.
Claims to have 2.5 years warranty.

Seems to be a fair price compared to others I've seen and viewed. I've watched the market for a while.

Had a long talk with Kia UK and the dealer about it...
It's had all of its services, however one was done a few months late which knocked the whole lot out of wack.
I've been told the warranty isn't void from that. But equally it's not a guarantee that its definitely valid, depending on the nature of the issue that may arise.

Anyway, been looking for months now, none that old seem to have had the services on time or in full.

At the end of the day, any other brand with that performance and age wouldn't have a warranty, so I have a degree of protection more anyway if that makes sense.
I'm not overly happy about it. Seems bizarre that people wouldn't service the car on time and risk voiding a pretty good warranty...

But regardless, I'd rather risk 22k on a Stinger than a 440i that's got double the mileage and is also out of warranty with worse spec.

Didn't want to stretch for facelift, wanted to go as cheap as possible.

Nice car though, looking forward to ownership.

Also got a 2 year service plan, so 4 services.

Just need to fuel it and I'm sorted.

Edited by TREMAiNE on Thursday 15th February 16:50

[TREMAiNE]

MissChief said:

Hi Tremaine, how are you finding life with your Stinger?

As I pulled up on my driveway after work yesterday, I completed my first 1,000 miles (well, 1,000.2).

I’ll be doing a full readers cars thread at some point where I’ll go into immense detail on every aspect of the car as I always do, but a quick summary is below:

Running costs:
-I’ve averaged 28mpg, it seems to be able to get low to mid 30s on a run, and drops to mid to low teens around town.
Service 9 is booked in for tomorrow, even though it just had service 8 – I wanted to get the back in sync – and it’s only £133.
-I have also spent around £1,050 on a service plan for services 10, 11, 12 and 13 which will last me until around September 2026. Not bad value really – especially when service 10 is around £900 if purchased on its own.

How it drives:
-It’s reasonably fast in a straight line, although due to the size and refinement, it doesn’t feel that fast. The numbers on the speedo to fly up, however.
-For it’s size, it handles very well.
-While it does brake well, they are probably the weakest aspect of the performance.
-Personally, I don’t think it sounds that good although friends and family all think it sounds ace.
-The auto gearbox is smooth but not particularly fast, even in Sport.

What it is like inside:
-It’s very comfortable, even in Sport where the adaptive dampers stiffen up.
-Interior trim feels good quality – at least all the bits your regularly touch.
-Despite the fact the platform is 7 years old, there is an impressive amount of kit.

What I like:
-The 360 cameras are great and making parking a breeze.
-It looks mega, in my opinion. And has a much more interesting design than its German rivals.
-I’ve always wanted a heads up display, and whilst the Stingers HUD leaves a lot to be desired, I love having one.

What I hate:
-The fuel tank is too small at 60L, I’d prefer 80L giving me a 500-mile range.
-You can’t choose your setting for the adaptive dampers; it’s linked to your driving mode. So, I can’t mix and match Sport mode throttle response with Comfort Mode suspension. It’s either Comfort suspension and naff throttle response, or good throttle response and a stiffer ride.
-Shifting with the paddles is pointless, even in manual mode it’ll shift up for you before you hit the red line – the paddles just give you an illusion of control.

Summary:
This weird hatchback/saloon/coupe hybrid fills the grand tourer role very well – given its price.
I love how it looks and love that it’s a bit different.
The spec is incredible for its price point.
It’s a real shame that badge snobbery is such a thing.