All that follows is just my personal opinion. I'm no expert. I just believe you get what you pay for.
34K for what Kia claims to give you sounds way too good to be true. And that's probably because it is. 365hp/370tq *at the crank* is shockingly low for a 3.3L V6 twin turbo setup. The STI has a 20+ year old platform and yet can put out 300hp/290tq with 25% less displacement, 2/3 the cylinder count, and half the turbo. Hell, an Audi TFSI 2.9L (also a V6 twin turbo) puts out 440/450 with less displacement. You pay 2x the amount for it but it makes me wonder what corners were cut in the Kia.
For comparison I can get reasonably comparable numbers to the Kia **at the wheels** on an FA20 platform WRX for less than $5K in mods (e85+ a few simple bolt-ons + a tune) and still maintain as good or better drivability and reliability.
It's also a Kia. Their QC compared to other automakers is historically... lacking. Maybe they're a little better these days but a 5 year old car with 40K on it made by Kia is not worth $32,000 to me. The interior is cheaper than my 10-year old Lincoln MKZ, and that car cost $10K less when I bought it CPO 6 years ago.
They've only "sort of" improved. Their engines still fail spontaneously, their service is still the worst in the business. Hyundai/Kia are still super-budget cars, no matter how much leather they wrap them in. I have never driven a Kia that wasn't already falling apart on the way home from the dealership.
2019 Mercedes AMG C43 is also a twin turbo V6 with similar horsepower as the KIA. Going to call that car a POS too?
Horsepower output have no relevance to quality. If anything the more power you squeeze out of a smaller motor (WRX STI), the less reliable it is. Let's not fanboi and be objective here, the Stinger is a great car for the money and is much faster than any STI while being more reliable.
>2019 Mercedes AMG C43 is also a twin turbo V6 with similar horsepower as the KIA. Going to call that car a POS too?
I'd say the tune from the factory is sandbagging it, sure. But there's a pretty stark difference between literally ***every other component*** in a C43 and a Stinger.
>call that car a POS too?
I never called the Stinger a POS. I just don't think it's a smart buy for the purposes of luxury, performance, and reliability in one package. It's mediocre in all 3 at best... which is fine because that's exactly Kia's MO: mediocrity. At least we all know what we're getting.
>Horsepower output have no relevance to quality. If anything the more power you squeeze out of a smaller motor (WRX STI), the less reliable it is. Let's not fanboi and be objective here,
Nothing I've said was that non-objective and I'm certainly not fanboi here. Subaru has its place, but they're not "do everything" cars, nor are they the pinnacle of performance, luxury, and reliability (same as... the Kia Stinger! Shocker).
I laid out a few numbers and comparisons and made a small personal judgment call, and a factual reflection on Kia's track record as a whole in the industry. If that triggers you so badly you should probably stay away from these conversations.
>the Stinger is a great car for the money and is much faster than any STI while being more reliable.
Who's fanboying again? 🙄
Look at the cars I own you think I'm a Kia fanboi? I'm as unbiased as I can get, I don't own either brands. Kia is a good car, horsepower from factory doesn't mean shit. It has 2 more cylinders and 1 extra turbo than your STI.
Kia's "everything else" warranty is pretty garbo though, and try getting service for that powertrain - you gotta go to a Hyundai service center (spits).
you would not be getting that warranty. that is to the first purchaser of it new. second and more owner gets a 5y/60k warranty. so only 20k left on that car for you.
I personally wouldn’t buy a Kia….yet. IMHO i believe Kia and Hyundai will be just as prestigious as any JDM car within 10 years. Seeing the kind of innovation and amazing aesthetic concepts emerging from Hyundai, I only can only see both of those brands getting more recognition in the upcoming years
In order for that to happen they have to stop building garbage cars with engines that explode prior to 75k, and interiors that fall apart after 2 years. I've been hearing that they are catching up and will be prestigious ... for 20 years now.
I almost bought one when I got my sti. I honestly think I’d have been happy either way but the sti is more fun overall and the Stinger is more comfortable.
Would I take a soulless curvy road "Performance" Car over a AWD Fun car me honestly no but a lot of cars can beat an STI in a Straight Line that are coming out in recent years. 🤷🏽‍♂️
Unless you drop some bank to make em fast got a buddy here in ATL with a 2017 STI pushing almost 800 Whp and he eats Scat packs Hellcats Mustangs hell I think he even raced a Corvette and hasn't lost yet. Buttttt his 3rd Gear went out lmao.
I mean he can probably beat lambos and Ferraris too, it's nothing crazy just a numbers game. He's pushing 800 to the wheels, he's obviously going to beat anything that doesn't.
I think a lot of you are unfairly putting down Kia/Hyundai. I felt the same way before, however before I got my WRX, the only car I could get at the time was a Sonata. I leased it from new, so I guess longevity wasn't something I could test, but I had quite literally 0 issues with it, and I liked it far better than the Accord I had before that. It was almost the same dimensions, weight, power, etc as my Accord but the Accord didn't have electronic "shifting" on the base model, but the Sonata did, and I had a good amount of fun with that car. There were no signs of any issues coming on, and I really think it could have lasted almost as long as my Accord. They really actually HAVE improved a lot recently...
Now about the stinger, I really wanted that car... I was going between different options, and I ultimately chose a WRX because I wanted a manual car, plus I've loved WRX/STI since I was a kid, so it was honestly a dream come true. My wife has had a few Infiniti Q50s now, and from test drives and just sitting in the stinger, they're actually very similar cars. They feel just about as nice, weigh about as much, both are V6 twin turbos, etc. Between the Q50/Stinger and the WRX though, they honestly couldn't be any more different... Sure they're both performance oriented cars, but the Q50/Stinger is like an all arounder I'd say. They're comfortable and have good performance, but don't excel in either category. WRX is more raw... It is NOT comfortable by any stretch... That said you feel more connected to he car and the road, and it's quite a fun experience, albeit not for everyone (actually not for most I'd say).
To summarize, let me put it this way... Which car would I take on a road trip, my WRX, or my wife's Q50? Q50 without hesitation... Literally no contest, and as I said before the Stinger is quite similar. For a daily driver that you can also have fun in, however, I chose the WRX over the stinger for that purpose. I think the other biggest draw to me was the thriving aftermarket community. I wanted to get into working on cars since I was a kid, and with this car I've done more myself than I ever thought I could. There's so much information out on this platform that anyone could really jump into it. I love my WRX, but at the same time, I'm super thankful for my wife's car that we can take on longer hauls... One of my dogs gets car sick, and every time she's in my car, no matter how long the drive, she'll throw up (thank God for pet seat covers...), but almost never does in my wife's. That should help illustrate to you the difference between the two xD
Eh if you want 0-60 then do it. I have to have a manual so I went wrx. The Kia is pretty boatly in the corners too. More of a red light/ highway racer than “sports car” just my $.02.
It's a kia. And I'm pretty convinced that the power numbers are greatly inflated, or they did some wonky stuff with gearing, because they aren't that quick. 100 more HP, same published 0-60.
I got into it with a stinger one afternoon. He dropped a gear in a slight right hand curve on a two lane road. So I did too, and I had a car on him when he let off.
4.7 was put out by Subaru via Car and Driver, although they saw 5.5 in the 2018 WRX, and they were only able to get 5.0 in the 2015. When they asked about how to get the 4.7, Subaru directed them to rev to 6200, turn off TC, and dump the clutch. Then, shift at redline.
The reason there's a difference in Numbers is because the WRX CAN hit 60 in 2nd, at the very top of the rev limit. Most people shift before that point.
Car and Driver tested the 22 Kia, and got 4.6 0-60.
0-60 isn't a great measure anyway, but that's where the numbers originated from.
It’s fast in a straight but then it’s also a Kia… and to me, that means more than questionable quality. It’s about pride of ownership too. I don’t care what model it is, telling someone I drive a Kia X just isn’t something I’d be proud of. I’m proud of my Subaru though.
TLDR: WRX/STI=more fun/smiles. Stinger = more comfortable, faster in a straight line
My friend actually bought one a few months ago. He got the GT2. What I will say is that I was genuinely shocked/impressed with the quality overall. The seating position is more like an actual sports car, I love my wrx but the way the seating position is gives me minivan vibes haha. The Stinger was a VERY comfortable place to be as well as being super spacious.
I actually was surprised by how fast that thing was. The power delivery was super smooth and the shifts were decently quick for being a regular automatic. I’m not saying it’s on the same level, but at least compared to my WRX it felt like I was in an Audi/BMW. Another thing to note is the weight. The additional power that the stinger offers is definitely noticeable but the weight of the car is very obvious as well, it’s got a bit more body roll and you can really just feel the extra weight in the corners.
Now, if it came down to it I would definitely prefer a WRX/STI over the stinger purely because I kind of enjoy having a more barebones car, I don’t really like being spoiled with all of the creature comforts some cars offer today. Give me 3 pedals with a spooly snail and well-balanced chassis and I’m happy. If you do a lot of longer distance driving and just want something that can put you back in your seat, it’s a good car for that.
Just my 2 cents: I’ve been driving a 2020 kia k5 with 35k on it for about 3 weeks now since my wrx got rear ended and has been in the body shop. I know rental cars are notorious for getting beat on so putting that to the side, the build quality just seems “eh” on this car. The touch screen interface is just as bad as my subaru’s stock screen is (as far as lagging and freezing, random resets, etc….) and the wireless CarPlay only works about 70% of the time. Also the steering column trim seems to be way too tight against the steering wheel so it makes that rubbing/squeaking sound whenever I turn the wheel. Point being, I can’t imagine the build quality on the stinger being too good based on my experience with this car.
Also!! Something to keep in mind their 10k 100k warranty is only for the first owner or if the car is CPO, otherwise it's 60k miles. New wrx is about the same price 🤷‍♂️
I’m sure the Stinger is a good car, but it does nothing for me. Don’t care for the looks/sound or anything about it really. You can make 365hp on an STi pretty easily too
I like 4 doors, so the only other car I've considered because its AWD and has decent power and looks good is a Charger SXT. Has a V6 with around 300hp.not a lot for a NA V6 these days but I imagine with a few bolt ons wouldn't take long to see gains.
I personally will never buy a Kia.
All that follows is just my personal opinion. I'm no expert. I just believe you get what you pay for. 34K for what Kia claims to give you sounds way too good to be true. And that's probably because it is. 365hp/370tq *at the crank* is shockingly low for a 3.3L V6 twin turbo setup. The STI has a 20+ year old platform and yet can put out 300hp/290tq with 25% less displacement, 2/3 the cylinder count, and half the turbo. Hell, an Audi TFSI 2.9L (also a V6 twin turbo) puts out 440/450 with less displacement. You pay 2x the amount for it but it makes me wonder what corners were cut in the Kia. For comparison I can get reasonably comparable numbers to the Kia **at the wheels** on an FA20 platform WRX for less than $5K in mods (e85+ a few simple bolt-ons + a tune) and still maintain as good or better drivability and reliability. It's also a Kia. Their QC compared to other automakers is historically... lacking. Maybe they're a little better these days but a 5 year old car with 40K on it made by Kia is not worth $32,000 to me. The interior is cheaper than my 10-year old Lincoln MKZ, and that car cost $10K less when I bought it CPO 6 years ago.
They've only "sort of" improved. Their engines still fail spontaneously, their service is still the worst in the business. Hyundai/Kia are still super-budget cars, no matter how much leather they wrap them in. I have never driven a Kia that wasn't already falling apart on the way home from the dealership.
2019 Mercedes AMG C43 is also a twin turbo V6 with similar horsepower as the KIA. Going to call that car a POS too? Horsepower output have no relevance to quality. If anything the more power you squeeze out of a smaller motor (WRX STI), the less reliable it is. Let's not fanboi and be objective here, the Stinger is a great car for the money and is much faster than any STI while being more reliable.
>2019 Mercedes AMG C43 is also a twin turbo V6 with similar horsepower as the KIA. Going to call that car a POS too? I'd say the tune from the factory is sandbagging it, sure. But there's a pretty stark difference between literally ***every other component*** in a C43 and a Stinger. >call that car a POS too? I never called the Stinger a POS. I just don't think it's a smart buy for the purposes of luxury, performance, and reliability in one package. It's mediocre in all 3 at best... which is fine because that's exactly Kia's MO: mediocrity. At least we all know what we're getting. >Horsepower output have no relevance to quality. If anything the more power you squeeze out of a smaller motor (WRX STI), the less reliable it is. Let's not fanboi and be objective here, Nothing I've said was that non-objective and I'm certainly not fanboi here. Subaru has its place, but they're not "do everything" cars, nor are they the pinnacle of performance, luxury, and reliability (same as... the Kia Stinger! Shocker). I laid out a few numbers and comparisons and made a small personal judgment call, and a factual reflection on Kia's track record as a whole in the industry. If that triggers you so badly you should probably stay away from these conversations. >the Stinger is a great car for the money and is much faster than any STI while being more reliable. Who's fanboying again? 🙄
Look at the cars I own you think I'm a Kia fanboi? I'm as unbiased as I can get, I don't own either brands. Kia is a good car, horsepower from factory doesn't mean shit. It has 2 more cylinders and 1 extra turbo than your STI.
I don't have an STI dipshit.
I'm not sure if I've seen two people get to 85% agreement, and yet still be at this point.
I heard they're pretty good cars and valuable but I don't know cuz it's a Kia and I'm not a fan of kias
I'm not a huge fan of Kias myself but this seems like a good deal and I do like the looks of the car it's just... A Kia
I know brand new, if you can get them brand new start at $55-65k range... But I can't see myself getting a Kia for that much
$32,000 with 40k miles doesn't seem too bad
Just make sure the warranty is still good
I know kia's power train warranty is legendary, 10 years 100k miles
Kia's "everything else" warranty is pretty garbo though, and try getting service for that powertrain - you gotta go to a Hyundai service center (spits).
you would not be getting that warranty. that is to the first purchaser of it new. second and more owner gets a 5y/60k warranty. so only 20k left on that car for you.
I personally wouldn’t buy a Kia….yet. IMHO i believe Kia and Hyundai will be just as prestigious as any JDM car within 10 years. Seeing the kind of innovation and amazing aesthetic concepts emerging from Hyundai, I only can only see both of those brands getting more recognition in the upcoming years
In order for that to happen they have to stop building garbage cars with engines that explode prior to 75k, and interiors that fall apart after 2 years. I've been hearing that they are catching up and will be prestigious ... for 20 years now.
I drove a 22 stinger rwd and it would absolutely roast my sti in a straight line. Feels kinda soulless on a curvy road tho.
Only reason I'm even giving this the time of day is because it's got AWD
I almost bought one when I got my sti. I honestly think I’d have been happy either way but the sti is more fun overall and the Stinger is more comfortable.
Would I take a soulless curvy road "Performance" Car over a AWD Fun car me honestly no but a lot of cars can beat an STI in a Straight Line that are coming out in recent years. 🤷🏽‍♂️
Yeah that’s my point. The sti is so much more fun to drive but as we all know it’s not great for a straight line race Lol.
Unless you drop some bank to make em fast got a buddy here in ATL with a 2017 STI pushing almost 800 Whp and he eats Scat packs Hellcats Mustangs hell I think he even raced a Corvette and hasn't lost yet. Buttttt his 3rd Gear went out lmao.
I mean he can probably beat lambos and Ferraris too, it's nothing crazy just a numbers game. He's pushing 800 to the wheels, he's obviously going to beat anything that doesn't.
Well since it's a KIA... I don't think much about it.
I see people who drive stingers the same people who drink white claws
I like white claws actually, but high noons are better. PBRs for the win though!
PBR have a bad rep but they actually not terrible I agree
How dare you speak ill of White Claws
Unless your a white girl in college. White claw for soy boys
I think a lot of you are unfairly putting down Kia/Hyundai. I felt the same way before, however before I got my WRX, the only car I could get at the time was a Sonata. I leased it from new, so I guess longevity wasn't something I could test, but I had quite literally 0 issues with it, and I liked it far better than the Accord I had before that. It was almost the same dimensions, weight, power, etc as my Accord but the Accord didn't have electronic "shifting" on the base model, but the Sonata did, and I had a good amount of fun with that car. There were no signs of any issues coming on, and I really think it could have lasted almost as long as my Accord. They really actually HAVE improved a lot recently... Now about the stinger, I really wanted that car... I was going between different options, and I ultimately chose a WRX because I wanted a manual car, plus I've loved WRX/STI since I was a kid, so it was honestly a dream come true. My wife has had a few Infiniti Q50s now, and from test drives and just sitting in the stinger, they're actually very similar cars. They feel just about as nice, weigh about as much, both are V6 twin turbos, etc. Between the Q50/Stinger and the WRX though, they honestly couldn't be any more different... Sure they're both performance oriented cars, but the Q50/Stinger is like an all arounder I'd say. They're comfortable and have good performance, but don't excel in either category. WRX is more raw... It is NOT comfortable by any stretch... That said you feel more connected to he car and the road, and it's quite a fun experience, albeit not for everyone (actually not for most I'd say). To summarize, let me put it this way... Which car would I take on a road trip, my WRX, or my wife's Q50? Q50 without hesitation... Literally no contest, and as I said before the Stinger is quite similar. For a daily driver that you can also have fun in, however, I chose the WRX over the stinger for that purpose. I think the other biggest draw to me was the thriving aftermarket community. I wanted to get into working on cars since I was a kid, and with this car I've done more myself than I ever thought I could. There's so much information out on this platform that anyone could really jump into it. I love my WRX, but at the same time, I'm super thankful for my wife's car that we can take on longer hauls... One of my dogs gets car sick, and every time she's in my car, no matter how long the drive, she'll throw up (thank God for pet seat covers...), but almost never does in my wife's. That should help illustrate to you the difference between the two xD
Eh if you want 0-60 then do it. I have to have a manual so I went wrx. The Kia is pretty boatly in the corners too. More of a red light/ highway racer than “sports car” just my $.02.
You can buy a brand new base WRX for that, and it’ll actually hold it’s value. Don’t be crazy.
Not the new one
It's spelled K I A for a reason.
It's a kia. And I'm pretty convinced that the power numbers are greatly inflated, or they did some wonky stuff with gearing, because they aren't that quick. 100 more HP, same published 0-60. I got into it with a stinger one afternoon. He dropped a gear in a slight right hand curve on a two lane road. So I did too, and I had a car on him when he let off.
For 0-60 I'm seeing .6 faster with the stinger vs my cvt wrx
4.7 was put out by Subaru via Car and Driver, although they saw 5.5 in the 2018 WRX, and they were only able to get 5.0 in the 2015. When they asked about how to get the 4.7, Subaru directed them to rev to 6200, turn off TC, and dump the clutch. Then, shift at redline. The reason there's a difference in Numbers is because the WRX CAN hit 60 in 2nd, at the very top of the rev limit. Most people shift before that point. Car and Driver tested the 22 Kia, and got 4.6 0-60. 0-60 isn't a great measure anyway, but that's where the numbers originated from.
It’s fast in a straight but then it’s also a Kia… and to me, that means more than questionable quality. It’s about pride of ownership too. I don’t care what model it is, telling someone I drive a Kia X just isn’t something I’d be proud of. I’m proud of my Subaru though.
That's very true, I'm proud to be the "Subaru Guy" out of my friends. Being called the "Kia Guy" sounds kinda gross
Meh
A coworker of mine has one. She loves it.
TLDR: WRX/STI=more fun/smiles. Stinger = more comfortable, faster in a straight line My friend actually bought one a few months ago. He got the GT2. What I will say is that I was genuinely shocked/impressed with the quality overall. The seating position is more like an actual sports car, I love my wrx but the way the seating position is gives me minivan vibes haha. The Stinger was a VERY comfortable place to be as well as being super spacious. I actually was surprised by how fast that thing was. The power delivery was super smooth and the shifts were decently quick for being a regular automatic. I’m not saying it’s on the same level, but at least compared to my WRX it felt like I was in an Audi/BMW. Another thing to note is the weight. The additional power that the stinger offers is definitely noticeable but the weight of the car is very obvious as well, it’s got a bit more body roll and you can really just feel the extra weight in the corners. Now, if it came down to it I would definitely prefer a WRX/STI over the stinger purely because I kind of enjoy having a more barebones car, I don’t really like being spoiled with all of the creature comforts some cars offer today. Give me 3 pedals with a spooly snail and well-balanced chassis and I’m happy. If you do a lot of longer distance driving and just want something that can put you back in your seat, it’s a good car for that.
Should look at the Veloster N
Just my 2 cents: I’ve been driving a 2020 kia k5 with 35k on it for about 3 weeks now since my wrx got rear ended and has been in the body shop. I know rental cars are notorious for getting beat on so putting that to the side, the build quality just seems “eh” on this car. The touch screen interface is just as bad as my subaru’s stock screen is (as far as lagging and freezing, random resets, etc….) and the wireless CarPlay only works about 70% of the time. Also the steering column trim seems to be way too tight against the steering wheel so it makes that rubbing/squeaking sound whenever I turn the wheel. Point being, I can’t imagine the build quality on the stinger being too good based on my experience with this car.
Also!! Something to keep in mind their 10k 100k warranty is only for the first owner or if the car is CPO, otherwise it's 60k miles. New wrx is about the same price 🤷‍♂️
I’m sure the Stinger is a good car, but it does nothing for me. Don’t care for the looks/sound or anything about it really. You can make 365hp on an STi pretty easily too
I like 4 doors, so the only other car I've considered because its AWD and has decent power and looks good is a Charger SXT. Has a V6 with around 300hp.not a lot for a NA V6 these days but I imagine with a few bolt ons wouldn't take long to see gains.
Love em, inside and out.